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The Impact of
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Last-minute bookings, however, are exactly what
Maurice Bonham-Carter, CEO and president of tour
“It
is the uncertainty that is affecting travel. People are worried
that perhaps they might not have a job by the time they travel,”
he says.
And this is why Bonham-Carter is urging hotels to be a bit more lenient
with cancellation and deposit policies. Bonham-Carter also
thinks added value as opposed to discounted rooms is the way to
go. Devaluing the property may lead to less business in the
future. And
Travel Agent agrees. After all, do you think your clients
will want to stay at a hotel that is $1,000 a night, but was
less than half that a few months earlier? New clients may or may
not be turned off to the hotel, but repeat customers could be
scarce. The customer who stayed for $300 a night probably won’t
come back for $1,000 a night, Bonham-Carter argues. Added value,
however, such as flight credit, maintains the worth of the hotel
while creating an incentive that will alleviate some pressure
during these tough economic times.
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Island Destinations:
http://www.islanddestinations.com