Tag Archives: website

OTAs undercut hotel direct rates in 75% of searches : H1 World Parity Monitor

Biannual World Parity Monitor reveals the scale of price pressure on hotel direct channels — and where hotels still hold the advantage. In 75% of hotel rate searches, at least one OTA displays a lower price than the hotel’s own website — a stark finding from the H1 World Parity Monitor 2025 by 123Compare.me. Chronicling the first six months of 2025 — the H1 World Parity Monitor looked at parity on a per-search basis — discovering OTAs undercut the hotel’s own website in 33% of comparisons. The hotel direct channel beat third parties in 45% of cases, while parity was maintained in just 22% of occasions. But when all available offers for the same room are taken into account — an average of more than 20 per search — the picture shifts dramatically: in three out of four searches, at least one OTA shows a lower rate than the official site. Mapping rate integrity across leading global destinations and shedding light on the behaviors putting the direct channel under pressure — the biannual World Parity Monitor interestingly concluded that the share of searches where OTAs publish lower rates has remained stable compared to 2024. In both January and April, undercutting occurred in 35% of cases. By June, this figure dropped to 28% — the lowest value so far this year. Mobiles amplify the rate parity issue — OTAs undercut the official site in 38% of searches, versus 31% on desktop. Faster decision-making, exclusive discounts, and optimized user experiences make mobile a more vulnerable space for hotels. According to Roberto Gobo, Director of Digital Strategy and Technology at Valamar, these disparities often stem from operational blind spots: “Disparity mostly happens when …

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R Hotels launches new website and mobile application

R Hotels unveils its new website and mobile application to allow users to conveniently book at its seven properties in the UAE. The website rhotels.ae and the mobile app ‘R Hotels’, which is free to download and available across all iOS and Android devices, both feature a platform which allows users to choose from seven hotels and directly book their stay. The latest promotions on the short and long-term stays, dining, spa & fitness, and meeting facilities at each hotel are also available on both channels. Other features include: a career section for job opportunities at each property, and a media centre with updates on news and events at the hotels. Guests can choose from R Hotels’ four properties in Dubai namely The Retreat Palm Dubai MGallery by Sofitel, Ramada by Wyndham Downtown Dubai, Ramada Hotel & Suites by Wyndham Dubai JBR, and ibis Styles Jumeira Dubai; and from its three hotels in Ajman which are Wyndham Garden Ajman Corniche, Ramada Hotel & Suites by Wyndham Ajman, and Ramada by Wyndham Beach Hotel Ajman. R Hotels is also offering incentives for the first batch of users who will download and book their stay through the app. These include discounted room rates, food and beverage vouchers, and special discounts on restaurants and spa, among others. Sumair Tariq, managing director, R Hotels, commented, “The hospitality industry continues to evolve; our new website and mobile app are part of our enhanced digital strategy for 2020 and the years ahead. In keeping up with the latest trends in the industry, we aim to provide guests with a secure and convenient channel to book their stay at their preferred hotels, and explore the destination.”

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