Last Updated on January 7, 2021
Figures have shown that there are about 500 accommodation bookings that take place every minute. Website booking is changing the way people travel, and online travel companies are making things easier with this technology.
However, just like anything that includes a variety of interlacing systems, there have to be problems that may ruin the experience. One of these problems is travel fraud. In fact, the American Hotel and Lodging Association reported that ¼ clients fall victims of fraud.
The main people receiving accusations are third-party travel resellers. Some of these resellers find no shame in infecting the traveling world with shady marketing practices that make people lose money on around 28.5 million suspicious hotel bookings.
In 2017, the figures were rather scary, and actually, costumers lost $5.2 billion in that year alone. That’s the reason why many experts of the field advise that if you couldn’t find a reliable travel booking agent, then your best option is to book directly with the hotel.
High-Pressure Tactics
©Parveen
Always be careful with messages such as book now with the best online travel booking sites, 2 ROOMS LEFT!! Or, other people are using this best site to book hotel rooms, SALE ENDS TODAY!!
Such messages are misleading and put high pressure on the travelers to book quickly without thinking it through. These are just marketing tactics done by some online travel agents and travel booking websites, which don’t even have access to the entire inventory of the hotel.
In case you need to book a room and you are worried that you may not find any, you can just call your intended accommodation place and get it yourself.
Fake Hotel Website
©World Hotel Marketing
There are many online travel companies that have no shame in using the brand’s own name and create fake websites to book rooms. These websites usually include the name of the hotel on the URL, so that you can be sure that you are in an authentic website.
