Do you think it would be beneficial to Alibaba members to have Alibaba negotiating better rates and fees for us?
If so, what are your suggestions?
Quoting from [Torresinc]:
Alibaba is growing very fast and maybe now has a bargain power with travel agencies, hotels and rental companies.
Do you think it would be beneficial to Alibaba members to have Alibaba negotiating better rates and fees for us?
If so, what are your suggestions?
1)If we are travelling to the same distination at the same time, then Alibaba can afford to buy the package in bulk and (maybe) pass the benefit to us by giving us a special rate.
2)If we were to travel alone, I don't think we can get much benefit to have Alibaba as our booking agent. I'd rather go direct to the service providers with the online booking. It will be cheaper without the middlemen.
3)However, it will be different scenerio if it is Alibaba's base country China. Most of the traders are doing business with China, therefore there is a demand for China's hotels. Alibaba can work with certain selective hotels (like credit cards company do), make profit out of it yet, the members still get the special rate on a win win solution.
I was thinking having Alibaba acting as an "association" rathen than a travel agency. Like you wrote, we could get better rates from hotels, rental cars etc.
They can make some agreements with some airline companies and hotels to provide some discounts for Alibaba members when they choose the agreed companies and hotels, and it would be beneficial both for Alibaba gaining new members and members having discounts.
Quoting from [Torresinc]:
Agreeing with your suggestion, but at initialy Alibaba should focus only on Chinese Travel Services. I mean giving the services for chinese hotels and chinese airlines. For the travellers who are intending to travel to chinese destinations and they don't have enough information about how to book the airline and how to book the hotel etc., Alibaba can help them doing this so...
![[em19]](http://img.alibaba.com/images/eng/style/icon/emoticons_great.gif){kind=icon}
Quoting from [Torresinc]:
Alibaba is growing very fast and maybe now has a bargain power with travel agencies, hotels and rental companies.
Do you think it would be beneficial to Alibaba members to have Alibaba negotiating better rates and fees for us?
If so, what are your suggestions?
Like what I had mentioned earlier, Alibaba will have its strong hold in China market, therefore has more bargaining power over all travel related subjects. However, I am sure Alibaba will not do it Free Of Charge. With the bargain, the members will get to pay lesser and Alibaba will obtain its commission from the supplier too. Only with that win win solution for Alibaba and its members, then only this idea will work.
![[em7]](http://img.alibaba.com/images/eng/style/icon/emoticons_shy.gif){kind=icon}
http://paycationexperts.com
Why would you want what to create a bureacracy when you can have in house travel deals, pay your employees more & earn Commissions from any sales from the Travel & Entertainment Consolidator?
This solves Alibaba's problems & gives all Moderators the opportunity to save on Travel!
Travel Ageny Credentials are easy to get when you sell at least 2,500 in travel a year. Travel Agents buy from Travel Agents.
It's like having a AAA Card for Travel, Everyone should be Travel Agent Certified!
Yes. A travel managment firm has huge buying power that translates into savings for each individual traveler who books with that agency. Reduced travel dollar expenditures as well as other services (24 x 7 emergency travel services, additional mileage programs, management reports reflecting travel dollars spent to help forecast for future budgeting, negotiated rates, etc) benefit all who book through a travel firm.
Some of the Posts or answers seem "introspective".
Look outward and help people travel globally.
Check out:
www.YourTravelDream.com
Any suggestions how Alibaba and/or its members
can benefit?
Thank you,
Mike M