Distribution Strategies

AboutAnywhere.com has applauded Steve Joyce, CEO of Choice Hotels, for standing up to Expedia.

Published: 26 Oct 2009

AboutAnywhere.com has applauded Steve Joyce, CEO of Choice Hotels, for standing up to Expedia.

Company’s CEO Ashwin Kamlani says it takes a lot of courage to do what Choice has done.

“This should serve as a clear signal to the OTAs that the hotel industry refuses to fall victim to the same mistakes that were made after September 11, 2001. It is completely unreasonable for an OTA which demands such a high percentage of the hotels’ reservations revenue to require last room availability. Objectively speaking, if a hotel is certain that they can fill their last rooms through their own direct channels, they should do so without hesitation,” said Kamlani.

He added, “Expedia’s demands are also unrealistic. Anyone from the industry will tell you that regardless of what you force a hotel to put into the contract, the hotel is going to do whatever is necessary to maximise its profits. This is why they need an army of market managers all over the world to enforce these outrageous policies. Forcing the hotels to commit financial suicide in a contract is just a product of arrogance.”

For its part, AboutAnywhere.com decided to extend an invitation to Mr. Joyce to include the Choice Hotels portfolio in AboutAnywhere.com at a 10 percent margin without any other demands.

Choice not ready to “literally give up control of its inventory and pricing”

“Growing tension between hoteliers and OTAs”…NONSENSE!

The Prisoner’s Dilemma, the Stockholm Syndrome, or a Case of Both?