[et_pb_section fb_built=”1″ custom_padding_last_edited=”on|phone” _builder_version=”4.18.0″ _dynamic_attributes=”background_image” background_color_gradient_direction=”130deg” background_image=”@ET-DC@eyJkeW5hbWljIjp0cnVlLCJjb250ZW50IjoicG9zdF9mZWF0dXJlZF9pbWFnZSIsInNldHRpbmdzIjp7fX0=@” parallax=”on” min_height_tablet=”” min_height_phone=”” min_height_last_edited=”on|desktop” height_tablet=”” height_phone=”” height_last_edited=”on|desktop” custom_margin=”||0px||false|false” custom_padding=”7vw||7vw||false|false” custom_padding_tablet=”7vw||7vw||false|false” custom_padding_phone=”35vw||7vw||false|false” bottom_divider_height=”10vw” bottom_divider_flip=”horizontal” locked=”off” global_colors_info=”{}”][et_pb_row _builder_version=”4.18.0″ custom_margin=”||0px||false|false” custom_padding=”||0px||false|false” global_colors_info=”{}”][et_pb_column type=”4_4″ _builder_version=”4.18.0″ custom_padding_tablet=”” custom_padding_phone=”35%||||false|false” custom_padding_last_edited=”on|phone” global_colors_info=”{}”][et_pb_text _builder_version=”4.18.0″ _dynamic_attributes=”content” text_font=”Poppins||||||||” text_line_height=”1.8em” header_font=”Poppins||||||||” header_text_color=”#FFFFFF” header_font_size=”3em” header_line_height=”1.2em” header_3_font=”Roboto|700||on|||||” header_3_text_align=”center” header_3_text_color=”#ffffff” header_3_font_size=”24px” header_3_letter_spacing=”10px” header_3_line_height=”2em” text_orientation=”center” background_layout=”dark” min_height_tablet=”” min_height_phone=”” min_height_last_edited=”on|desktop” text_font_size_last_edited=”off|desktop” header_font_size_tablet=”40px” header_font_size_phone=”32px” header_font_size_last_edited=”on|phone” header_3_font_size_tablet=”16px” header_3_font_size_phone=”14px” header_3_font_size_last_edited=”on|phone” header_3_letter_spacing_tablet=”5px” header_3_letter_spacing_phone=”” header_3_letter_spacing_last_edited=”on|tablet” custom_css_main_element=” display: flex;|| flex-direction: column;|| align-content: center;|| justify-content: center;|| align-items: center;” header_text_shadow_style=”preset2″ locked=”off” global_colors_info=”{}”]@ET-DC@eyJkeW5hbWljIjp0cnVlLCJjb250ZW50IjoicG9zdF90aXRsZSIsInNldHRpbmdzIjp7ImJlZm9yZSI6IjxoMT4iLCJhZnRlciI6IjwvaDE+In19@[\/et_pb_text][\/et_pb_column][\/et_pb_row][et_pb_row _builder_version=”4.16″ _module_preset=”default” min_height_tablet=”” min_height_phone=”” min_height_last_edited=”on|phone” global_colors_info=”{}”][et_pb_column type=”4_4″ _builder_version=”4.16″ _module_preset=”default” global_colors_info=”{}”][et_pb_blurb title=”@ET-DC@eyJkeW5hbWljIjp0cnVlLCJjb250ZW50IjoicG9zdF9kYXRlIiwic2V0dGluZ3MiOnsiYmVmb3JlIjoiIiwiYWZ0ZXIiOiIiLCJkYXRlX2Zvcm1hdCI6ImRlZmF1bHQiLCJjdXN0b21fZGF0ZV9mb3JtYXQiOiIifX0=@” icon_placement=”left” _builder_version=”4.16″ _dynamic_attributes=”title” header_font=”Poppins|500|||||||” header_text_color=”#FFFFFF” header_font_size=”16px” header_line_height=”20px” text_orientation=”center” custom_margin=”||-2px||false|false” custom_padding=”||||false|false” header_text_shadow_style=”preset1″ header_text_shadow_color=”#222222″ border_color_all_image=”#FFFFFF” global_colors_info=”{}”][\/et_pb_blurb][et_pb_text _builder_version=”4.16″ _dynamic_attributes=”content” _module_preset=”default” text_font=”Poppins|700|||||||” text_text_color=”#FFFFFF” text_orientation=”center” custom_margin=”||1px|||” text_text_shadow_style=”preset1″ global_colors_info=”{}”]@ET-DC@eyJkeW5hbWljIjp0cnVlLCJjb250ZW50IjoicG9zdF9hdXRob3IiLCJzZXR0aW5ncyI6eyJiZWZvcmUiOiIiLCJhZnRlciI6IiIsIm5hbWVfZm9ybWF0IjoiZGlzcGxheV9uYW1lIiwibGluayI6Im9mZiIsImxpbmtfZGVzdGluYXRpb24iOiJhdXRob3JfYXJjaGl2ZSJ9fQ==@[\/et_pb_text][\/et_pb_column][\/et_pb_row][\/et_pb_section][et_pb_section fb_built=”1″ _builder_version=”4.16″ _module_preset=”default” global_colors_info=”{}”][et_pb_row _builder_version=”4.16″ _module_preset=”default” width=”90%” custom_margin=”0px||||false|false” custom_padding=”0px||0px||false|false” global_colors_info=”{}”][et_pb_column type=”4_4″ _builder_version=”4.16″ _module_preset=”default” global_colors_info=”{}”][et_pb_text _builder_version=”4.18.0″ _module_preset=”default” text_font=”||||||||” text_text_color=”#3d3d3d” text_font_size=”0.9em” text_line_height=”1.6em” min_height=”13.6px” custom_margin=”||0px|||” custom_padding=”3px||10px||false|false” text_font_size_tablet=”1.2em” text_font_size_phone=”1em” text_font_size_last_edited=”on|phone” global_colors_info=”{}”]Share this article on social networks:[\/et_pb_text][et_pb_code _builder_version=”4.16″ _module_preset=”default” custom_margin=”||0px|||” locked=”off” global_colors_info=”{}”]
There are also cases in which overbooking can be caused by negligence or by difficulties in manually synchronizing the availability on the booking portals in which the hotel is present.<\/p>\n
Let\u2019s see what are the advantages of the first scenario and which instruments to use in order to prevent the possibility of accidental overbooking.
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[\/et_pb_text][\/et_pb_column][\/et_pb_row][et_pb_row column_structure=”1_5,3_5,1_5″ use_custom_gutter=”on” _builder_version=”4.18.0″ _module_preset=”default” width=”90%” global_colors_info=”{}”][et_pb_column type=”1_5″ disabled_on=”on|on|off” _builder_version=”4.18.0″ _module_preset=”default” sticky_position=”top” sticky_offset_top=”140px” sticky_limit_bottom=”section” global_colors_info=”{}”][et_pb_text _builder_version=”4.18.0″ _module_preset=”default” text_text_color=”#3d3d3d” text_font_size=”0.95em” header_line_height=”1.6em” header_3_text_align=”center” custom_padding=”10%|10%||10%|false|true” sticky_position=”top” sticky_offset_top=”20px” sticky_limit_bottom=”section” border_radii=”on|10px|10px|10px|10px” border_width_all=”1px” border_color_all=”#d9d9d9″ global_colors_info=”{}”]<\/p>\n
[\/et_pb_text][et_pb_text module_class=”share-blog” _builder_version=”4.18.0″ _module_preset=”default” text_text_color=”#3d3d3d” text_font_size=”0.95em” header_line_height=”1.6em” header_3_text_align=”center” custom_padding=”10%|10%|5%|10%|false|true” sticky_position=”top” sticky_offset_top=”20px” sticky_limit_bottom=”section” border_radii=”on|10px|10px|10px|10px” border_width_all=”1px” border_color_all=”#d9d9d9″ locked=”off” global_colors_info=”{}”]<\/p>\n
[\/et_pb_text][\/et_pb_column][et_pb_column type=”3_5″ _builder_version=”4.16″ _module_preset=”default” global_colors_info=”{}”][et_pb_accordion disabled_on=”off|off|on” _builder_version=”4.18.0″ _module_preset=”default” border_radii=”on|10px|10px|10px|10px” box_shadow_style=”preset3″ global_colors_info=”{}”][et_pb_accordion_item title=”Table of Contents” open=”on” _builder_version=”4.18.0″ _module_preset=”default” global_colors_info=”{}” toggle_text_align=”center”]<\/p>\n
