Best Western tells customers to bypass agents
Best Western Great Britain will launch a national marketing drive today designed to encourage customers to book direct and bypass agents.
The franchise hotel group said its ‘Better Book Direct’ campaign aims to highlight that consumers can get the lowest prices in the market by booking directly on its website, via its call centre or directly with hotels.
Director of marketing Sarah Fussey said: "HSBC’s recent report on the Anatomy of the Consumer states that 51% of people asked say they think booking through an online travel agent presents them with the best deal.
"What’s frustrating is that that we know this is isn’t the case and that’s a perception that our Better Book Direct campaign is looking to break. We want to reward our most loyal customers with giving them the lowest prices.
"As Great Britain’s largest collection of independent hotels, everything we do is focussed on making the product and service right for our customers, and this latest campaign will give customers the confidence to trust that we can offer them the lowest price in the market when they book direct."
Best Western has introduced new ‘Rewards Rates’ to give direct bookers discounted rates unavailable anywhere else in the market.
But customers wanting to book the Rewards Rates will need to become Rewards members. Members can also earn points for rewards, such as free night stays.
The campaign will feature TV adverts across national networks, alongside digital, social and PR elements.
Bev
Editor in chief Bev Fearis has been a travel journalist for 25 years. She started her career at Travel Weekly, where she became deputy news editor, before joining Business Traveller as deputy editor and launching the magazine’s website. She has also written travel features, news and expert comment for the Guardian, Observer, Times, Telegraph, Boundless and other consumer titles and was named one of the top 50 UK travel journalists by the Press Gazette.
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