Dan Andrews, Gladys Berejiklian called on to shout “Book Direct”
Why can't prominent people simply remind travellers to "Book Direct" to help our struggling Aussie operators?
“BOOK DIRECT”. They are the two simple words politicians and prominent Australians are being called on to utter at the end of any media appearances they make as a way of revitalising the nation’s battered accommodation industry.
Chris Fozard, the Operations Manager of Budget Motels, who helped with Dick Smith’s viral “Book Direct” campaign in 2018, has asked that any officials making media appearances during the pandemic support an industry ravaged by repeated lockdowns and border closures.
“Wouldn’t it be a great idea if prominent people, anytime they were in front of the cameras, just said ‘Book Direct’,” Mr Fozard told Accom News. “They are on TV all the time so how hard would it be to give a mention to the accommodation industry and our attempts to make ‘Book Direct’ something that everyone would eventually remember?
“If I could, I’d like to enlist celebrities and prominent people to follow Dick Smith’s lead and do more viral campaigns to help the accommodation sector, which is hurting.”
On his viral video, Dick Smith, a prominent Australian business leader, slammed the impact that Online Travel Agencies – and their hefty commissions – had on the Australian accommodation sector, and especially the many small business owners struggling with country motels.
The campaign was a roaring success and caused a noticeable jump in direct bookings. But old habits are hard to break.
“Politicians are on the TV daily,” Mr Fozard told Accom News, “how hard would it be for (Victorian Premier) Dan Andrews or Gladys Berejiklian in New South Wales to say ‘Book Direct’ or ‘remember if you’re going to a motel or hotel, book direct’? If they just said ‘Book Direct’ enough times it would eventually sink into the public’s mind.
“Unfortunately it seems governments on both sides are supportive of the OTAs because it’s a ‘you scratch my back and I’ll scratch yours’ situation over campaign funding.
“The OTAs take enormous commissions from Australian businesses and I just want to see overseas interests being stopped from having a say on what happens in the Australian accommodation industry.”
Mr Fozard’s views were echoed by Kristyn Slattery, who runs Bendigo’s Julie-Anna Inn, and is President of the Bendigo Motel Association, which has 27 members.
Ms Slattery said she had been canvassing for change to the terms and conditions on the Victorian State Government Travel Voucher scheme to specify that they must be used to book direct.
“It’s the most simple and most supportive message they could deliver for our struggling sector,” she said.
The Victorian Government announced that a further 80,000 travel vouchers – worth $200 each – would be released to help accommodation businesses recover, but Ms Slattery feared OTAS could extract as much as $3 million in commissions out of the voucher system designed to help distressed hotel and motel owners.
Jeff Suffolk, from Hobart’s Lodge on Elizabeth, called for a “Book Direct” campaign in Tasmania, too.
“Last year when the Government released the travel vouchers I wrote letters to the Editor and even to the Speaker of the House of Assembly explaining the advantage of the whole Book Direct concept and suggesting making it a condition of the use of the vouchers that the users book direct,” Mr Suffolk said.
“I got a reply from the Speaker saying what a brilliant idea and that she was going to take the idea to the Premier.”
Nothing came of it. He said Tourism Tasmania instead recently promoted an OTA partnership with Expedia.
Mark McLoughlan, of Bendigo’s Central Deborah Motel, said it was imperative that guests obtained the best deal when booking direct and that properties should not seek a higher price than the OTAs. He also stressed that a property’s website had to allow ease of bookings that showed a benefit beyond what the OTAs offered.
“Moteliers should endeavour to always demonstrate that by coming direct the guest will not only achieve a better price than offered by the OTAs,” he said, “but also provide an explanation as to how this is possible ie. by pointing to the (OTA) commissions.”
Charles Weyman Jones of The Overlander Homestead Motel, in Roma, Queensland, also said customers needed to see in a real dollar value that there was a saving to them by booking direct over what the OTA sites were charging.
At the Abbotsford Country House, in South Australia’s Barossa Valley, Julian Maul is one of many accommodation providers offering guests additional rewards for booking direct, including a bottle of Estate grown Shiraz/Cabernet and a grazing platter.
Trevor Rawnsley, the CEO of the Australian Resident Accommodation Managers Association, said everybody in the accommodation industry should push the “Book Direct” method.
“We are grateful for any Government assistance in the form of travel vouchers,” Mr Rawnsley said, “and would be even more grateful if the vouchers were conditional on booking direct.”
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Grantlee Kieza OAM has won three Queensland Media Awards, two Australian Sports Commission Awards and has been a finalist for the Walkley and News Awards and for the Harry Gordon Award for Australian sports journalist of the year. In 2019 he received the Medal of the Order of Australia for his writing. You can find more of his work in our AccomNews & Resort News print magazines.
He has written 22 acclaimed books, including bestsellers Hudson Fysh, The Kelly Hunters, Lawson, Banks, Macquarie, Banjo, Mrs Kelly, Monash, Sons of the Southern Cross and Bert Hinkler.
