The Wholesale Hotel Playbook: How Technology and Data Are Redefining Distribution

The Wholesale Hotel Playbook: How Technology and Data Are Redefining Distribution

Hotel chains today often struggle with fragmented distribution channels and complex wholesale rate management. Maintaining an offline distribution network can be costly and time-consuming and often requires substantial discounts and incentives to intermediaries. The fragmented landscape makes it difficult to maintain consistency and control, leading to rate disparity issues and revenue dilution as inconsistent rates appear across various platforms.

The lack of visibility and control over rate distribution exacerbates these issues. Hotels struggle to track and manage unauthorized forward rate distribution by bed banks and wholesalers, which results in unintended rate appearances on OTAs and metasearch engines that undercut direct sales channels. Yield management becomes a complex task, with static rate agreements limiting flexibility and adding to the challenge of maintaining control in response to market changes.

As the hospitality industry grapples with these challenges, hotel chains are compelled to rethink their approach to wholesale distribution and revenue management. In this report, Skift and Rocket Travel by Agoda address these pressing issues and offer advice to optimize hotel wholesale distribution strategies through better transparency, control, and technological integration. The report will equip hoteliers with the knowledge and tools they need to master the art of wholesale distribution and make informed decisions that align with their operational goals and market demands.

In this report, you’ll learn:

• The complexities and high costs associated with managing traditional wholesale distribution channels
• Strategies for improving rate integrity and enforcing rate consistency across various wholesale distribution platforms
• How hotel chains can use performance insights to assess wholesale distribution partners and make informed decisions
• How hotel chains can select the right distribution partners to extend market reach, especially in regions where direct consumer engagement is limited
• How to leverage advanced technologies and data-driven strategies to streamline wholesale distribution processes and improve rate management
• Examples of how data-driven insights have helped hotel chains personalize marketing campaigns and generate higher revenue