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Why do you need a Channel Manager for your Hostel?

Working with different online sales and distribution channels (OTAs) is a good option to create new sales opportunities in different markets at the same time, and increase the visibility of hostels online.  Every time a hostel signs up for a new OTA they can experience difficulty managing calendar inventory, rates, promotions and reservations from different extranets.  Using multiple booking agencies also means the possibility for overbookings.

The solution is the use of a Channel Manager to:

  • Manage different OTAs at the same time
  • Save a lot of time
  • More Visibility translates into  More Sales
  • Mistakes can be expensive. Avoid errors
  • Integrate with a Property Management System
  • Create different rules and scenarios for each channel
  • Manage all your reservations from one screen

HostelTraveler.com has partnered with MyAllocator to provide a world class channel management solution at an affordable price.  Read more about the Benefits of joining MyAllocator through HostelTraveler.


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Top Travelers Backpack with Brains – Part 4

Continued from Top Travelers Backpack with Brains – Part 3

Easy Come, Easy Go

Because we often know little about the places that we are visiting we may feel more secure booking everything in advance. By doing this we can lose out on many great opportunities. Once you’re on the road, so much information can be collected firsthand from other travelers, or from locals in the area. Accommodation doesn’t need to be booked weeks in advance, so if you’re in one place and you hear some fellow travelers raving about where they’ve just been, you can chose that as your next destination. There are plenty of websites that can provide you with accommodation options and help with last minute booking. Often, you can grab yourself some bargains doing it this way.

Travel arrangements are often easier to make once you’re in a location also. It may have seemed, from the internet that getting a plane was your easiest option, but when you’re actually in another country you begin to realize that the buses are astronomically efficient, or a train journey is an unmissable experience, or your new found friends have hired a car. Do some necessary planning but don’t be afraid to leave some spaces. Things are often much easier overseas than we are led to believe and we don’t want to limit ourselves with over precautions.

Enjoy yourself

These ideas will help you make the most of what will undoubtedly be one of the most rewarding experiences you will ever have. Having some good back-up advice on-board means less needless worry and more time to focus on what really matters: having fun, meeting new people, absorbing new cultures, embracing exhilarating experiences, really ‘living’ your trip and having the time of your life.


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HostelTraveler.com Weighs In on Fair Practices for OTAs

HostelTraveler.com, operated by Instant World Booking, has reviewed the Sydney Declaration.  Following a meeting of a group of leading youth travel accommodation providers and associations at WYSTC 2013, a position statement was agreed upon regarding online distribution practices.

HostelTraveler.com represents a significant share of hosteling OTA volume worldwide, and is the only top 5 hostel OTA based in the United States. From that vantage point, HostelTraveler.com has a fairly unique view on the issues set forth.

For more information on the Sydney Declaration, see: Sydney Declaration

Based on our review, HostelTraveler.com supports the intent of the Sydney Declaration. In fact, we are pleased to disclose that at least 80% of the Declaration is already in force within HostelTraveler.com’s terms and conditions, and have been so since the inception of the company. The management of our company decries the practice of requiring rate or availability parity, and have never done so ourselves. Our principles are founded on the basis that flexible service to our hostel partners is the best way to serve the needs of the industry.

We congratulate the WYSE Travel Confederation on their work so far, and will continue to follow it’s progress.


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HostelTraveler.com’s Answer to HostelWorld’s contract revisions

HostelTraveler.com …

  • Still Free to join
  • Booking Engines for your website, guaranteed to beat any competitor price
  • PMS starting at $22
  • Channel Manager, with lowest cost in the industry (updates HW and the rest)

Get listed to get started: http://www.hosteltraveler.com/listings/add_property.php

 

Read about HostelWorld’s new contract in plain English:

http://www.hostelmanagement.com/forums/new-hw-contract-plain-english.html#comment-1026491


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Un Regalo di Capodanno – Più di 150 canali!

Un Regalo di Capodanno – Più di 150 canali!

IWB Channel Manager ha aggiunto nuovi canali di prenotazione. Ora è possibile caricare il tuo calendario di disponibilità di oltre 150 siti di distribuzione in una sola volta.

In precedenza, circa 30 canali di prenotazione erano disponibili per un costo mensile di circa €11 ($14). Questa era già una grande offerta. Ora, abbiamo aggiunto 5 volte il numero di canali di prenotazione, tutti allo stesso prezzo. Questo è un valore senza precedenti.

Iscriviti alla IWB Channel Manager ora.

