Insights
Insights.
Notes from the field on hotel contracting, revenue and distribution in Greece. Written from real contracts and real data.
Allotment vs guarantee: what a Greek hotel should know before signing
An allotment gives a tour operator a set number of rooms, but it pays only for the rooms it sells. Unsold rooms return to the hotel at the release date. A guarantee means the tour operator pays for the rooms whether it sells them or not, usually at a lower rate. Allotment protects your rate. Guarantee protects you from empty rooms.
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Dynamic tour operator rates through your channel manager: what changes
With dynamic rates, the tour operator receives your rates and availability daily through your channel manager, instead of fixed seasonal rates in a contract. The hotel gains control over price. The setup must be correct, because every error reaches the partner immediately.
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Opening a hotel on a Greek island: the commercial checklist
A new hotel needs its markets, product data, rates, systems, contracts and OTA listings ready before partners open their sales. Tour operator contracting for a summer season often starts the autumn before. Test a booking on every channel before opening.
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Release periods explained: how many days is too many?
A release period is the number of days before arrival when unsold allotment rooms return to the hotel. A longer release gives the hotel more time to resell rooms. A shorter release gives the tour operator more time to sell. The right number depends on when each partner's guests book.
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SPOs and EBD: when a discount helps and when it hurts
An EBD (early booking discount) rewards guests who book before a set date. An SPO (special offer) is a temporary reduction for specific booking and stay dates. A discount helps when it creates bookings you would not get. It hurts when it discounts rooms you would sell anyway.
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Tour operators vs OTAs: the right channel mix for a Greek island hotel
Tour operators bring volume, early bookings and flights to the island, at lower net rates. OTAs bring later, flexible bookings, usually at higher rates, minus commission. Most Greek island hotels need both. The right mix changes by month and should be judged on net revenue, not gross.
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