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.
By Florian Schaufler, Founder, 360° Consulting
When should a new hotel start its commercial setup?
Before partners plan their season. For tour operators, that is often the autumn before the first summer.
What is the commercial checklist?
- Markets: which source markets fly to your island, and which partners sell them
- Product data: room types, occupancy, facilities, policies, fact sheet, photos
- Rates: one rate sheet for BAR, NET, B2B and tour operator rates
- Systems: PMS, channel manager, booking engine, tested mapping
- Contracts: tour operators and bedbanks
- OTAs: listings live and consistent with your data
- Admin: licence, registration numbers, invoicing and bank details
- Test: one booking on every channel before opening
What data do partners ask for?
Room types and occupancy, facilities, policies, photos, licence and registration numbers, and invoicing details.
What are the most common pre-opening mistakes?
- Different room names or occupancies on each channel
- Rates set without a clear rate sheet
- Starting contracting too late
What should you do in the first season?
Track pace weekly, adjust rates to real demand and review every contract after the season.
Frequently asked questions
- When should contracting start?
- Often the autumn before the first summer season.
- Can a new hotel get contracts without reviews?
- Yes, sometimes with smaller allotments at first.
- Which channels should go live first?
- Start tour operator contracting first, because it takes longer. OTAs can go live faster.