Iniziare?
http://www.instantworldbooking.com/it.channel-manager.php
Domande?
info@instantworldbooking.com

Vantaggi di IWB Channel Manager (Canale gestione)

– Meno di €11 ($14) al mese
– Aggiorna il tuo calendario su più di 150 siti di prenotazione, più i GDS, per un prezzo basso
– Tutti i siti hostelling principali compresi, anche HostelWorld.com, Hostelbookers, ecc.
– Risparmia tempo e denaro con la gestione del calendario solo una volta
– Moltiplica la tua esposizione con i siti premium come Hotels.com, Expedia, Booking.com, e molti altri

Se non hai provato IWB Channel Manager prima, ora è il momento.
Eliminare le ore e ore di lavoro ogni settimana. Se si utilizza già un servizio di gestione del canale, ora è il momento di prendere in considerazione il passaggio. Smettere di pagare troppo. Instant World Booking offre risparmio incredibile e convenienza.

Iscriviti oggi, e hanno tutti i calendari sincronizzati entro domani.
Non c’è niente da perdere a provare. Basta accedere al tuo profilo in InstantWorldBooking.com e procedere alla pagina di Gestione Canali.
http://www.instantworldbooking.com/it.work-with-us.php

Fai pubblicità ora?
http://www.instantworldbooking.com/listings/it.add_property.php

Ottenere più prenotazioni dal tuo sito web
http://www.instantworldbooking.com/it.booking-engine.php

Prendi un nuovo Motore di Prenotazione per il tuo sito. Gestione calendario una volta sul vostro sito web e tutti i tuoi siti di prenotazione esterni.
http://www.instantworldbooking.com/it.booking-engine.php

Instant World Booking ha il prezzo più basso garantito. Non ci sono eccezioni. Abbiamo anche più opzioni di maggior parte dei dei fornitori di servizi.

Basta contattarci per un preventivo personalizzato. Se non siamo in grado di ridurre i costi correnti, per ottenere il nostro motore di prenotazione gratuito per un anno.

Questa offerta è un virtuale “game-changer”! Scegliere un piano con o senza depositi della clientela. Personalizza i tuoi pagamenti.

Instant World Booking offre più servizi e opzioni di pagamento rispetto a qualsiasi altro fornitore. Inizia subito! Non c’è alcun obbligo.

Crea il tuo motore di prenotazione ora?
http://www.instantworldbooking.com/it.booking-engine.php

Domande?
info@instantworldbooking.com

Inserisci il tuo Hotel, B&B o ostello per iniziare subito http://www.instantworldbooking.com/listings/it.add_property.php

Soluzioni Complete di Alloggi: Software di Ricezione – Motore di Prenotazione – Pagamenti – Gestione del Canale. Ottieni di cui per iniziare.

Come noi su Facebook
http://www.facebook.com/instantworldbooking
Seguici su Twitter


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A New Year’s Gift – IWB Channel Manager

We have a New Year’s gift for you. We now offer channel management to our members.

This means you only have to manage your calendar once, and you can update all your booking sites. The advantage is incredible time savings and convenience. Eliminate many hours of work each month in managing calendars on multiple websites.

Even more incredible are the savings. HostelTraveler.com (Instant World Booking) is well known for providing services at a cost much cheaper than the competition. In fact, we are the first hostelling site, yes first, to offer channel management that updates all the other hostelling sites (including HostelWorld, HostelBookers.com, etc.), in an end-to-end solution, including a property management system. For less than $ 14 per month, submit your calendar to dozens of booking sites. At a price this low, there’s nothing to lose. Try it today.

Want to learn more about getting started? It’s easy. Just log in to your profile at our website. Then proceed to the Channel Manager page.

Manage your calendar on HostelWorld, HostelBookers.com, HostelsClub, HostelTraveler (IWB), Gomio, HIHostels, HostelTimes, and the rest, all from one interface. All hostelling sites are included in our base price. What about major sites like Expedia, Booking.com, Hotels.com, Travelocity, Priceline, and others? Yes, you can publish for bookings on these sites as well. In fact, Channel Manager enables you to submit your property and availability to more than 500 booking sites, including the Global Distribution System (GDS).

Don’t waste time with multiple calendars on multiple websites. Save money and get the exposure you really need. Log in at our website and sign up today.

To get started, simply log into your accommodation profile at our website.  Then proceed to the Channel Manager page.  If you’re not yet listed with HostelTraveler.com, list for free at:

http://www.hosteltraveler.com/listings/add_property.php

 


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Lowest Price Refund Guarantee – New from HostelTraveler

HostelTraveler (Instant World Booking) is your cheapest option for hostels around the world. 

Our new Lowest Price Refund Guarantee is a promise that you won’t find cheaper hostel prices elsewhere.  We’re cheaper than Hostelworld, Hostelbookers, Hostelsclub, and the rest.

While our friends at other booking services are comparing and trying to out price each other with advertising campaigns, you can book with confidence at HostelTraveler.  That’s because we’re offering a guarantee that you’ll receive the lowest available price.  So, don’t bother looking any further.  Reserve with confidence knowing that, if you find a lower price, we’ll refund you double the difference.  It’s that simple.

