eBay auctions prove to be winners

Member hotels that have placed travel offers on eBay are enjoying outstanding exposure and some of the highest revenues from resulting auctions on the popular online shopping website.

G-rez signed a distribution deal with Cultuzz last November, allowing members to sell packages and room nights to the highest bidder on several of eBay’s European sites. Since then, participating hotels have experienced consumer feedback ratings of 100%, hundreds of online hits and several completed auctions.

Preluna Hotel and Spa in Malta has been offering a seven-night package for two people on eBay since December 2005.

The response to date has been an average of 495 hits per auction, 23 bids and six completed auctions, with prices steadily rising. “These auctions have given our hotel a new dimension and we are now reaching a previously untapped market,” commented Joseph Preca, Preluna CEO. “The number of hits has exceeded all expectations.”

eBay attracts more than 160 million visitors a month and enjoys more traffic than traditional online travel channels.

“An eBay promotion like this can put a hotel in direct contact with 500-1,000 customers,” said Michael Hughes, Sales Manager UK at Cultuzz. “This level of online advertising with Google, for example, with equivalent levels of penetration, would cost between €1500-3,000 per week.”

For more information, contact Carly Gotz on
cgotz@ghorg.com or +44 (0) 20 7380 8592.