As long as you are armed with a computer connected to the Internet, anyone can have access to the vast database of hotels that you can examine and compare before making an instant reservation with minimum fuss and effort. The information that is available on these sites is more than sufficient to assist in the decision-making process. We shall now study how the Internet has revolutionized the hotel reservation process in recent years.
The evolution of the hotel reservation process over the years: Hotel reservation procedures used to be in the hands of mainly hotels and travel agents, but have quickly evolved to become easily accessible to the online consumer after the arrival of the Internet.
In the past, travelers had to go through hotels or travel agents to make a hotel booking via phone or writing. There was limited information about the room rates, services and facilities available to the traveler except through printed brochures or newspaper advertisements, which can be easily overlooked. Furthermore, some time was needed to get a response from the hotels and travel agents, allowing for less room for the traveler to make a quick decision about his booking or change it.
Following the Internet age, all kinds of information about the hotels becomes much more readily available, including the means to book hotels online through web portals run by the hotels or online travel agents.
This has enabled travelers to take full control of their hotel booking procedures, including changing their booking or making a last-minute booking if the situation arises. In such a situation, they can even enjoy discounts and deals by the hotel and search for the best deals on several websites.
Information galore on online travel agents' sites:Today, hotel information is readily available on many online travel agents' websites through the sharing of such information between large hotel chains and online travel agents. This means that these websites are able to promote and market the rooms of different hotel chains to online visitors, thus serving as a powerful publicity platform for these hotels. Such publicity is a win-win situation as the online travel agents stand to receive commission payments for every booking that is done through their sites. Even thousands of smaller online travel sites are getting in on the act as the information is shared with them by the larger agents.
Controlled and targeted marketing by booking directly at hotels' websites:As opposed to the barrage of information about various hotels that is available on online travel agents' websites, hotels' own booking websites with attached booking engines allow for much more personalized and targeted marketing to its guests.
With more detailed information about its offerings, the incorporation of more images and the use of sophisticated web design such as flash animation and videos, it would be easier for hotels to distinguish themselves from the pack through their own websites.
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