A good portion of my job as the owner of a top travel PR firm based in NYC is to share my expertise on the travel/hotel market. This involves understanding what methods hotel companies are using to get the best results. And over the last couple of years, many companies have been using metasearch to drive direct bookings. However, hotels’ emphasis on metasearching is starting to shift with the arrival of Book with Google and TripAdvisor’s Instant Book.
Before going forward, I should explain what metasearching is. It’s a searching tool that uses another search engine’s data. A company that integrates the metasearch tool into their system allows the company to take the data from this other search engine and uses the information for their own results. Metsearching takes the input from a user while sending out queries to third party search engines. The third party then generates the results, which are presented to the user by formatting the data by rank.
Challenges of Internet Expansion
This methodology has been an effective way to keep up with the rapid growth of the internet. The more the internet expands, the harder it becomes for a single search engine to keep tabs on all of the resources the web has to offer. And metsearching makes it easier to do all this. According to EyeForTravel.com, metsearching was the “go to” tool for hotel booking sites with users enjoying 15 to 1 in return investments.
However, the entry of Book with Google and TripAdvisor’s Instant Book is changing the game. The more popular these two contenders get, the more that 15 to 1 ratio in hotel metasearching starts to decline. Why are these new ventures so popular? Because they’re eliminating the need for a third party, which metasearching relies heavily on.
Book with Google is currently running its beta version in North America. As of now, 20,000 hotels have already signed up. Book with Google is doing well because it uses the reservation system from Sabre Hospitality Solutions, removing a third party from credit card transactions. Instead, hotels can pay commissions to Google and Sabre directly.
Opinions On The Future Of Metsearching For Direct Hotel Booking
Pia Vemmelund of Momondo Group, an online travel search and inspiration network, shared her opinion on direct hotel booking. Vemmelund, chief executive of Momondo Group, says that metasearch is, for now, hardly affected by the emergence of Google and TripAdvisor’s new programs. However, as the channel grows, it’s likely that more and more consumers will start thinking about moving from metasearching to Google and TripAdvisor’s new hotel booking options.
Another goal for luxury hotels is to obtain the highest return on investment (ROI) possible. A ROI is the benefit to an investor who has made an investment on some resource. If the ROI is high, then the investment gains compare favorably to investment cost. Getting the highest ROI is one of the main objectives for Morgans Hotel Group, a hospitality company for boutique hotels. CRO Chadi Farha says this means entering areas in the market that are new like Book with Google and Instant Book.
Both Vemmelund and Farhat agree on one thing. Even though meta’s business benefits are waning, it still has a presence in the market. As such, it’s wise that luxury hotels stay invested in this hotel booking search tool. However, companies should also start making a presence on newer platforms like Book with Google and TripAdvisor’s Instant Book. Vemmelund and Farhat also said that revenue management and marketing efforts, therefore, must be more creative.
PR Boutique Firm Client Gogobot Embraces API Platform
That’s where our NYC PR agency comes into play. Being creative requires a new skill set because it stimulates demand. We offer these creative offerings. In fact, one of our newest clients, Gogobot, recently released its new Application Programming Interface (API) platform through its partnership with Leonardo Hotels, Kiwi Collection, and HomeAway.
APIs organize information from separate companies. The groups that share the same API have access to this information which the API presents in a machine readable format. The concept behind APIs is that third parties can build on the API’s core value from the information being shared on the platform. In essence, the companies work as a team to show their shared customers what they offer as a whole.
Through Gogobot’s collaboration, its API platform has now been integrated directly into Leonardo, Kiwi, and HomeAway’s websites. With the API platform on each site, Gogobot’s high-quality travel planning/hotel booking content can be seen and used by Leonardo, Kiwi, and HomeAway’s customers directly.
Like the news I shared above, my top travel PR agency team can offer you intimate knowledge about the hospitality industry and the strategic approach to your specific campaigns. Read all about our expertise in the field on how we track trends, world news, and events impacting the industry.
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