The white paper addresses the benefits and challenges that online booking has created for small and mid-sized hotels, with an aim to provide practical solutions. Technology is advancing rapidly and people are turning to be more net saws. The hospitality industry has been largely affected by this development in technology. Bookings are being made easier by online tools that allow travelers to book their stay and plan their travel in an easy way, hence, saving time and energy. People are becoming more comfortable with online booking sites.
The hospitality industry has seen a great demand of Online Travel Agents (Toast) that provide a nonstop shop for booking the travelers’ holiday, Prominent hotels have started opting for management software tools that Andre their data through a booking widget which helps them increase productivity, improve cost efficiency and manage their operations in an effortless manner Leisure and business travelers prefer Top Hotel Booking Sites 24% Travel Websites Hotels. Com Expedite Principle -Source: Travel Agent Central In terms of world-wide internet users, almost half reside in the Asia Pacific region (OPAC).
Of this 644 million people, 9. 6% are located in Southeast Asia. A pretty impressive figure given that, compared to other Asian neighbors, most SEA nations have been late in hopping on the technology bandwagon. When it comes to actual online activity, compared to the rest of the world those in Southeast Asia dedicate more time to social networking than others. Looking over the various networks present in the region, it’s overwhelmingly evident that Faceable is by far the most popular. However, other sites are growing in popularity including Twitter, Linked and even Tumbler. Source: Laurence Bradford Online bookings have seen a gradual rise as travelers have started witnessing the convenience it offers over the conventional method of booking through travel agents. A quick comparison from a traveler’s point of view: Speed and Convenience The dependency with respect to information is travelers don’t previewing the amenities. Level on travel agents time and quality of limited. Moreover, have the option of hotel’s photos and Travelers are able to find a room of their choice and setting, and can book it with no hesitation and no coaxing.
If a guest knows what they are looking for, bookings can be completed in a matter of minutes. Option to Compare Travelers don’t have the option of viewing different properties side-by-side as they are restricted to only one or few properties suggested by the travel gent. Travelers are able to look at properties side-by-side to clearly compare the pros and cons of each. Reduce Cost Travel agents charge high fee for their services which can be quite expensive. Travelers can book online without giving any commission fees. Online booking sites also have a lot more aggressive offers and rewards.
Better Offers Travel agents may not be aware of the online offers as the online market has become so vast and complex that tough to keep a track of the dynamic changes that take place. Travelers can view all the seasonal discounts offered by the hotel online so thing is hidden. Accessibility Travelers have limited access to the agents as travel agents aren’t available xx. Online booking can be done xx. All travelers need is an Internet connection and their credit card information -? they can book from the comfort of their own home or in the taxi on the way to the property.
Flexibility Travelers don’t have the luxury to customize their travel as travel agents mostly provide fixed dates and packages. Guests can easily customize their Stay using online bookings and look at available travel dates to get the best deals. They can even book last-minute ND get some good deals. Better Control Travelers are completely dependent on travel agents and they don’t have direct control on their trip. Travelers have complete control on their trip when they book online as they can choose from a wide range of options.
High Visibility More Control Where a hotel can only reach a limited audience using traditional methods, online booking channels can multiply a hotel’s reach and attract guests from multiple geographies. Better Customer Experience Hotels can update the room rates in realities with the help of channel manager so they have better control online. Competing with Larger Hotels There is absolute transparency through online booking as your customers can view your hotel and the amenities you offer before booking. Instant confirmations from your hotel provide better customer experience.
Credibility Earlier, small and mid-sized hoteliers could not think of competing for bookings with larger hotel chains. With online bookings, the playing field has been leveled. Brand Building Your guests have an option of reading your hotel reviews through third party sites like Kayak and Transistor so you can establish credibility and repute. Hoteliers can focus on brand building as online booking will reduce cost, manpower and manual errors. Less Manpower With online travel agencies doing the work and directly syncing with property management systems, there is less need for employees to manually input booking information at the front desk.
This way hotels can liberate staff time for guests. Tourism Growth in South East Asia One of the most popular tourist destinations, Southeast Asia attracts a lot of travelers every year because of its tropical climate, rich culture, beautiful beaches, exotic food and most importantly, for the economical prices. While its history and modern-day politics are complex, the country is quite safe for travelers and easy to travel around. The number of hotels in Asia is steadily rising and many global brands are making an entry into the Asian countries.
Online hotel booking trend is expecting to grow significantly in the coming years with the hospitality industry having a wide presence in Southeast Asia. A few years ago, business and leisure travelers used to rely on traditional travel agencies to book their tickets but nowadays everyone is going online. People are using internet as a tedium to book hotel rooms online and plan other travel related activities. Online booking is time saving and gives travelers the freedom to choose the hotel and price. The benefits of online booking are the driving force behind increased tourism.
Southeast Asia has turned out to be a major generator of tourism – in Cambodia, Manner, Philippines and Singapore. Thailand, however, noticed a slower growth due to floods. Asia is regarded as a major generator and receiver of tourism as Asians are joining European and American counterparts on business, leisure and adventure trips. The factors contributing to the rapid growth of tourism in Asia are: Travel restrictions lifted A number of Southeast Asian counties have lifted the travel restrictions hence providing ease of travel to domestic and international travelers.
Technology Southeast Asia has witnessed a rapid growth in technology over the last few years which has contributed to the economic growth of the country. Due to the increase in Macs and business travel, Southeast Asia has made a strong mark in the hospitality industry. Marketing New marketing strategies have been adopted by Southeast Asia giving masses a broad perspective. Low Air Fares Due to the low fare airlines, Asia has attracted a lot of travelers from Europe and America which in turn has led to increased currency value.
Economic growth Asia saw a lot of corporate travelers due to the increase of companies in Indochina, Manner and China. This provided ample marketing opportunities for travel-related business which in turn led to an economic growth. Political stability Asia has become politically stable than before, especially Philippines, where tourism was major affected by terrorism, civil rival and natural disasters. The opening of borders to both inbound and outbound travel will provide resists opportunities to pursue their leisure interests.
Tourism’s contribution to GAP is another important indicator of development since it relates to overall travel and tourism spending by domestic and foreign tourists, as well as spending by governments on travel and tourism related services like national parks and museums. Of all the major tourism monitoring organizations, WATCH provides the most comprehensive data on GAP from tourism, quantifying both its direct GAP effects as well as ‘total” impacts in order to provide a detailed picture of how T&T activity impacts the broader economy.
