Cornell Center for Hospitality Research Examines Daily Deals and Sustainability Issues

What to make of Google

Make no mistake, the Google/ITA merger is a big deal for the travel industry.  But it’s possible that hotels are asking the wrong question about the impact it will have.  The question brings to mind an excellent point that was made during the presentation of the Hotel Distribution Study in Nashville this summer.  To paraphrase the panelist’s view: “All of these distribution providers add some value to our business.  But as they try to monetize their products, distribution costs are becoming prohibitive.  Our challenge is to understand how much their services are worth”.

While the title indicates that there are 50, there are actually lots more once you visit the additional content contained in the links.

   Six major hotel companies formed a new online booking service, Room Key, as a way to reduce commission costs paid to online travel agencies (OTAs) like Expedia and Travelocity, whose hotel room sales continue to climb.

Backyard selling continues to be the best approach for hotels. This text presents basic techniques and strategies that still get great results. I personally give each new Ayres sales person a copy, and insist they read every page. The smart ones read it more than once, and refer to it regularly. I highly recommend this book for training hotel sales people. There is no better.         Jim Roos, President, Ayres Hotels -