This topic contains 6 replies, has 3 voices, and was last updated by 
Busybees 1 month ago.
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This is my experience of being a guest for a change, not the Inn Keeper.
Very recently I needed a room for one night in Melbourne. I was amazed at some price variations on offer from from the same hotel. My chosen hotel was varying between $269.oo to $229.oo on the OTA’s
but only $199.oo on their own direct web site.
My phone call direct to the Hotel resulted in a quote of $108.oo each night! Then the in house parking was reduced by $7.oo . Also self service/ all you can eat breakfast was trimmed from $25.oo per person to $17.oo per person. No it was definately not a quiet night. 24/7 check ins , check outs, extremely busy hotel to my observation.
The location suited me, the price was acceptable, the room quality was to me about 7 out of 10. (It was clean)
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With the BS OTA’s often choosing to vary or discount our posted prices it is embarrassing sometimes with a guest calls for a better or accurate price for my rooms. it is often the case I do not know if an OTA has varied my price or not.
Like many of us operators I do not have time to view the internet / OTA sites constantly. I do however make every effort to be there a few times daily. -
We don’t do dynamic pricing cos I would love someone to show me…. need that tutoring!
I am not sure why motels/etc don’t have cheaper tariffs or add-ons/etc for when the guest when they ring and book directly. This has been my ‘PET CHILD’ for as long as we’ve been in the business. If only EVERY motel would join together to do this, it would soon educate the guest to move away from OTAs and book directly. We need to keep telling guests to watch the Dick Smith youtube video, so they know its not just us “whinging”!
It is nice to be in the business so we can sometimes “bargain” our way to a cheaper price with those big boys! I would never dream of doing it to a mum and dad motel.
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Hi Busy Bees , if you are interested in learning a bit about dynamic prices and overall improving things , there is an online course you can do i did it last year , run by a couple of Aussie guys that are pretty switched on , they still work in the industry but it is worth a look and it`s not that costly . Although you may know a lot they will still have things you can do to improve your motel . The course is run by hotelrescue.com.au or just google hotel rescue . It will come up. Just so you know I dont receive any kick backs from them
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cheers for the info! I will have a look but I’m one that needs someone over my shoulder!! BUT will have a look
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I am not sure what a lot of other country or large regional town motels do , but we have dynamic pricing in our town , depending what is on at the time and if our competitors are sold out or not etc. We also hold rooms off the internet to create demand so we can raise our prices. There is a online webinar/ learning course you can do called http://www.hotelrescue.com.au/ they start at the basics but even for experienced operators it is a good checks and balances type thing that you can find some different ideas etc , but the main thing i take away from it is the dynamic pricing which we are constantly using even o a daily basis , but also right out to 18 months ahead . A few dollars per room is worth a fair bit in the whole scheme of things
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Hot off the press
As you may be aware, Expedia Lodging Partner Services Sarl; Travelscape LLC; Hotels.com LP; VacationSpot SL; and BEX Travel Asia Pte Ltd (formerly named AAE Travel Pte Limited) (collectively, “Expedia” or “we”) have been engaging with the Australian Competition and Consumer Commission (ACCC) regarding the clause in relevant agreements with Expedia’s Australian hotel partners in which you have agreed that room rates you provide Expedia will be equal to or lower than those offered by you through your own online booking or distribution channels. This provision is often referred to as a narrow rate MFN provision.
As background, our narrow rate MFN provision was introduced to support offering competitive offers to consumers searching and booking your hotel rooms through Expedia. Beyond its contractual implications, we believe our narrow rate MFN provision reflects an important commercial principle – that is, we expend our efforts and resources promoting your rooms, and the vibrant and growing Australian tourism market generally, and we hope you expend your efforts and resources to make available competitively priced rooms to your (future) customers who find you and book through Expedia. This ensures that you, and your customers, receive the full benefits of your listing on Expedia.
We work hard every day to present a highly intuitive consumer-facing online travel marketplace that enables consumers to find their best travel options quickly and efficiently, with the goal of making the travel search and booking process easy to navigate and thereby increasing travel overall, which we believe benefits the individuals traveling, the destinations they travel to, and helps stimulate global economic growth. In this way, we have always considered our narrow rate MFN provision to be part of this overall goal, ultimately mutually beneficial to hotel partners like you and Expedia.
Nonetheless, we recognise that our narrow rate MFN provision has become the source of contention with some industry participants and that this has led to the ACCC review. That is why we have decided to modify our lodging agreements with our Australian hotel partners to remove any narrow rate MFN provision, if removal is permitted in your agreement and, whether or not removal is permitted in your agreement, waive any rights we may have to enforce them, on the terms set out in a Deed of Waiver and Notice of Amendment, a copy of which can be found here. We are taking this action without any admission of any wrongdoing and without any prejudice to any arguments as to the effect of such provisions.
The purpose of this email and the attached deed and notice is to provide you with further details on how this decision will affect your lodging agreement with Expedia.
While you are free to charge higher rates on Expedia’s marketplace than on other channels, including your own site, I’d like to highlight that providing your best prices, content, amenities and general hospitality to Expedia’s incremental consumers has always been and will remain the most effective way to convince consumers to choose your property over your competition and maximize your exposure and room night potential on our marketplace. This gives you an opportunity to attract and delight more and more new consumers, leading them to come back to your property either through our channel or through your own. As proven by decades of data analysis and surveys, price is a critical element in consumers’ decision-making process, hence why it is one of many factors we take into account to differentiate otherwise similar hotel offers in our marketplace. This consumer-centric approach is fundamental to our business and will continue to be a key focus for us.
You do not have to do anything in response to this email. However, should you have any questions, please contact your Expedia Market Management team direct as that will be the quickest path to addressing your questions. Also for your information, the original version of the attached deed and notice shall be held in our offices at Level 18, 1 Martin Place, Sydney and shall be available for inspection during normal business hours upon request.
We look forward to continuing our successful partnership with you, and to continue delivering profitable incremental bookings for your property.
Yours sincerely,
Cyril Ranque
President Expedia Lodging Partner Services
Expedia® Lodging Partner Services
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