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No hotelier underestimates the marketing prowess of OTAs. Yet everyone recognises the high cost every OTA booking comes with.
The popularity of online travel agents (OTAs) has always put accommodation providers in a difficult position. On one hand, their pervasive reach and high advertising budgets bring vital brand awareness for properties. Besides, many guests prefer the familiarity of booking through well-known OTA brands.
Yet, this reach comes at a high cost. 15% – 20% for every booking. At times such as now when the industry is crippled by a virus, the expense is even harder to bear.
So, how can you reduce your dependence on OTAs? Let’s explore in this blog.
Firstly, OTAs are not your enemies
Don’t play the victim. OTAs are where your guests search most, and they are here to stay. They offer something you cannot recreate – reaching the right people, at the right time. So, stop weeping about commissions and leverage this reach and guest booking journey in a manner where you can make the most of OTAs’ reach.
Don’t let rate parity prevent you from making offers that will lead to a booking. Get creative with how you can add value to the guest, without breaking the terms of rate parity. Provide access to complimentary amenities. Offer discounts for friends and family or return bookings or throw in upgrades. Make sure your booking engine introduces these offers at the right time of a user journey on the website, prompting a booking. Allow guests to compare rates to OTAs while on your website (a stellar feature of the STAAH booking engine) so they stay and book via your website.
Encourage guests to subscribe to your loyalty programme through incentives and ensure you always have a ready database of people to go to with direct offers and last-minute deals.
Search is a powerful medium. Is your website optimised for organic traffic (SEO)? What is your paid marketing strategy on Google? Have you connected Google Ads via your STAAH platform yet? It is a free and effective way to harness the power of Google search.
A well-written profile, highlighting your experience and amenities on OTAs is very important. Remember, this is where most of your guests will begin their search. In order to interest them enough to reach your website, become great at telling your story on OTAs.
It’s unrealistic to target an overnight reduction in commissions – unless you go completely cold turkey on OTAs, which we don’t advise. Implement the above, however, and you should see a steady adjustment of your direct booking to OTA ratio.
About STAAH
STAAH Ltd. is a New Zealand-based technology company that specializes in innovative cloud-based solutions that simplify hospitality operations and open a world of online commerce for accommodation providers of all types. Founded by Gavin Jeddo in 2008, an industry pioneer, STAAH’s technology suite comprises channel management, direct bookings, online reviews management and gift voucher management system.
Our passionate and diverse team is based across New Zealand, Australia, India, Malaysia, Philippines, Thailand, Indonesia, UK and Europe providing support and service to our network of more than 12,000 + accommodation partners in more than 90 countries worldwide.
