Where did the OD/HA enquiries actually go?

OTA = Online Travel Agency, which means those sites that sell the booking and take the payment for you.
Gettingthere
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Where did the OD/HA enquiries actually go?

Post by Gettingthere »

Not wanting to have another moan about the new HA (formerly OD) model, but I have a genuine question. Where did all those people who used to enquire via OD/HA actually go?

About 4 or 5 years ago, my OD listing would attract multiple enquiries every week. A fair percentage were scams admittedly, but a lot weren’t.

Then OD messed about with the way searches and listings displayed, and booking fees were added. Suddenly I had less than half a dozen enquiries per YEAR. And many owners seem to be reporting the same. I’m sure the same number of searchers are out there, or possibly more. So where did they go?

Gettingthere
Ecosse
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Post by Ecosse »

I'm hazarding a guess here as my product (b&b) is not quite the same as yours, but I reckon from chatting to friends in the business that they're booking via ABB and bdotcom. Certainly round here they are the most popular platforms with many apartments listing on bdotcom even though they suit the hotel model better.
I wonder whether the bad press re non existant holiday lets on HA/OD has had an effect? I don't know about ABB, but bdotcom verify that each hotel, holiday let etc. exists before they allow it to go live on their site... which is more reassuring for the booker.
Hells Bells
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Post by Hells Bells »

Most of my summer weeks have been through booking.com and only one from both HA and TA/HL.
Jenster
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Post by Jenster »

I still get prob the same number of bookings from HA but nothing from Airbnb and am not on Booking. I am getting more and more from my own website and particularly Facebook.

I believe the number of enquiries are the same or maybe higher, but so are the sheer number of properties available. It’s a buyers market in some areas, which means working harder and harder to attract enquiries and bookings.

Add to that that HA will favour/push the commission listings over subscription (as subs have already paid but comm will make them more money per booking), and those with online booking/payments, and with the highest acceptance rate (not sure what your setup is with them?). The competition is getting fiercer and only those that ‘play by the rules’ will succeed with HA now.
Gettingthere
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Post by Gettingthere »

And that all adds to my confusion! I am listed on all 3; HA, ABB and Bdotcom - all on commission, so in theory should be getting as many enquiries as before. But I’m not. That said ultimately the number of bookings achieved remains roughly the same, so not a major problem. I just wondered why I no longer had an endless stream of enquiries.
COYS
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Post by COYS »

I'd tend to agree with Jenster. Aside from all the disruption that the HA/OD debacle has wrought, there are simply far more properties listed than ever before. The OTA model is in part responsible for this with the suggestion of easy money for minimal effort, but once Pandora's box is opened .......
This time next year Rodney, we'll be millionaires.
rosebud
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Post by rosebud »

Interesting question. I think people used to be able to send an enquiry to a number of properties.. assume that is not possible any more.,

Probably more people are also making use of Instant Book if this is enabled...

As others have said increased competition could be leading to fewer enquiries. Despite a general dislike of HA .. I have seen the total number of properties listed in my area on subscription increase in recent months
AndrewH
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Post by AndrewH »

COYS wrote:I'd tend to agree with Jenster. Aside from all the disruption that the HA/OD debacle has wrought, there are simply far more properties listed than ever before. The OTA model is in part responsible for this with the suggestion of easy money for minimal effort, but once Pandora's box is opened .......
I go with that point of view too. The impact of more holiday properties being advertised may vary considerably from one location to another, but, where we are, holiday homes of all types have nearly doubled in number (as I roughly estimate) over the ten years we have been in this business.

Another thought is that big well known agencies for holiday homes abroad, I mean the ones that include flights, free car, reps. etc., and which charge per person, may be coming more popular with holiday makers at the expense of the small operators. Such companies, although their prices are not cheap, do have the advertising funds that individuals and small agencies do not have.
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