OTA’s are Online Travel Agents.  They are cashing in – at your expense – on the success of the tourism sector which  is thriving.

Visitor arrivals are up by 10 percent, to 3.3 million, in the year to March 2016, and expected to grow by 5.4 percent a year, reaching 4.5 million visitors in 2022.  So they cannot resist clipping your ticket on the way through.  Every night on TV you will see the tempting adverts for you to save by using their services.  It’s all a con.

The unfortunate perception (as advertised on TV etc.) is that intending guests can find a better price using OTA’s.  That is simply wrong.  If you contact any motel direct you should do far better as you are avoiding their excessive commissions.  OK?

But it gets worse.  They have become a real headache – for example when anglers try to book several nights.  It is all about ‘convenience’.  That is all OTA’s are good for and wow! – do you pay for that convenience…

But that smarter tourist guests, aka anglers, who need to stay more than a few days or a week or more, should always book direct.

TRM have tried to entertain the OTA’s.  Originally we did all we could to avoid them but in the end had to join like every other motel/hotel/whatever.  That meant we had to add their hefty commissions onto our room rates.  They may be considered necessary and more convenient for tourists using hand held devices – iPhones whatever –  to book their accommodation but fishos can do much better than that at TRM.

A problem TRM have experienced over and over is that the computerised version of booking on line does not allow for any flexibility such as us being able to move prospective guests around to accommodate anglers wanting to stay longer terms.  For example if we have a one night booking for the unit configuration you might prefer, then the computer cannot take your booking for days on either side.  However it is usually easy for us to move that one night booking to fit you in.  Or more often we upgrade the anglers…

i.e. For the Christmas New Year January holiday period TRM have blanked out much of the accommodation to allow regular guests more time to decide on dates etc.  Otherwise the OTA traffic would pick the eyes out of it ruining the one or two week continuous holidays that many are used to at TRM.  We have to be loyal to our regulars too.

At TRM we have to be more flexible with our base rates as there are so many different layouts and configurations within units.  This is not one of those motels that look like chicken coops.  Each unit is different.  Then we can fit your requirements exactly.

But OTA’s are designed for hotel rooms – not large family units.

There is no way an overall OTA room rate can reflect all the freebies at TRM.

Just take one example.  Where else in the world do you find motel units providing rod racks?  For free…

It’s these little things that really count.

Where else do they provide a free smoker (limited to 15 trout at a time) and provide all the ingredients?

Where else do they provide a free laundry incl. soap powder and dryer?

OTA’s cannot factor that into the room rates.

Free wifi is normal but many OTA rates exclude it.

OTA’s cannot factor in that most anglers usually require a late check out.  etc.

Some of our big units even boast a pantry to save longer term inmates having to buy all those little extras, sauces, spices, etc.  No OTA rate can reflect that.  The long list of TRM perks are a big part of the whole package.  Free fish bags.  Free Tongariro fishing maps.  TRM even offer free doggie walks!

TRM don’t want to reveal publicly the generous discounts anglers enjoy for longer stays – as a reward for their loyalty over many years – as they always book direct.  The commissions charged by OTA’s are ridiculously high and we prefer to pass these onto regular inmates.

It is as simple as that.

But if you book through one of the OTA systems in place TRM cannot offer such discounts.

So today’s message is simple – avoid OTA’s whenever you can and book direct.  OK?