250-858-7308
1-800-730-4790

Just as good as the website! No!- Better. Lots of rain and low cloud but this did not stop us from going to the Fort and Light house....
- Kathy and Steve
My family and I loved the stay here. It was so beautiful - both the island and the area right near the bed and breakfast. I...
- Micaela Laurence
Had such an amazing stay for two nights on our honeymoon. Wish we could have stayed for a week. We have highly recommended this piece...
- Andrew and Jessie
Loved our stay at Birds of a Feather. Nice and peaceful here. Breakfasts were delicious and very accomodating with my daughter's...
- Linda, Tom and family
Thank you for a lovely stay. We were here visiting our children and grandchildren and we had an absolutely wonderful time. Again...
- Joel & Nadeen
This place is amazing ! Great for families. We had a lot of fun and enjoyed the beautiful views. Would come back. 
- Ndasco, Aispuro & Mc Nally Families
This place was beautiful! And I didn't even know I was coming ... I was heading out for breakfast Monday morning with a few...
- Nichole Petrisor and Kyle Muller
Beautiful ... Absolutely beautiful!!! My husband and I hadn't taken a honeymoon, so at our 1 year anniversary we thought it high...
- Becky and Dustin
I came for a visit to see my sister who is staying here. I will be back with my husband to stay in this room, what a beautiful view!
- JOLENE
We love the lagoon and view. Hope we can come back soon. We wish we could have stayed longer. Thanks for the Bird House room. We loved...
- Christopher (Age 5)

Course 3.2: OTA's - Online Travel Agencies for B&B's and Vacation Rentals

BOOK DIRECT - Best Price

OTA's - Online Travel Agencies such as Booking.com, Expedia, Trivago, VRBO, AirBnB, Hotels.com, HomeAway have inserted themselves in to the reservations equation to the point they can no longer be ignored. Rather than fight, or ignore them even smaller "Mom and Pop" businesses need to embrace them if they wish to stay in business.

These are disruptive technologies similar to the effect websites had on accommodation providers in the mid to late 1990's when print advertising quickly succumbed to digital marketing. Unlike print, however, digital marketing - both websites and social media - is still hugely relevant still accounting for the majority of reservations commission free. When used in conjunction with OTA's your website remains your brand and your social media is the most effective tool to manage the reputation of your brand.

This course will identify which OTA's are best suited for your particular property and how best to utilize them for best results for obtaining reservations with the least commissions.

Each OTA also has unique quirks to them. Understanding them will either make or loose you $.

For example understanding the differences between "Hotel Collect" and "Expedia Collect" and the accompanying implications for credit card processing, charge backs, cancellations, guest interactions and service is critical when choosing this option on Expedia.

 

Dieter Gerhard

northStudio | StikkyMedia | QCollege | QAcademy | BirdsofaFeather | MarineEcotours

T: 250-391-8889
T: 800-730-4790
E: dieter@birdsofafeather.ca

 

Other courses offered: