One more threat…..

The package market is getting more crowded every day.

Here’s another supplier site that offers brand loyal customers a one stop shopping experience SPG Vacations – Starwood Prefered Guest

Today Starwood announced their own dynamic packaging effort with the SPG Vacations site, offering their customers a one-stop shopping experience for air and car rental in addition to the Starwood accommodation. One more advantage is that on this site the preferred guest member will accrue points and benefit from upgrades that are increasingly denied to customers booking via an intermediary. Also, the component price is not disclosed, protecting their brand value.

Today, any supplier can be the entry point for a complete online package booking – how long will it take until DMOs will offer the same on their destination sites, which are one of the first ones visited in the planning process? Just one more competitor – with more to come – in the online travel marketplace.