Booking.com never stops evolving. Some of you might have already seen this semi-new setting on your extranet in the opportunities section.

NB: This is an article by Lorenzo Cesarotto of Hotelperformance

Indeed, I call it semi-new because even if this term aroused certain curiosity, the “Booking Sponsored Benefit” is nothing else but “discount for advance payment” which is applied to the customer who books when the following two conditions are met:

  1. If we have activated the online payment method in the conditions section;
  2. If our Price Performance Dashboard score is less than 70.

But, what can you do to exceed the threshold of 70?

Subscribe to our weekly newsletter and stay up to date

Here is my advice:

  1. Search for the channels on which the portal informs you about the various disparities;
  2. Concentrate on the countries where the system detects the lowest prices;
  3. Check if you have activated particular promotions (e.g., so-called geo-localized ones) on those portals and nationalities or if certain traditional offline tour operators publish prices online;
  4. Decrease the discount and/or deactivate the promotions which according to you may cause the disparity.

These indications and suggestions also apply to the disparities found on Expedia and other OTAs.

What is clear is that the best thing would be to have some disparity mainly at your website. In this way, all potential guests regardless of their country of origin or booking channel always find the most attractive price on the direct channel.

This can always be done and without necessarily having to discount the price too much, but the most crucial aspect is to provide maximum visibility to this convenience. So, how can you do it?

By activating the Cost Per Click (CPC) or Pay-per-Stay (this available only for Google) campaigns on metasearch, so when the guest identifies your property can book and choose you, also in the name of convenience.

A true innovation by Booking.com was introduced a few weeks ago which enables you to participate in the price reduction program even if you are above the threshold score of 70. Surely it does not represent a good opportunity for each and everyone but those who can benefit should:

  1. Reduce the cancellation fee as much as possible;
  2. Prevent potential guests booking from other “ghost” channels where it is unclear how information on price come from, thus putting at risk the reputation and trust towards your brand.