Booking portals vs sustainable destination development
Do booking portals contribute in a sustainable development of the destination? Our answer is an undoubtable NO! On the other hand, DMO / Travel Portals promote the destination (which is considered their product) and work close with the local tourism service providers to achieve a sustainable destination development.
Only a well-marketed destination draws the attention of booking portal bookers and a failure to invest in destination marketing will ultimately lead to the demise of the destination.Without direct marketing (being part of DMO, being listed on travel portals and having your OWN website and social media channels) you will not be able to receive direct bookings which will always be the most important part of your income. Therefore, the very basic of your marketing strategy should be your contribution to the relevant DMO / travel portals.
DMO / travel portals "feed" booking portals in regard of interest in the destination. If you rely only on booking portals with your marketing, you ignore the fundamentals in sustainable tourism development and your establishment will lose out on direct bookings which are high revenue contributors for you AND the destination!
Perhaps you have ever wondered where your commission payment for international booking portals goes to? The advantages of DMO / travel portals and the process of a booking should make you think about restructuring your marketing towards travel portals.
Remember a booking portal focuses 100% on the commission they earn, meaning they do "not care" about a specific destination as long as the traveller books with them. E.G. If you don't book South Africa for whatever reason come and book Jamaica ....
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