Hospitality businesses sign open letter to OTAs asking for ‘lifeline'

Businesses including Sopwell House, Shiva Hotels, Fistral Beach hotel and Boringdon Hall have signed an open letter to OTAs and online advertising platforms asking for a "lifeline" including reduced commission for three months.

UK-based digital hospitality marketing agency Journey has penned the letter, which says firms such as Expedia and Booking.com have a moral duty to assist.

It requests advertising platforms such as Google, Bing and Facebook to waive advertising rates, lower auction costs and extend grant schemes during the coronavirus crisis to support the travel and tourism industry.

The letter says: "We're asking you, the OTAs (Booking.com, Expedia and others), to provide a lifeline to hospitality businesses by reducing commission for three months and focus bidding on non-branded search terms to ensure customers still have the opportunity to book hotels and resorts. Let the independents use their media spend for brand bidding so they can make essential cutbacks to ensure their survival…

"With your collaboration we can support everyone in the industry, help them to create a survival strategy that will provide stability and future proof the way ahead. Help us save millions of people's jobs, businesses and livelihoods. Help the travel, tourism and hospitality industries survive."

'Large-scale' hotel closures feared >>

Coronavirus advice hub for hospitality operators and employees >>