[ripe-list] [comms] It's 2018, why are the RIPE hotels still using "booking forms"??

> On 12 Jan 2018, at 16:27, Ole Jacobsen <olejacobsen at me.com> wrote:
> Ironically, most (all?) of the hotels seems to handle online bookings
> via https:// so it's tempting to propose an engineering solution (aka
> Small Matter of Programming [SMOP]) to use the same mechanism with
> some kind of "RIPE Discount Code." But that's an implementation
> detail.
> In my opinion, we should be encouraging proper and secure use of 
> Internet technologies so I would suggest that this should be added to 
> the checklist for future negotiations with hotels. 

Whilst I agree that we should be encouraging this, it is easier said than done to have the hotel companies apply this.

With my UKNOF and DNS-OARC hats on, I know how difficult it is to get online links or booking codes which can be used online for delegates… especially in Europe.

Hilton are one of the very few brands that can accommodate this.. the others generally do not have the processes in place. Most of the online booking systems are central reservations, so when it comes to booking a particular hotel at delegate rates, the hotel has to do things manually via their group bookings team… by PDF and/or phone.

When I get presented with a list of hotels by the accommodation search team, I ask which ones can be booked online at delegate rates and end up with just a couple of hotels at most. It is frustrating, but we can only work with what is available.

I have turned down hotels because of this, and have given them the necessary feedback as to why.. but they know they can still fill the rooms, so are not that bothered. We then also have to consider convenience for delegates during their stay.. how close is the hotel to the venue, etc. Where the venue is the hotel, then there are contractual and cost considerations.

It is frustrating, but we are where we are. All we can do is try and encourage them to change… but in my experience over the last few years, that is not enough. I am unsure what else can be done.

Regards
Denesh