the growth is online
Leisure Travellers66% of all leisure travelers shop exclusively online
Online Bookings57% of leisure travelers made an online booking in 2007
Travel is #1travel is the #1 online retail categoryTraditional channel
The traditional agent channel is weak. In the current environment, travelers want a deal, they want real value. The traditional agents can offer great prices but travelers look online for a bargain, they expect to find the best rate online.
Direct online channel - your website
Direct online channel sales will exceed 61% for the travel industry in 2009.
We're focused on your website
Increasingly, users want to book directly with the hotel/resort - they do not want to book through an "OTA" (Online Travel Agent) or 3rd party website. Why guests want to book direct:
- "What if I need to change my arrival and departure dates - it's better to deal directly with the hotel"
- "I need wheelchair access - who can I ask if I book through an online agent"
- "I want to see the most up-to-date specials - these are normally on the hotels own website"
Best rates are often on the resort website
Your resort's own website is most up-to-date because it's under your direct control and it's easier to change. Compare the time and effort required to add a new special to your website versus to feed a new special to the directories and portals (the "web bookers"). The traditional agent channel is even more inflexible because they are still very reliant on printed media (and one print run per year).
Direct online channel margins are better
With both the traditional brick & mortar travel agents and the OTA's, a 30-35% discount/mark-down is very common. Book Online Asia charges only 10% but it's much better than that because your web management, hosting and advertising bills will go away. And we have incentive to grow your online business. We in fact guarantee that we can grow your online business. In the end you'll get more business at better margins.


