Top Hotels in Vietnam Register Growth in Online Bookings
26/08/07 (GMT+7)
Top Hotels in Vietnam, high-class hotels in major cities of Vietnam have seen a significant rise in the number of rooms booked directly on their websites or via Vietnam travel firms.
Oliver Kahf, general manager of the New World Saigon, said five-star hotels with international affiliation had 20-30% of their bookings processed through their own websites or Internet booking sites.
"The trend definitely is going toward electronic reservation, via Internet booking sites and via the hotel's own website," Kahf told the Daily on Wednesday.
Albert Kaindlbauer, general manager of Renaissance Riverside Hotel Saigon (Hotels in Ho Chi Minh), agreed with Kahf, saying that "there is without a doubt a shift toward more direct bookings especially from the corporate sector and the independent leisure traveler."
Kaindlbauer added the majority of leisure travelers were booking rooms through Vietnam travel agents and Vietnam tour operators and that this would continue to be the case in the future.
Carmen Marienberg, general manager of La residence Hotel and Spa, said Internet reservations had increased but not significantly in central Vietnam.
"Due to the destination most guests are using a tour operator they are not so adventurous to travel by themselves and make all arrangements by themselves."
Marienberg pointed out the Internet bookings had gained an increased proportion at the hotels in big cities like Hanoi (Hotels in Hanoi) and hotel in Ho Chi Minh City Vietnam.
A recent Grant Thomton survey indicates that more people tend to use high technology distribution channels and tourism services rather than self-service.
The survey shows hotel room reservations via Internet and Vietnam travel companies gained an important increase from 44.76% in 2005 to 57.35% last year regarding the proportion of room sales.
The survey of nearly 30 hotels of three to five-star ratings showed a decrease in direct reservations from 41.21% to 29.80%.
Information technology firms have recently launched software products for Vietnam hotels to make the most of the Internet.
TRG International and GenaRes Worldwide Reservation Services Ltd. has marketed GenaRes software that allows hotels in Vietnam to set up links with over 700 major Vietnam travel websites and Vietnam travel agents worldwide.
(Source: SGT)
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