CMA Investigation: The Future of Booking.com and Expedia S4E9

Welcome to season four of the Boost Hospitality podcast. I'm back again to show all hospitality owners how you can turn lookers into bookers, get more heads on beds and increase your direct booking. This season I've got something very special lined up. The Boosterly website was recently voted one of the top 10 UK hotel blogs out there and after asking you guys, I realized that so many of you haven't actually read the blogs. You said that you prefer audio as a way of learning about new tactics and tips to get in more direct bookings. So what I'm doing this season is I'm going to be providing the audio version of all of my blogs that are on the Boostly website. So it doesn't matter whether you're on the computer in the car getting ready for breakfast or changing those beds. I can show you how you can increase your diary book. Let's get on with the show. On 27 October 2017, the CMA opened an investigating in how the online travel agents conduct their business. We are now in July 2018 and I wanted to give you an update on what the CMA are doing, the outcry from it and how this is massive news for the world of hospitality. So let's have a quick recap for everybody who doesn't know. October 2017 the BBC News website stated this. This investigation will examine areas such as hidden charges, search results and discount claims. The Competition and Markets Authority, otherwise known as the cma, has appealed to consumers to write to them to detail their experiences about booking on hotel websites such as hotels.com, booking.com, expedia and Agoda. Now this was pulled from the official website. The watchdog is seeking evidence from both the websites and the hotels and would like consumers to get in touch to share their experiences. Around 70% of people who shopped around for hotels last year use these sites and they should all be confident that they have chosen the best accommodation for their needs and are getting a good deal. And that's from the CMA Chief Executive Andrea Costelli. The investigation will cover search results, pressure selling, discount claims, hidden charges. At the time I wrote on the Boostly blog that the big one for me was pressure selling. How many times have you visited booking.com for them to tell you that there's only one room left at the property when you know that just simply isn't the case? Fast forward to July 2018 right now and the Guardian recently, earlier this month went with a big story. Hotel booking websites could be forced to stop claiming one room is left at any price and given more promotions to hotels that pay the most commissions. This is what the UK CMA regulator has come back and said. It's not just booking holidays, which is the booking.com group or the Expedia Group. Airbnb have been challenged as well, not by the CMA but by the eu. They have been told to be more clearer and transparent on what it costs to book a stay. Back in October I said that time will tell if the CMA actually did anything or if it was all just smoke and mirrors. I'm happy to see that they're acting and actually putting in deadlines to these big corporations. It is the perfect time right now for small independently owned hospitality businesses to take advantage of the fact that the greedy third party booking sites are being shamed in public public. It's now the time to push the benefits of booking directly with your guests. If you're not doing so on social media, via email or just by having conversations with people as they come and go from your property, then you are leaving money on the table. What I have done is I've created a free five step guide on how any hospitality owner doesn't matter if it's a hotel, guest house or rental, can increase their direct bookings. Now if you want to go get your copy go to www.boostly which is b o o s T-L-Y.co.uk email, visit that, put in your details and I'll send you that five step guide. This blog has been updated today which is the 24th of July 2018. If you want to go and read the full blog, go to boostly.co do and in the search bar just type in CMA. Okay. Hope you have a great day. As always, love to hear your feedback. Let me know what your thoughts are in the CMA investigation. Let me know what your experiences have been with either booking with these booking sites or by working with these booking sites. I will be back tomorrow for another edition of the Boost Hospitality Podcast. Okay, well done for getting through another episode of the Boost Hospitality Podcast. My name has been Mark Simmerson and you can reach out and contact me on Twitter, Facebook or email. If you have enjoyed this episode and all of the episodes of the Boost Hospitality Podcast, please go to itunes or wherever you are listening to this and leave one of those lovely five star reviews. Virtual hugs for everyone that does. Thank you very much and I'll see you soon.