Caravan park OTA fightback

AUSTRALIA’S caravan and camping sector is being offered a new alternative to offshore OTA distribution, with the launch of a new locally developed integrated online booking channel.

Former Tourism Australia marketing chief Nick Baker is now CEO of GoSeeAustralia and Outdoria (TD 26 Jul 2017), which have partnered with technology firm RMS to offer the new web platform claimed to be up to 34% cheaper than booking fees levied by global online travel agents.

GoSeeAustralia will also operate as a lead generation and booking channel, and a partnership with the Commonwealth Bank will see reduced merchant and terminal transaction fees.

“The partnership was developed to help businesses within the Australian caravan and camping industry be more profitable and compete more effectively online,” Baker said.

“Many businesses today are finding margins and profitability strangled by the ever-increasing commissions and fees being charged by overseas OTAs.”

The new solution includes a fully customisable website to allow parks to grow their own direct digital offering, with the sector currently booming among both domestic and international inbound tourists to Australia.

Baker said the pact was the first stage of a strategic vision to build an ecosystem of Australian technology travel companies.

See goseeaustralia.com.au.