Will Booking.com Alter Its Vacation Rental Business Model in 2016?

Will Booking.com cave to investors and charge a booking fee to travelers? Long seen as a differentiated player in the travel industry, Booking.com is missing out on inventory because it has chosen to charge a 15% commission rather than pass that fee on to travelers.

“[CEO and Co-founder of Turnkey Vacation Rentals TJ] Clark says there will be multiple winners in the vacation rental category although the company that can add the most inventory and be the most comprehensive will have a huge advantage. ‘You get the supply and you win.’”

Clark surmises that Booking.com is ahead of the curve in one sense: the industry is headed in the direction of instantly confirmable reservations. Already on HomeAway, instantly bookable properties receive preferential placement.

Source: Skift – Will Booking.com Alter Its Vacation Rental Business Model in 2016?