How can we offer this incredible guarantee?  Because, HostelTraveler is one of the most economical online reservation providers, serving over 10,000 unique hostels and specialty budget properties worldwide.   And, because we provide superior service and technology, we don’t gouge our accommodation partners with exorbitant commissions.  So, we can pass on the savings to our travelers.

About our Lowest Price Refund Guarantee

We are absolutely committed to offering the lowest prices for hostels.  You can now book with confidence, because you won’t find any of our hostels cheaper elsewhere on the internet.   If you are able to find a better deal for the same travel dates and with the same booking conditions, we’ll refund double the difference.  See more about the terms of our Lowest Price Refund Guarantee below.  We think you’ll agree that no better guarantee is offered anywhere.

Lowest Price Refund Guarantee – Terms

(1)  Contact us within 7 days of booking your accommodation through HostelTraveler (Instant World Booking), or one of our 100+ travel websites.  Your booking must be completed on one of Instant World Booking’s websites, not a lodging’s website or other affiliate site.

(2)  Tell us the details of the lower rate you were offered.  The lower price must be available to book during the 7 day period following your reservation, and we need to be able to verify the offer.

(3)  The guarantee will not apply to lower prices advertised within 7 days of arrival date.

(4)  The lower price must be available on a website other than hosteltraveler.com.

(5)  The “lower price” consists of the total cost of the reservation, including the daily rate, any included meals and extras, and all booking fees and taxes.  The “lower price” must be found on a website for an equivalent room at the same lodging accommodation for the same period as your reservation, and with the same conditions.

(6)  Instant World Booking will make refunds only if your reservation through Instant World Booking completed and not cancelled or the subject of a no-show.   Refunds will only be given after the departure date, once the terms of your reservation have been fully completed.

(7)  If a refund is given, you are still bound by the terms and conditions of your existing reservation confirmed through Instant World Booking.

(8)  The lowest price guarantee does not apply to accommodation reserved in combination with a membership rate, frequent stay, reward type program, or special promotion offered by the accommodation provider.

(9)  The lower price must be a regularly advertised price for your reserved hotel, not a price received from an ‘opaque’ site or auction site, where the exact location or price is not known until after booking.

(10)  The maximum refund that will be provided by Instant World Booking is limited to the total confirmation payment made at the time of your reservation.

(11)  Instant World Booking reserves the right to withdraw this offer at any time without prior warning or notification.


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Is Hostel Traveler the Cheapest?

We’ve recently seen posts on various blogs and sites comparing the cost to travelers of booking their hostel accommodation on some of the leading websites, including Hostelling Interntional, Hostelworld, Hostels.com, and Hostelbookers.  We’re happy to note that HostelTraveler.com remains the cheapest and the best bargain for the budget traveler.

One post objectively states that HI charged 5% deposit plus 1.92 euro booking fee, claiming that this was the cheapest of a comparison made.  Nevertheless, while HostelTraveler.com was not included in this particular comparison, HostelTraveler.com was even cheaper than the winner.  Here’s why:

HostelTraveler.com’s typical pricing is 8% deposit plus $0.75 per bed. In Euro terms this equates to 8% deposit plus 0.52 Euros. This means that for a 1-2night stay and a hostel bed at 20-25 Euros, HostelTraveler.com is cheaper for the traveler than the HI example above.  Check it out for yourself.


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How come I did not receive any confirmation emails?

How come I did not receive any confirmation emails? This is a question we recieve often from travelers making reservations on various online booking services. In fact, you may be asking yourself this question even if you’ve purchased a product online from ubiquitous websites like Amazon.com, Ebay.com, 1800flowers.com, etc.

Here are a couple of guidelines to remember when purchasing products or services on the internet:

1) You are entirely responsible for making sure you are able to receive confirmation emails from online services you use.

2) Most free internet email services like Yahoo, Gmail, Aol, Hotmail, etc. will block many important emails and confirmation emails you intend to receive, even if you are not aware they use blocking techniques.

Because of these two basic facts you should never use a free email service, or any email service you cannot totally control, for important purchases or business purposes. If you are using a Yahoo, Hotmail, Gmail, or other free email system, please know that many commercial websites, including Instant World Booking, may be unable to send you email concerning transactions or purchases you have made. This is because these email systems are known to block a large amount of legitimate email, due to their efforts to fight spam. We advise that these free email systems should never be used for authentic business purposes.

But, you don’t have to take our word for it. This problem has been well documented by many authoritative sources. For example, to find hundreds of problems concerning Yahoo rejecting legitimate email, simply perform a Google search for “Yahoo bouncing email”. Here is just one source documenting dozens of problems in which Yahoo rejected desired mail:
http://www.ahfx.net/weblog.php?article=107

One way to ensure that you receive confimation and delivery emails from online services you use, be sure to add the sender’s email to your address book.

Here are instructions for some popular email clients:


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