When planning your next big trip and wanting to stay in a vacation rental by owner, it’s natural to think that you’ll be in contact with the owner of the property you’re staying in, right? Well, with some vacation rental sites, that may not necessarily be the case. At least not before completing your booking. These sites that limit communication due so to ensure you book on that site so they can collect service fees and commissions. On Tripz.com however, we provide open communication with owners to allow for direct bookings without service fees. It’s important for traveler to understand the direct sources for vacation rentals and how it save them money. This is why Tripz.com is a huge advocate for the #BookDirect movement.
With the first ever Guest Education Day (Weds. February 7th, 2018), the social media movement and awareness effort is aimed to educate travelers as to where they can search vacation home rentals and #BookDirect. This campaign is an incredibly important and simple way to communicate to travelers on how the vacation home rental market has changed in recent years, especially regarding communication and the booking process. Tripz.com being a big promotor of the day aims to inform travelers of that added fees when they do not #BookDirect. The campaign, which was announced on VRMintel.com earlier this year has caught the support of many owners, property managers and Tripz.com who help the vacation rental industry advertise their homes on an open communication platform.
BUT FIRST…WHAT IS DIRECT BOOKING?
Direct booking is exactly what it sounds like: travelers search a vacation rental home they would like to book, contact the property owner or manager directly, and book their stay. Seems simple enough but most sites travelers search vacation rentals on are being convinced it’s the most direct route to book a vacation home, only to pay middleman service fees. Not every vacation rental site has direct booking, and the #BookDirect awareness effort is intended to educate travelers where they can go to save.
The #BookDirect campaign is pretty straightforward: today (Wednesday, February 7th), owners, property managers and sites like Tripz.com are posting the hashtag “#BookDirect” on Twitter, Facebook, Instagram and LinkedIn to help drive attention online. Those promoting and advocating this awareness efforts are going to inform traveler of the many sources where they can book direct and save. As a traveler, you may also see this in emails you receive from companies you have booked with in the past or looking to book with in the future. When you see the hashtag of #BookDirect, travelers know they are working with a direct source.
This new movement to bring attention to direct bookings is right in line with Tripz.com, as an advertising platform for vacation rentals with direct booking and open communication. We may appear to be a third party who is involved with the booking process, but it is actually the opposite. We do not charge service fees to travelers or demand commissions from owners as that drives up the cost of renting the perfect vacation home. Tripz.com continues well beyond #BookDirect awareness effort in the ongoing interest best guest experience that comes with open communication and direct bookings.
In the announcement made by VRMintel, they provide key points of about the awareness effort to better inform travelers of the many benefits of booking direct, including:
- Many of the best vacation rentals aren’t event listed on the major sites:Because of the cost of using the big sites, the best vacation homes with the highest demand cannot be found on the big websites. Along North Carolina’s beaches, alone, only 30 percent of the homes for rent can be found on the big websites. By limiting your search to the aggregating websites, you might be missing out on the best vacation home for your family or group.
- If you have special needs, a manager or homeowner can help:Looking for help with your family’s special needs or help with pets? A manager or owner can work with you directly to help with any of your individual needs and give you these assurances before you commit to a booking.
- During non-peak travel times, managers and owners have special offers available:From events and activities to special rates to onsite services, with direct communication with managers and owners, you get insider knowledge and the best offers.
DIRECT BOOKING & OPEN COMMUNICATION
Tripz.com is unique in the vacation rentals space in the way they connect travelers directly to the vacation rental providers with an open communication platform. The open communication platform to search vacation rentals give traveler a source to avoid additional and unnecessary fees and book direct. Tripz.com differs from sites like VRBO, HomeAway and Aribnb, and utilizes organic searches enabling travelers to find the best vacation rental for their needs, and not just what properties yield them the highest commissions. When travelers book on Tripz, they communicate directly with the owner of the property. Booking direct on Tripz.com saves the traveler money by avoiding middleman fees. Also with Tripz.com not charging owners commissions, the entire nightly rate goes to the owner. By eliminating all fees in the booking process, allows the travelers money goes further on Tripz.com.
Open communication is a primary value to Tripz.com because without open communication between vacation rental owners and the traveler, direct booking can’t exist. That is why Tripz is excited for this new added awareness, because we believe direct booking and open communication practices are the way vacation rental market is intended to be.
Tripz.com is looking forward to the positive impact the #BookDirect campaign is going to have in the vacation rental industry. Follow us on Twitter and Instagram, and please like our Facebook page to see our Guest Education Day posts.