Competing For Customers

By Heidi G.

    Over the past few years, online travel websites such as Expedia, Hotwire, and Travelocity have been competing with hotels and airlines for customers.  While you would assume that websites such as these would benefit your business, hotels and airline companies think otherwise.  As these companies are attempting to create a brand loyalty, travel websites are ruining this.  Travel planning websites are designed to give the customer the cheapest options, regardless of the hotel or airline company.  In return, this makes it so that less people book directly with any hotel they would like to stay at.
    Hotels are changing their ways, by attempting to create loyal, lasting customers.  Hotels like Marriott and Hilton are being forced to advertise loyalty programs to ensure that people will stick to their hotel brand.  Marriott loyalty customers are offered free wi-fi as well as being able to check-in and check-out using their mobile app.  Hotel and airline companies are trying to build trust, so that in the future customers will have loyalty to their company ensuring them their business.
     While hotels and airlines are doing this, your best bet is still to book using a travel website.  Travel websites don't pick favorites when it comes to major hotel and airline companies.  They ensure that the customer finds something that meets their needs, at the cheapest price possible.  When you book using travel websites, the hotel or airline must pay them a commission regardless of the company.  This is why companies such as Marriott and Hilton are pushing for people to book directly using their own websites.  Although competing for customers is very prominent in the travel industry, it's something commonly found in all forms of business.


Sources:

 "Home - Expedia, Inc." Expedia, Inc. Web. 27 Mar. 2016.

 "Marriott Removes Ad Likening Agents to Creepy Petrol Station Attendants | Traveltalk." Marriott Removes Ad Likening Agents to Creepy Petrol Station Attendants | Traveltalk. Web. 27 Mar. 2016.

Tugend, Alina. "Hotel Chains and Travel Websites in a Tug of War for Customers." The New York Times. The New York Times, 2016. Web. 27 Mar. 2016.