1.1 million hotel-branded ads linked to ‘predatory OTAs’ in a single month
The run of bad press for artificial intelligence (AI) continues, and this time it’s the turn of “predatory” online travel agencies (OTAs). These are the websites that look like a legitimate hotel website but are far from the real deal…
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Cyber criminals targeting guests of Dutch Bastion Hotels
Cybercriminals posing as customer service representatives are targeting guests of the Dutch hotel chain Bastion Hotels. Customers are receiving what appears to be phishing messages on WhatsApp containing a remarkable amount of their personal data…
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Fake captain allegedly flew hundreds of plane passengers using forged credentials
It was a sky-high scam. A co-pilot allegedly forged certificates to qualify himself for a captain position with a Lithuanian airline — and helmed flights carrying hundreds of passengers throughout Europe…
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The Five Stages of Rate Parity Acceptance
Rate parity is an evergreen topic. I wrote an article on rate parity for hotels in 2023, and all the way back in 2015. It’s an issue that seems to stir up a lot of concern at the asset management and property levels…
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Scammers run riot on Booking.com
A lack of proper checks is leaving Booking.com wide open to scammers, according to an investigation by Which?.The consumer champion has called for the holiday booking platform to do more to prevent fraud on its site ahead of the Online Safety Act…
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Hotels + OTAs: A love-hate relationship that needs to change
Online travel agents (OTAs) have been made the arch-enemy of hotel direct bookings – a narrative we’ve seen across the sector due to the volume of bookings and high commission costs they command. But if hotels can reframe their thinking, OTAs are a…
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100 Puri tourists fell prey to online hotel fraud in 6 months
Over 100 tourists, mainly from West Bengal, have been scammed by cyber criminals while booking hotels in Puri through fake websites.
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Hotel Booking Scams A Much Bigger Problem Than Previously Known
The problem of “rogue” hotel booking websites is bigger than previously known and is creating enormous problems for travelers and the hotel industry.
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