ARE you using consumer
booking websites to your
advantage?
Two websites, tripBAM and
Roomer, that at first glance
seem to be solely aimed at
consumer leisure travel, have
proved to be valuable tools for
TMCs in the US – and could
present an opportunity for
travel agencies in SA too.
TripBAM is an online hotel
shopping service that helps
travellers to find lower rates at
preferred hotels. It constantly
searches for rates that dip
below a preset level at the
hotels selected by the traveller.
If rates fall, travellers get an
email alert from tripBAM.
TripBAM has also launched
an agency version that tracks
queued reservations on
the GDS and sends them
to tripBAM for monitoring.
TripBAM creates clusters
of hotels based on agency,
company, and traveller
preferences; shops daily and
when a lower rate is found, the
travel agent is notified to either
book the lower rate online or
in their GDS. Agencies in the
US say this service is bringing
in new revenues, as they are
able to charge an additional
service fee to their customers
as savings are found.
Steve Reynolds, president
of tripBAM, told TNW: “If an
agent in SA wanted to use the
system today, all they need to
do is go to the website and
register. We’ll email the agent
as we find savings. If they’d
prefer that we also book using
their Iata number, bias clusters
towards their preferences,
and co-branded emails, that
would require an agreement be
signed.”
US-based Roomer provides
an online marketplace where
travellers can sell their
unused non-refundable hotel
reservations. The start-up
company recently reached out
to travel agencies and TMCs to
make use of their services.
Richie Karaburun, md of
Roomer, says non-refundable
hotel rates are often the most
competitive and TMCs tend
to avoid them. Roomer offers
a way to recoup all or part of
the non-refundable rate when
a change in plans means the
traveller can’t use a room
they’ve booked.
Hickory Global Partners is
the first travel agency group
to work with Roomer in the
US and president, Chris Dane,
calls the concept a “win-win”
for all concerned. “Access
to Roomer provides agents
with a unique, innovative
customer service tool to offer
their clients while creating an
opportunity for the agency's
client to utilise their prepaid,
unwanted bookings.”
Currently, Roomer is not
working with any SA hotels or
travel agencies but, according
to Richie, the company hopes
to expand to South Africa in
the near future.
