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The EU's "Digital Markets Act" is a law from 2022 designed to make markets in the digital sector fairer. Through this law, the EU has now designated Booking.com as a "gatekeeper." This could have a significant impact on the hotel industry today.
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"Gatekeepers" are large digital platforms, such as search engines, that often act as core platforms. By designating Booking.com as a "gatekeeper," it is categorized as a core platform and subjected to the regulations of the "Digital Markets Act," which dictates how they should operate as a digital marketplace.
For the hotel industry, OTAs like Booking.com have been both a blessing and a curse. The increased traffic from the platform has been beneficial for hotels, but using third parties is known to be costly, making it harder to build loyal customers and strong relationships. Now that Booking.com is more regulated, hotels will have greater control over their business operations.
One particularly interesting aspect for hotels with Booking.com being designated as a “gatekeeper” is that they now have to provide business users with access to the data generated through the Booking.com platform. This reduces the issue of data ownership based on where the guest booked their stay.
With hotels now able to access their own data from Booking.com, it becomes easier to gain insights into their guest base and thus create effective communication. Loyco's solutions facilitate simple and automated communication with your guests. Not only do we offer loyalty programs, but we also enable the import of data lists into the dashboard so you can communicate with your guests who are not loyalty members as well.
Want to learn more about Loyco's solutions? Feel free to email us or contact us through the form!
Sources:
European Commission (n.d.) Digital Markets Act. https://digital-markets-act.ec.europa.eu/index_en
European Commission (2024, May 13) Commission designates Booking as a gatekeeper and opens a market investigation into X* [Press release] https://digital-markets-act.ec.europa.eu/commission-designates-booking-gatekeeper-and-opens-market-investigation-x-2024-05-13_en
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We challenge OTA channels by creating direct relationships between guests and hotels. Our solutions allow hotels to ensure that guests receive the best terms when booking directly, making guests prefer direct bookings over OTAs.
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In the fiercely competitive world of the hotel and retail industries, nurturing customer loyalty has become more vital than ever. With an abundance of choices available to consumers, establishments must go beyond the basics of comfort and service to truly stand out. Building emotional loyalty has emerged as a powerful strategy to create lasting relationships with the guests.
Unike Hotels wanted to strengthen guest loyalty, increase direct bookings, and streamline operations. By leveraging Loyco’s existing integration with Techotel PMS, they established a seamless and rewarding guest journey. This case study explores how Unike Hotels successfully automated membership registration, personalized guest interactions, and reduced reliance on third-party booking platforms—resulting in higher retention rates and increased direct revenue.