[\/et_pb_accordion_item][\/et_pb_accordion][et_pb_text _builder_version=”4.18.0″ _module_preset=”default” header_3_font_size=”2.5em” custom_margin_tablet=”” custom_margin_phone=”||0px||false|false” custom_margin_last_edited=”on|phone” header_3_font_size_tablet=”2.5em” header_3_font_size_phone=”2em” header_3_font_size_last_edited=”on|phone” locked=”off” global_colors_info=”{}”]<\/a><\/p>\n [\/et_pb_text][et_pb_text _builder_version=”4.18.0″ _module_preset=”default” text_font=”||||||||” text_text_color=”#3d3d3d” text_font_size=”1.2em” text_line_height=”1.6em” text_font_size_tablet=”1.2em” text_font_size_phone=”1em” text_font_size_last_edited=”on|phone” global_colors_info=”{}”]<\/p>\n An overbooked hotel<\/strong> is a booking surplus. Practicing controlled overbooking as a revenue management<\/strong> technique has some advantages:<\/p>\n [\/et_pb_text][et_pb_text _builder_version=”4.21.0″ _module_preset=”default” text_font=”||||||||” text_text_color=”#3d3d3d” text_font_size=”1.2em” text_line_height=”1.6em” hover_enabled=”0″ text_font_size_tablet=”1.2em” text_font_size_phone=”1em” text_font_size_last_edited=”on|phone” locked=”off” global_colors_info=”{}” sticky_enabled=”0″]<\/p>\n <\/strong><\/p>\n [\/et_pb_text][et_pb_text _builder_version=”4.18.0″ _module_preset=”default” header_3_font_size=”2.5em” custom_margin_tablet=”” custom_margin_phone=”||0px||false|false” custom_margin_last_edited=”on|phone” header_3_font_size_tablet=”2.5em” header_3_font_size_phone=”2em” header_3_font_size_last_edited=”on|phone” locked=”off” global_colors_info=”{}”]<\/a><\/p>\n [\/et_pb_text][et_pb_text _builder_version=”4.18.0″ _module_preset=”default” header_3_font_size=”2em” header_4_font_size=”2em” custom_margin_tablet=”” custom_margin_phone=”||0px||false|false” custom_margin_last_edited=”on|phone” header_4_font_size_tablet=”2em” header_4_font_size_phone=”1.6em” header_4_font_size_last_edited=”on|phone” locked=”off” global_colors_info=”{}”]<\/p>\n [\/et_pb_text][et_pb_text _builder_version=”4.18.0″ _module_preset=”default” text_font=”||||||||” text_text_color=”#3d3d3d” text_font_size=”1.2em” text_line_height=”1.6em” text_font_size_tablet=”1.2em” text_font_size_phone=”1em” text_font_size_last_edited=”on|phone” locked=”off” global_colors_info=”{}”]<\/p>\n The risk that expected cancellations might not take place and some guests might not find available their reserved rooms is the reason why overbooking is considered a controversial practice<\/strong>, unethical for consumers<\/strong>.<\/p>\n The hotel contract is not regulated by law but it\u2019s based on fairness: the hotel manager, according to the price set, is committed to provide the customer with a furnished housing unit, in which the guest can stay, and other necessary or extra services.<\/p>\n [\/et_pb_text][et_pb_text _builder_version=”4.18.0″ _module_preset=”default” header_3_font_size=”2em” header_4_font_size=”2em” custom_margin_tablet=”” custom_margin_phone=”||0px||false|false” custom_margin_last_edited=”on|phone” header_4_font_size_tablet=”2em” header_4_font_size_phone=”1.6em” header_4_font_size_last_edited=”on|phone” locked=”off” global_colors_info=”{}”]<\/p>\n [\/et_pb_text][et_pb_text _builder_version=”4.18.0″ _module_preset=”default” text_font=”||||||||” text_text_color=”#3d3d3d” text_font_size=”1.2em” text_line_height=”1.6em” text_font_size_tablet=”1.2em” text_font_size_phone=”1em” text_font_size_last_edited=”on|phone” locked=”off” global_colors_info=”{}”]<\/p>\n In case of default, the facility has to guarantee, at its own expense, a hotel overbooking compensation<\/strong> to its customers in an alternative accommodation, of the same level or higher and in the same place.