TravelLine announces exciting plans for expansion
TravelLine is presenting its portfolio of digital and technological solutions to visitors at ITB Asia, an opportunity to learn about the company which just entered the Asian market.
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CEO Alexander Galochkin discussed at yesterday’s ITB Asia Conference how the company is looking to attract clients from across the continent, and we caught up with him for an exclusive interview.
What are you showcasing at ITB Asia?
The first thing is self-presentation. We at TravelLine are just entering the Asian market, so our primary task is to make a name for ourselves. We want to show TravelLine is not an internet company but real people. That’s our approach both at this travel showcase and in business. We are doing a deep study of the hospitality market, setting up an office in the country where we are expanding, and hiring local representatives. This are exactly the things we want to present.
The second thing is, the presentation of our solutions and approach to running a business. We act in line with what is best for hoteliers. For example, there are no payments needed to start. We charge a specific percentage of the sales made on a hotel website and we earn more if hotels succeed. That is why we do everything to make Booking Engine a tool for “getting the job done” instead of a mere website decoration. Its purpose is to generate revenue for hotels.
Why is investing in online sales a good idea, even for smaller players?
Smart tech is always a good idea. Our experience of 14 years proves that even a small independent hotel investing in guest loyalty, improving the hotel website, and bringing brand awareness gets a higher percentage of direct bookings as opposed to sales via online distribution channels.
When you first partner with TravelLine, you do not really need much. Before setting up our solutions, we do an audit of hotel websites, study their commercial structures, and make basic improvements. This is why a partnership with TravelLine has a good impact even on small properties.
How is customer demand changing and what does this mean for online sales?
My congratulations to all the hoteliers with this almost stable new reality! With the rise of “revenge travel” in 2022, to win guests over, properties should think smart and learn their lessons from the pandemic. This is the reason why we enter the Asian market right now. Reconsider things that wasted your resources, for example drop expensive distribution channels and pick the more efficient ways. When rebuilding your whole sales strategy, thinking direct can be a good kickstart point.
We discussed on this topic during our presentation yesterday, and are happy to chat with you in person at the TravelLine booth. So, come join!
How important are events like ITB Asia for the industry and why?
We all missed real life communication with hoteliers. We came here to meet face-to-face with them, understand their struggles and make business.
Even a small independent hotel investing in guest loyalty, improving the hotel website, and bringing brand awareness gets a higher percentage of direct bookings.
TravelLine solutions dedicated to hotel business
TravelLine offers comprehensive solutions from Price Optimizer to Guest Management System, all integrated with each other. The most obvious benefit for direct sales is Booking Engine but, in the hands of a proficient tech user, even Channel Manager can serve this purpose. “Such tools are good as they are, but they can perform much better,” comments Alexander Galochkin.
To get impressive results, hotels should invest in website marketing, reconsider pricing and positioning, and increase guest loyalty. “This is why TravelLine aligns a system of the hotels’ performance support. There are development, customer support, and customer success teams to come to your assistance. Hoteliers get all this aid along with Booking Engine so that they can understand their guest personas, make them return, and increase direct bookings,” he adds.
