Four Seasons and Costco Direct-Booking Efforts Irk Travel Advisors
Skift Take
A recent Today Show segment touting Costco Travel is riling ASTA, as are Four Seasons ads on Facebook promising perks for direct bookings. Travel advisors are irked as well, but are finding ways to hold their own.
A recent segment on NBC’s Today show touting the benefits of booking travel through Costco is drawing fire from the American Society of Travel Advisors, which is urging the network to give some air time to the advantages of working with traditional travel agencies.
At the same time, the trade group is drawing its members’ attention to a social media campaign by Four Seasons Hotels and Resorts that promises special perks to consumers who book direct.
Saving With Costco
Aired on Feb. 28, the Today segment showed a news correspondent booking hotel stays at two luxury resorts through Costco Travel. Calling Costco “a big travel secret that could save you and your family hundreds of dollars,” he did a cost comparison indicating that the big-box retailer provided a cheaper price than a hotel website. For another property, Costco's deal beat Expedia, Orbitz, and Booking.com.
The trade group, which called the report “a likely pay-for-play segment,” is now asking travel advisors to send examples to pr@asta.org illustrating how they provide good deals and service to clients.
“After we collect these stor
