Although it might be nice and convenient for travelers to use an online travel site like Expedia or Orbitz to book hotel visits along with flights and rental cars, hotels win when their guests skip those sites and book directly. That’s why Hyatt Hotels is joining some of its hospitality brethren in dangling a discount for those who book directly on its site.
In an effort to sidestep the typical 15% surcharge hotels have to pay online travel sites, Hyatt will give members of its Gold Passport loyalty program up to a 10% discount on their stay in the U.S., Canada, and Australia if they book their room directly on its own website, the Associated Press reports.
Other hotels have figured out this perk as well: Hilton Worldwide, Marriott International, and Starwood Hotels & Resorts Worldwide all offer a similar discount for direct booking, as well as free WiFi (Hyatt already gives WiFi away to all guests). Some hotels will throw in other freebies, like food and beverage credits or room upgrades.
As well as avoiding that fee it has to pay to booking service, having guests deal with hotels directly could help pad a hotel chain’s loyalty numbers, if that’s a requirement of getting the discount.
“It costs them less and it gives them a better chance to create a business relationship,” a travel consultant tells the AP, noting that fewer than one in four hotel guests belong to a loyalty program. “They get our email information and a chance to win our ongoing preference.”
It’s worth noting that guests could get a better senior or AAA discount, so make sure you do the math before you book.
Hotels woo guests to book directly online with discounts [Associated Press]
by Mary Beth Quirk via Consumerist
No comments:
Post a Comment