I am in the process of creating a hostel booking site, but I do not want to be like everyone else. I want to build this with input from the hostel community, I want to make this easy to use for both hostels and backpackers. I would greatly appreciate as much input as possible now , and as the site progresses. I will annouce a beta version of the site on here when it is more stable. I am not looking to rape the community I just want to offer an easy system to book through.
16 years
For me what is needed is a site that will automatically update availability on the all the other sites (hostelworld, etc.) and vice-versa when a booking is made. Something like this might already exist - see the thread already discussing it. If it doesn't do that you are entering a crowded marketplace and it'll be difficult to persuade hostels to sign up with you.
16 years
if the site is easy to use and gets visitors then I think it will be an easy job to get hostel to partake. it cost them nothing and the fees are cheaper.
16 years
There's always the "chicken or the egg" issue with new hostel booking sites.
Which comes first, hostels that allocate beds, or visitors who buy beds?
I think starting a new booking site is possible, but it would need to overcome that problem somehow...
16 years
I think starting a new booking site is possible, but it would need to overcome that problem somehow...
I think the future is for such sites and plug-ins which enables multiple booking engines. It is a matter of time now, especially as the no.1 site can't provide enough fishes for so many eskimos. As soon as the multiple allocation syndrome is solved, you only have to be compatible to run any competitive site. Good luck with your plans! ;)
16 years
I think it's always going to be difficult for a new site to sign up a lot of hostels. Mainly due to the chicken and egg concept mentioned, but also especially for smaller hostels there's no advantage really being on more than a couple of booking engines. If you are on 5 engines say that all have live booking facility, you'll only be able to have a limited number of beds on each engine, to prevent overbooking. This will give the impression to a customer who is booking on that engine that you might only have 4 or so beds available that night, as they are spread so thinly, and you'll lose out if a group of 6 want to book. Also if you only have a limited number of private rooms to list, you can only have them on one or two sites, as if you double book one room you risk it being booked twice.
Of course this could be solved by either
1) Sitting at the computer all day every day and updating availability as each booking comes in on every site
or
2) Having software that automatically does this for you. Does this exist though?
16 years
2) Having software that automatically does this for you. Does this exist though?
It doesn't seem to exist yet. Whoever builds that software should be able to do quite well.
16 years
It doesn't seem to exist yet. Whoever builds that software should be able to do quite well.
So far Hostelpower was the only one I saw doing that feature...
15 years
I am in the process of creating a hostel booking site, but I do not want to be like everyone else. I want to build this with input from the hostel community, I want to make this easy to use for both hostels and backpackers. I would greatly appreciate as much input as possible now , and as the site progresses. I will annouce a beta version of the site on here when it is more stable. I am not looking to rape the community I just want to offer an easy system to book through.
hi
is your hostel booking site ready yet? if yes i would like to add mine please
cheers
6 years
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