<\/p>\n For this reason, as part of the overbooked hotel strategy, it’s important that the facility can count on a good partnership with nearby facilities to avoid bearing higher costs than expected. In fact, in some cases, customers may decide not to accept the hotel overbooking compensation and legitimately ask for a refund of the deposit.<\/p>\n Despite some hotel managers considering overbooking as an excellent practice to maximize profits, even with a staff trained to manage these scenarios, one is not entirely safe from possible problems.<\/p>\n In fact, in an era in which your digital reputation is all, the possibility to receive negative reviews can undermine your online visibility on OTAs, ending up having a negative influence on the volume of reservations received (read how much doeas count reviews on Airbnb<\/strong><\/a>)<\/p>\n [\/et_pb_text][et_pb_image src=”https:\/\/octorate.com\/wordpress\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/01\/reception.webp” alt=”Overbooking Hotel” title_text=”reception” align=”center” _builder_version=”4.18.0″ _module_preset=”default” custom_margin=”||5%||false|false” border_radii=”on|10px|10px|10px|10px” box_shadow_style=”preset3″ locked=”off” global_colors_info=”{}”][\/et_pb_image][et_pb_text _builder_version=”4.18.0″ _module_preset=”default” header_3_font_size=”2.5em” custom_margin_tablet=”” custom_margin_phone=”||0px||false|false” custom_margin_last_edited=”on|phone” header_3_font_size_tablet=”2.5em” header_3_font_size_phone=”2em” header_3_font_size_last_edited=”on|phone” global_colors_info=”{}”]<\/a><\/p>\n [\/et_pb_text][et_pb_text _builder_version=”4.18.0″ _module_preset=”default” text_font=”||||||||” text_text_color=”#3d3d3d” text_font_size=”1.2em” text_line_height=”1.6em” text_font_size_tablet=”1.2em” text_font_size_phone=”1em” text_font_size_last_edited=”on|phone” global_colors_info=”{}”]<\/p>\n As anticipated, an overbooked hotel is not always the result of a strategic commercial practice. There are cases in which a hotel finds itself in overbooking accidentally<\/strong>.<\/p>\n How?<\/strong><\/p>\n Here is a scenario: if you manage a facility present on the most important booking portals, like Booking.com, Airbnb or Expedia, you might receive several reservations a day on different portals, and you might also have to update your availability manually<\/strong> everyday on other OTAs. In this way, you run the risk of overbooking, if you forget to close the availability on a certain portal.<\/p>\n Consequently, in light of what has been considered so far, the most effective strategy to increase reservations and manage them without the risk of registering an excess of bookings is using a two-way Channel Manager<\/a><\/strong> like Octorate\u2019s one (learn here what is a Channel Manager<\/strong><\/a>)<\/p>\n Beside automatizing the management of the facility, it can also help you manage your online distribution channels, by automatically synchronizing the availability and tariffs on OTAs, completely avoiding the risk of hotel overbooking. Indeed, our Channel Manager provides hotel managers with ad hoc instruments to avoid overbooking. For example, the Autopilot constantly checks bookings received and available units, and prevents the calendar from showing a higher availability than the effective one.