THE trend of same-day hotel and airline bookings looks likely to grow in the future and travel agencies must consider how to stay relevant and value-add in such a climate, said speakers at Travel Tech 2015.
Though such travellers who book arrangements on the day of travel are in the minority, the number of last-minute bookings for hotel search queries are on the rise, said Marc Woo, Google Malaysia’s head of e-commerce & travel at yesterday’s conference in Kuala Lumpur, organised by the Malaysian Association of Tour & Travel Agents (MATTA).
This indicates that consumers are driven by the availability of platforms and technology, and the ease of doing searches on mobile devices on-the-go, Woo added.
GfK global director, travel, Laurens van den Oever, said he believes the trend for same-day bookings is aided partly by the oversupply of hotel rooms and airline seats, which drives hoteliers and airlines to use platforms that could absorb excess capacity.
However, he felt that it would be difficult for intermediaries, such as travel consultants, to add value to same-day bookings.
On the sidelines, Nigel Wong, MATTA’s vice president – research & technology, disagreed and told TTG Asia e-Daily that it would depend largely on whether a travel agency is flexible enough to allow execution of same-day bookings.
He elaborated: “It depends on what types of services are provided by the travel agency. If it is a city tour, all you need is a vehicle and a guide. But if it is a package with limited inventory, for example accommodation on Mount Kinabalu, then this may not be possible, as the agency will first have to contact the accommodation provider before confirming the booking.
“Undoubtedly, those with an online platform with capabilities for same-day bookings and instant confirmation will be able to take advantage of instant engagement with clients.”
Wong, who is also managing director of Kuala Lumpur-based Urban Rhythms Tours Adventures & Travel, is partnering with Borneo Trails Tours & Travel to create WonderfulBorneo.com.
The mobile-friendly portal will allow same-day bookings of tours within Sabah, and is scheduled to go live in mid-May.
