Expedia Promotes Benefits to Greek Hoteliers
Expedia, the world’s leading online travel provider, is holding ten workshops in major cities throughout Greece. This initiative to help promote tourism in Greece and improve hotel competitiveness is a result of an agreement made between Expedia and the Hellenic Hotel Federation.
In a workshop held last month in Athens, Expedia representatives presented the benefits of their service to a large audience of local hoteliers. Diego Lofeudo, regional manager for the eastern Mediterranean and Africa, pointed out that Expedia is a key online reference source that more than 75 million people visit per month and that 75 percent of the people who buy travel on line visit their site at least once. There are 14 million searches for hotels every day. Mr. Lofeudo discussed the latest form of online promotion, its power and flexibility, and the benefit it offers over the traditional methods of attracting customers.
Expedia offers many benefits to hotels such as typically paying higher net rates than traditional tour operators, especially during high season that can potentially increase hotel revenue. The service also gives hotels full control over their rates and the largest part of the inventory. The quick turnaround on promotions and tactical activities enables better and faster reaction to the market conditions. Also, if no bookings are made there is no cost.
Celia Casadome, the revenue manager for Greece, presented the numbers since the company started selling in Greece in 2003. Within three years and by this past summer, the gross bookings in Greece were 15 million dollars, which was 120,000 room nights sold at an average rate of 125 dollars per night.
For 2007 they expect to total 20 million gross bookings which is a 35% growth rate. It is also interesting to note that the company’s clients book in advance. For Athens hotels, about 50 percent book more than 31 days before. While for the islands early bookings was even higher with a quarter of the sales made more than 90 days in advance.
Expedia.com aims to provide personalized service, the latest technology and the widest selection of vacation packages, flights, hotels, rental cars, cruises, and in-destination activities, attractions and services.
Hotel Gross Bookings For Greece 2002-2006