ASTA Introduces Hotel Distribution Advisory Committee
by Anna Gleksman /ASTA last week announced that it is forming a Hotel Distribution Advisory Committee to address travel agents’ hotel distribution concerns.
ASTA Vice President of Industry Affairs Mark Meader said the committee has four agenda objectives: new distribution channels, such as mobile applications; booking-direct marketing campaign that bypass travel agents; education, about how consumers, agents, and suppliers can work together free of misinformation; and the growing short-term rental market, including new competitors like Airbnb, and how agents might profit from it.
Meader said the committee will meet monthly, in hopes of "bringing agents and the hotel market closer together and having a better understanding of the changing market."
As a member of the Hotel Distribution Advisory Committee, Shaun Balani, CTC, CEO of Travel Time/Travel Leaders A Branch of Tzell Travel Group, said he feels there will be a significant shift in hoteliers’ relationships with OTAs as contracts expire.
“[OTAs] do have a hold over hotels, with some very one-sided contracts for rates and amenities,” he said. “At some point in time those contracts will expire and I believe the hotels will not be as quick to resign contracts with the OTAs with such onerous clauses.”
As far as the purpose of the committee, Balani says the goal is to communicate changes, be they in distribution strategies or their attitudes toward the travel-industry community. “This group also will help ASTA prioritize its position regarding issues, and help ASTA determine how best to respond to the various things happening in the hotel space.”
As far as advice for travel agents dealing with hoteliers, Balani suggests “the best way to show your value to hotelier is to be supportive of the ones that support you.”
Bringing the industry together through ASTA will help to ensure agents do not miss out on commissions or information, he noted.