The Direct Booking Indaba 2017 is the first event of its kind to be held in South Africa that seeks to enable hoteliers increase direct bookings via their websites and in the process, lower their distribution costs.
“Direct bookings is a very hot topic within the hospitality industry as hotels are seeking ways of reducing their dependence on third parties for bookings. Presently, they are paying huge commissions as high as 25% to online travel agencies (OTAs) and additonally, the OTAs are controlling guest data and thus disempowering hotels from any post-stay engagement,” said Joseph Neusu, Guerilla Marketing’s Business Unit Head.
The event organisers have put together a very strong panel of speakers made up of some of the brightest hospitality marketing minds and revenue specialists in the country. You can view the speakers here.
The agenda for this full-day event is a strategic selection of carefully curated content structured to help hoteliers win the direct bookings battle. With OTAs reportedly spending over $6 billion in ad spend, hotels cannot afford not to attend.
The Direct Booking Indaba 2017 agenda covers the following:
- The modern travel shoppers’ journey – How consumer behaviour has changed
- Using innovative advertising to drive direct bookings
- The art and science of a winning hotel website
- Wi-Fi marketing – How to maximise guest on-stay engagement
- Effective use of social media in travel marketing
- Word of mouth in social and online media: The direct booking journey
- Revenue and spending – Turning online bookers into big spenders
- Regaining control over guest relations in hospitality
Additionally, industry leaders from South Africa Tourism, FEDHASA, Department of Tourism and Cape Town Tourism will share priceless insights and policy issues regarding the industry in South Africa.
Who should attend this amazing conference?
- Hoteliers
- General Managers
- Chief Financial Officers
- Chief Marketing Officers
- Digital Marketing Managers
- Social Media Community Managers
- Marketing Managers
- Marketing Co-Coordinators
- Public Relations Managers
- Business Development Executives
- Sales Professionals
- Service Managers
- Guest Services Managers
“We are so excited to play our part in the growth of the hospitality industry in South Africa as is envisaged in the National Development Programme 2030. This event will enlighten the attendees on how they can effectively boost their revenues by leveraging proven strategies that increase the look to book ratio,” said Velly Bosega, Adclick Africa’s CEO.
Attendees at the event will get a chance to interact with their peers, receive free audits of their digital assets as well as get a copy of the State of the Industry Report: Digital Marketing.
