The honeymoon period with OTAs using manipulative techniques must end. Bidroom stands apart as a more profitable and fair-minded booking solution for hotels in the region,– COO and Bidroom co-founder, Michael Ros
AMSTERDAM - An online booking platform is launching in Asia Pacific with the promise that it will serve as “a fair alternative to the online booking market which is currently defined by excessive OTA commissions that hurt hotel bottom lines”.
Launched in 2014 in the Netherlands, Bidroom currently offers 125,000 hotel properties in 128 countries to frequent travellers who benefit from “guaranteed lower room rates compared to other online travel agents”.
Bidroom works as an annual membership model, whereby hotels pay a contribution only after proven success.
“This substantial saving is shared with the online frequent traveller who will subsequently be paying a guaranteed lowest-available price,” said COO and Bidroom co-founder, Michael Ros.
Bidroom said hotel profits are already under pressure in Asia and Pacific destinations with new openings in arguably oversupplied destinations such as Thailand, Vietnam, Indonesia and the Maldives.
“The honeymoon period with OTAs using manipulative techniques must end. Bidroom stands apart as a more profitable and fair-minded booking solution for hotels in the region,” Mr Ros said.
He added, “There is often an illusion of online competition in the online market place. Expedia owns around 12 OTA brands while Priceline Group owns Booking.com, Agoda, Ctrip, and Priceline.com, among others.”
Bidroom said its no-commission membership-based hotel platform has attracted leading hotel brands and apartments, as well as Visa from the payments sector.