Travel agents remain key to hotel bookings
US travel agent bookings remained the dominant source of GDS and Pegasus hotel e-business, representing 77.4% of total room nights, according to the latest TravelCLICK’s eMonitor.
“The travel agent component of GDS bookings had a 6.2% increase in ADR versus the third quarter of 2003,” the report found.
It added that travel agents continue to be a “key source of higher rate business for hotels.”
On a year-to-date basis, travel agent bookings via the GDS were up 7.7% from the same period last year.
The survey found worldwide electronic hotel bookings were up 4.7% for the GDS and internet combined. Hotel revenues increased to 12.1%, and the Average Daily Rate rose 6% over the same period last year.
Hotel room nights booked electronically through GDS and internet sites were also up 5.8% over the same period last year.
Said John Hach, vice president and product manager of e-marketing products for TravelCLICK:
“Contributing to the increase in electronic bookings worldwide was the luxury hotel market with nearly an 11% growth in room nights.”
Report by David Wilkening
David
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