Each Friday, the HotelNewsNow.com editorial staff picks the most compelling (or downright gutsy) quote and reader comment from the week. Here are this week’s picks.
Reader comment of the week
Another article about online travel agencies, another comment from an irked reader. (Imagine that?) This time the report in question dealt with how online travel agencies, specifically Expedia, sort hotels. According to Brian Ferguson, VP of supply strategy and analysis at Expedia, 95% of all transactions on the site occur with hotels on page No. 1. Furthermore, 47% of transactions occur with hotels in the top five positions on the page.
One of the first criteria Ferguson discussed was rate, saying OTAs do not set rate, but instead use the rate provided by hotels. “It’s not this notion of OTAs running down rates,” he said. “What the Internet has done is created a lot more transparency in rate. It’s easier to see who is the cheapest hotel.”
Message board commenter robertgilmour26 wasn’t buying it:
“Saying that OTAs do not set rate, but instead use the rate provided by hotels, is just utter nonsense, and a total 'cop out'. Of course they set rate parameters, and the above article re page ranking actually demonstrates that. Hoteliers either give these OTA's the RATES THEY DEMAND, or they suffer. If that's not tantamount to rate setting, I don't know what is.”
Quote of the week
In an analysis of the costs of green development and the ROI, HotelNewsNow.com’s Features Editor Patrick Mayock found fervent support from a wide range of industry professionals. Most vocal was Marty Collins, president and CEO of Gatehouse Capital, who said LEED certification not only made good business sense, but it would likely be mandated in the future.
“Having a LEED-certified building … is going to be about as elective as (Americans with Disabilities Act requirements). In other words, it’s something that’s going to be mandatory in the future. Do you want to do this now or do you want to do this later?” he said.
“We don’t see this as discretionary … It’s something that you positively, absolutely have to do.”
