Post Due Jan 4 - Cross Comments Due Jan 6

Over the holiday collaboration to explore Community sites - working in groups, compare the essential elements of communities.

The outcome of the exercise should be:

1. An understanding of community sites as a distribution channel

2. How a hotel can be present in a community site

Working in groups of 3 compare the following factors:

• Profile the community - membership, size, travel purpose
• Interactive services within the site
• What is the hotel booking source
• What type of hotels are best suited for the community

Group 1

TripWolf vs. Boo

Group 2

WAYN vs. TripWolf

Group 3

Virtual Tourist vs. WAYN

Group 4

Boo vs. Travellerspoint

Group 5

Traveldodo vs. Igougo

Group 6

Igougo vs. Gusto

Group 7

Iloho vs. Matador Travel

Group 8

Matador Travel vs. BootsandAll

Collaboration requirement - work in Google docs - PPT application. One person need to set up the PPT and share with other group members. Use annotated screen shots - not typed written slides.

You will have to show me the shared document.

Final product - upload in Slide Share on EACH member's blog

In Class Exercise - Comparative Analysis of HOtel Distribution

Exercise Outcome:

-An understanding of distribution options available to independent hotels

-Analysis of rates and value added offers in diverse channels

Group Work:

-Choose an independent (non-chain) hotel

-Research the hotel's visibility in 3 different 3rd party sites

-Create a comparison chart:

>>>rate

>>>offer

>>>booking conditions

>>>3rd party site profile - OTA, hotel portal, niche site, destination site, etc.

What is your conclusion - the best sites for your selected hotel's distribution.

Create a Slideshare and upload into each group member's blog.

Exercise Assignment for Class 10/12

Reverse Auction Sites

Outcome of the assignment - a good understanding of how a hotel can use 'reverse auction sites' to benefit their revenue and occupancy growth.

1. Research reverse travel auctions' history

2. Profile how they work, in general

3. Choose a reverse auction site - profile the types of hotels you found on the site

4. Research sites that give customers advice on using reverse auctions

5. List the key points

6. Conclusion - how can a hotel best participate in a reverse auction site, if at all.

Put your work in a Slideshare - post by the usual Sunday due date.

Include text links to the research sites that you used - place in the post, not in the Slideshare

Which OTA has the biggest impact?

In order to decide which IDS channels best suit their property, a hotelier has to know how 'strong' each OTA is, in each marketplace.

Here is a tool to help - compete.com

03/12 In Class Exercise

Create a list of the characteristics that define OTAs:

1. Customer reach

2. Customer communication methods

3. Types of products sold

4. Special Promotion capabilities

5. Online booking conditions + fees

6. Affiliate program - yes/no

7. Affiliate program payment structure

8. Info for hoteliers

Work in groups of 2 or 3

Create the list

Post in 1 group member's blog

Link to each group member's blog