The next time you go online to make a hotel booking—and I presume you’re looking for a good rate—how will you know that the best deals first appearing on your screen are the right ones?
Well, you might not.
There’s a small war going on between major hotel brands and online travel agencies like Expedia.
It’s all about placement, commission, and transparency.
Expedia is now charging hotels for preferential positioning on its site.
In other words, hotels that pay more to Expedia come up first on a search.
Expedia’s normal commission of 15 percent to the hotels can now be as high as 30 percent.
So do consumers know about this pay for positioning program at Expedia? Well, now you do.
Smart travelers can actually benefit from this knowledge.
If you find a hotel on Expedia that you like, what’s to prevent you from calling the hotel directly and asking them to beat the quoted price on Expedia?
Nothing.
Essentially, you’ll be halving their commission and saving on the room.
For more information about hotels, check out:
- How You Can Save on Hotel Rooms in Major Cities
- Thailand Hotels That Showcase Local Art & Design
- How Airbnb is Affecting the Hotel Industry
Keep reading for more travel tips.
