n the Thirties, Conrad Hilton used to say that hotel’s performances relays first in the “hotel location”, secondly in the “hotel location” and third in the “hotel location”. This adage is still true, except that the location is not anymore physical. Indeed it plays out on the web; online visibility ensures the hotel occupancy, thereby the hotel owner only has to focus on the profitability.
I agree this version is a bit simplified. However, it is true that before starting a yield or a CRM strategy, the e-distribution must be optimized, which means that hotel rooms must be available in electronic channels. If we consider that 84% of the hotels’ customers only search their room on the Internet (Source Coach, Omnium), we better understand the issue of hotels connectivity.
Hotel reservation channels – From the hotel point of view
An hotel can sell rooms through direct channels (walk-in, phone, own web site…) or through a third-party (hotel chains, hotel booking specialists, OTA…).
Direct sales are the simplest. However, even with the perfect marketing strategy, they are not enough to fill all the rooms of an hotel. Indeed, to answer the needs of diverse customers, an hotel must be presence on diverse distribution channels (the locations!).
To be on several distribution channels, there are two methods: filling manually several web planning or using technology.
Technology has a cost. In fact, it represents an investment for a hotel. At the same time, it allows hotels to save time (web planning are a fastidious work) and improve the quality of information (more updates, more flexibility, less errors and the ability to receive bookings until the last minute with no overbooking risks).
The channel management solutions: updaters and switch.
The channel management solutions are tools to update rooms’ prices and availability on several channel. They are a double issues in Europe.
Indeed, 80% of the hotels are independent hotels (in contrast with the North American hospitality industry). Independents can represent 89% of the offer in some country like France. So, on the top of making e-distribution possible, channel management solutions participate also in standardizing the hotels’ offer.
The first generation of channel management tools are the updaters. They allow hoteliers to update several distribution channel from a central point. However they only offer a one way connectivity, which means the solution doesn’t handle real time bookings. The reservation are received through fax or email.
The second generation of channel management systems offer 2 ways connectivity. They can be called “switch” or 2 way connectivity platforms and they are the most powerful (but also the most expensive).
The information flows in two directions between the hotel PMS and third parties allow the hotelier to update availability and rates without the need to split the inventory between channels and with no risk of overbooking.
Source: http://www.kraukoblog.com/travel-technology/hotels-connectivity-a-stake-for-the-whole-travel-industry/
Note:
I agree this version is a bit simplified. However, it is true that before starting a yield or a CRM strategy, the e-distribution must be optimized, which means that hotel rooms must be available in electronic channels. If we consider that 84% of the hotels’ customers only search their room on the Internet (Source Coach, Omnium), we better understand the issue of hotels connectivity.
Hotel reservation channels – From the hotel point of view
An hotel can sell rooms through direct channels (walk-in, phone, own web site…) or through a third-party (hotel chains, hotel booking specialists, OTA…).
Direct sales are the simplest. However, even with the perfect marketing strategy, they are not enough to fill all the rooms of an hotel. Indeed, to answer the needs of diverse customers, an hotel must be presence on diverse distribution channels (the locations!).
To be on several distribution channels, there are two methods: filling manually several web planning or using technology.
Technology has a cost. In fact, it represents an investment for a hotel. At the same time, it allows hotels to save time (web planning are a fastidious work) and improve the quality of information (more updates, more flexibility, less errors and the ability to receive bookings until the last minute with no overbooking risks).
The channel management solutions: updaters and switch.
The channel management solutions are tools to update rooms’ prices and availability on several channel. They are a double issues in Europe.
Indeed, 80% of the hotels are independent hotels (in contrast with the North American hospitality industry). Independents can represent 89% of the offer in some country like France. So, on the top of making e-distribution possible, channel management solutions participate also in standardizing the hotels’ offer.
The first generation of channel management tools are the updaters. They allow hoteliers to update several distribution channel from a central point. However they only offer a one way connectivity, which means the solution doesn’t handle real time bookings. The reservation are received through fax or email.
The second generation of channel management systems offer 2 ways connectivity. They can be called “switch” or 2 way connectivity platforms and they are the most powerful (but also the most expensive).
The information flows in two directions between the hotel PMS and third parties allow the hotelier to update availability and rates without the need to split the inventory between channels and with no risk of overbooking.
Source: http://www.kraukoblog.com/travel-technology/hotels-connectivity-a-stake-for-the-whole-travel-industry/
Note:
Delta Ray is experienced web scraping consultant and writes
articles on Hotels
Data Scraping, Hotelpronto, Expedia, Tripadvisor
Data Scraping, Amazon Product Scraping, Linkedin Email Scraping, Screen
Scraping Services, Yelp Review Scraping and yellowpages data scraping etc.
