Etsiketsi One of the biggest problems our friend had when he used TO's was that everyone went to him and complained about their room not having a sea view when they had paid extra for the priviledge. He would often say "My hotel only has six rooms with sea views and I keep them for my friends". The TO's were happy to sell everyone these special roomas as they charged extra for them and didn't monitor how many were sold.
Unfortunately your friend must have signed a contract in which he promised the tour operator a certain number of seaview rooms. With computers it is now very difficult for a tour operator to sell anything that they have not got!
Hoteliers often sign happily whatever the tour operator wants, thinking of their cash advance without thinking of the ramifications. They often then resell the rooms to another tour operator- hoping that it will all sort itself out, fine in low season when the demand is low, but making for problems in high season.
I agree guaranteed seaview, and the attendant surcharge, are a recipe for problems!
Chris- a hotel would NEVER give a portion of its rooms exclusively to one tour operator unless they took it on a 'commitment' basis- ie paying a price up front for the whole season whether or not the rooms are occupied. I have never heard of this happening in Corfu (and I speak as a former rep. and also as a co-owner of a large hotel until recently). Commitment is, as far as I know, confined to self catering villas and apartments.
Chris- a hotel would NEVER give a portion of its rooms exclusively to one tour operator unless they took it on a 'commitment' basis- ie paying a price up front for the whole season whether or not the rooms are occupied. I have never heard of this happening in Corfu (and I speak as a former rep. and also as a co-owner of a large hotel until recently). Commitment is, as far as I know, confined to self catering villas and apartments.
Perhaps you are right on the matter of committments. However, I do know that a certain chain of hotels for instance in Majorca, have allocated, and the TO has committed themselves to a certain number of rooms. And this is straight from the mouths of those who know. My daughter is in the business with a very large company, sadly not on Corfu, and these days in can be a common practice amongst the big companies. Louis Hotels is a very large company as is Thomas Cook. There must be a reason as to why the two reps have been charged as such, relating to their employment, and contract agreements. You do not just arrest and charge someone on speculation.
Perhaps this should have been more appropriate in the Thomas Cook Court thread!!!!!!
the only time a tour operator MIGHT actually be given rooms is if they have funded the building. I know a hotel on Corfu which was built with money given by First Choice, therefore they could have had a special arrangement for a number of years. But in the current financial climate this rarely happens
Beg to differ if I may. The hotels and Tour Operators I refer to in my previous post have not funded the building, or have any controlling status with the hotel. Just allocaed rooms, that are at the control of the Tour Operator in every aspect.
Chris - do know that a certain chain of hotels for instance in Majorca, have allocated, and the TO has committed themselves to a certain number of rooms.
Yes, tour operators sign con tracts for a number of rooms- so many seaview rooms at one price, so many land view at another price etc., but I would be really interested to know if the room numbers are specified on the contract. This is the bit I have never heard of before
I will endeavour to find out for you, but I do know that one particular large Tour Operator who operated in Majorca had a whole floor seconded to them, and that floor was their responsibility. Another good example would be on the States side. It is relatively common for a TO to have control of a part of, or a whole hotel, or villa complex. I thought this was common practice, in particular for the larger companies.
