After Starwood buy, is Marriott eyeing online travel agencies?

LAST week, Marriott International officially announced its successful acquisition of Starwood Hotels & Resorts, but is the company setting its sights on online travel agencies?

Hotels are now prepared to take back their market share by offering promotions and cheaper rates directly on their sites, and aggressive marketing campaigns have been launched to promote direct bookings.

Last year, Marriott launched an unambiguous campaign titled “It Pays to Book Direct” in a bid to woo guests directly to their site.

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According to a report on Bloomberg, Marriott and others are fighting back with discounts and free WiFi to frequent guests who book directly with them, and reminding travelers that they earn zero loyalty points when reserving through other websites.

Robert Finvarb, who owns Marriotts in and around Miami, said, “Regaining control of our inventory is absolutely critical.”

More than 5,800 properties and 1.1 million rooms have now fallen under Marriott’s belt, which accounts for one in every five hotel rooms in the world.

Because of the brand’s expanded portfolio, targeting the loyal customers and keeping them in the family is critical, as expressed by Scott Berman, principal and industry leader for hospitality and leisure at PwC.

Bashar Wali, president of Provenance Hotels in Portland, Oregon, told Bloomberg that Marriott will be using the power of its bulk to negotiate more favorable commissions. He adds on the relationship between hotels and online agencies, “It’s a love-hate relationship, and will always be.”

The post After Starwood buy, is Marriott eyeing online travel agencies? appeared first on Travel Wire Asia.

Source: travelwireasia.com