Author Topic: Wonder what this will mean  (Read 10707 times)

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Offline stoop

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Re: Wonder what this will mean
« Reply #30 on: April 02, 2017, 00:57:36 AM »
Back to the topic.

I wonder what would happen if bookin.con decided not to offer holidays to Turkey on any of their non Turkish sites?


« Last Edit: April 02, 2017, 12:33:57 PM by stoop »



Offline JohnF

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Re: Wonder what this will mean
« Reply #31 on: April 02, 2017, 10:29:08 AM »
Trivago also mentioned in that article

Which is part of the Expedia group, who no doubt will be targeted the same as they're considering doing to Tripadvisor.

I think the crux of this conflict between TURSAB and the online booking portals boils down to the fact that domestic travel agents cant get the same deals from hotels (and hotel groups) that the online companies can.  In addition, the hoteliers would much prefer to deal with companies that dont charge the level of commission and fees the online companies levy on bookings.

For the hotel industry its a difficult one - on one hand they get international exposure, but get less per room.  On the other hand, if they dealt with the more traditional agents (in Turkey) then they'd get higher room rates, but less international exposure and ultimately less trade. 

Given the choice, I think a lot of hotel owners might apply the first law of Turkonomics, less trade...  higher prices.

The travel agency sector (in their mind) just want a level playing field.  Sorry, that's not going to happen.  The same thing that's happened to the traditional travel agent all over the world will happen in Turkey unless the change their business model. 

I've been hearing more and more recently about some serious lobbying from several of the major hotel operators within Turkey, mainly as a result of the disastrous season last year - someone mentioned to me yesterday that it was very similar to the campaign carried out by the Catalan tourist body in Barcelona a few years ago.  The difference being that it was done at a very high level and (the lobbying) received very little publicity.  If memory serves correctly, some of those major operators are very close to the wee fella and his family.

It'll be interesting to see where this ends up, given that blocking foreign owned online booking portals who don't toe the TURSAB line will ultimately damage an industry thats currently on its knees.

JF

Offline Scunner

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Re: Wonder what this will mean
« Reply #32 on: April 02, 2017, 10:49:49 AM »
It's not just that the domestic booking companies can't get the rates the big multinational ones can - there's also the dubious practice of offering great rates, then pointing out these prices are not available to Turkish people.

Now that one I can sympathise with.

Offline JohnF

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Re: Wonder what this will mean
« Reply #33 on: April 02, 2017, 11:09:32 AM »
Runs deeper than that mate.  A close friend from the 'Bul is the tech savvy half of a couple and she's the one that does the bookings for holidays etc - several times over the past few years they've turned up to hotels or resorts in Turkey and when they see her partner is Turkish the attitude is less than welcoming.  She's had a few rammies with snotty hotel staff and on at least one occasion they actually got turned away.  He's a pretty passive guy so its always her that has the rows! 

JF

Offline KKOB

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Re: Wonder what this will mean
« Reply #34 on: April 02, 2017, 11:45:36 AM »
Well at least the shoebox industry is one that must be benefitting from all the "lobbying".  ;)

Offline JohnF

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Re: Wonder what this will mean
« Reply #35 on: April 03, 2017, 15:59:39 PM »
Hoteliers from Turkey’s touristic Aegean region have voiced their anger against a recent court decision against Booking.com, blasting a leading sector association that filed a case against the online reservation portal over competition concerns.

An Istanbul court on March 29 ordered the suspension of the activities of Booking.com in Turkey, citing accusations of unfair competition, following a lawsuit filed by the Association of Turkish Travel Agencies (TÜRSAB).

The website can still be used from foreign countries to make reservations for Turkish hotels.

The head of the Aegean Touristic Hoteliers Association, Mehmet işler, accused TÜRSAB of “harming Turkey’s tourism” with the move.

“Booking.com offered our tourism players across the country a chance to introduce and market themselves in a fair and equal manner. Can there be a fairer move than this? The website did not create unfair competition; on the contrary, it offered equal opportunities,” said işler in a press meeting on April 3, as quoted by Anadolu Agency.

Full article

JF




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