A fast-growing and multiple award-winning online hotel booking platform with a radically different business model based on zero commissions aims to start their operations in the Asia Pacific hotel sector.
Bidroom’s no-commission membership-based hotel platform has already attracted leading hotel brands and apartments, as well as Visa from the payments sector.
Launched in 2014 in the Netherlands, Bidroom currently offers 125,000 hotel properties in 128 countries to frequent travellers who benefit from guaranteed lower room rates compared to other OTAs. The company’s primary mission is to serve as a fair alternative to the online booking market which is currently defined by excessive OTA commissions that hurt hotel bottom lines. For the first five years of operation, Bidroom focused on building its hotel stock in Europe and North America.
“Bidroom works as an annual membership model, whereby hotels only pay a contribution after proven success,” says Ros. “This substantial saving is shared with the online frequent traveller who will subsequently be paying a guaranteed lowest-available price.” COO and co-founder Michael Ros added: “Bidroom is demonstrably cheaper than all known OTAs. The result is also a significant margin of financial improvement for hoteliers.”
Hotel profits are already under pressure in Asia and Pacific destinations with new openings in arguably oversupplied destinations such as Thailand, Vietnam, Indonesia and the Maldives. Reducing OTA commissions is therefore vital to hotel viability, says Ros.
“While online travel will continue its massive expansion, especially in Asia,” he says. “The honeymoon period with OTAs using manipulative techniques must end. Bidroom stands apart as a more profitable and fair-minded booking solution for hotels in the region.”