<\/p>\n The Channel Manager allows you to increase your profits and avoid overbooking, by easily managing everything from a single platform<\/strong>.<\/p>\n [\/et_pb_text][et_pb_text _builder_version=”4.18.0″ _module_preset=”default” header_3_font_size=”2.5em” custom_margin_tablet=”” custom_margin_phone=”||0px||false|false” custom_margin_last_edited=”on|phone” header_3_font_size_tablet=”2.5em” header_3_font_size_phone=”2em” header_3_font_size_last_edited=”on|phone” global_colors_info=”{}”]<\/a><\/p>\n [\/et_pb_text][et_pb_accordion _builder_version=”4.18.0″ _module_preset=”default” toggle_level=”h6″ toggle_text_align=”left” toggle_font_size=”1.5em” body_text_color=”#3d3d3d” body_font_size=”1.2em” body_font_size_tablet=”1.2em” body_font_size_phone=”1em” body_font_size_last_edited=”on|phone” body_line_height_tablet=”” body_line_height_phone=”1.6em” body_line_height_last_edited=”on|phone” custom_css_toggle_title=”text-align: left !important;” rank_math_faq_schema=”on” border_radii=”on|10px|10px|10px|10px” box_shadow_blur_tablet=”” box_shadow_blur_phone=”” box_shadow_blur_last_edited=”on|desktop” global_colors_info=”{}” box_shadow_vertical__hover_enabled=”on|hover” box_shadow_vertical__hover=”0px”][et_pb_accordion_item title=”\u274c What does it mean when a hotel is overbooked?” open=”on” _builder_version=”4.18.0″ _module_preset=”default” global_colors_info=”{}” toggle_text_align=”center”]An overbooked hotel is the scenario in which the hotel receives a higher number of reservations than the effective availability. It can be voluntary, as the result of a Revenue Management strategy that often doesn\u2019t meet the favor of consumers, or accidental, caused by the incorrect synchronization of room availability on booking portals in which the facility is present.[\/et_pb_accordion_item][et_pb_accordion_item title=”? What can you do if a hotel overbooks?” _builder_version=”4.18.0″ _module_preset=”default” global_colors_info=”{}” toggle_text_align=”center” open=”off”]If you manage your facility without using a hotel management software and you want to avoid the risk of overbooking, the Octorate Channel Manager can help you keep availabilities on all OTAs under control, thanks to the Autopilot, which constantly checks bookings received and available units to prevent the calendar from showing a higher availability than the actual one.<\/p>\n Here are some advantages:<\/p>\n [\/et_pb_accordion_item][\/et_pb_accordion][et_pb_code disabled_on=”off|off|off” _builder_version=”4.19.5″ _module_preset=”default” text_orientation=”right” module_alignment=”right” custom_margin=”||0px|0px|false|false” custom_padding=”10%|10%|10%|10%|true|false” custom_padding_tablet=”|1em||0px|true|false” custom_padding_phone=”|1.5em||1.5em|true|false” custom_padding_last_edited=”on|tablet” border_radii=”on|10px|10px|10px|10px” border_width_all=”1px” border_color_all=”#d9d9d9″ box_shadow_style=”preset3″ locked=”off” global_colors_info=”{}”]<\/p>\nWhat is an overbooked hotel?<\/h3>\n
To use the overbooking practice as a strategy to increase revenues, the analysis must be based on data regarding the booking history, like the no-show percentage by type of room, the ratio between cancellations and confirmed reservations or the potential walk-in. The aim is identifying a weak point or a repetitive scheme in which potential customers tend to cancel their reservation. The expectation of a voluntary overbooked hotel is that some guests might cancel their reservation or don\u2019t show up, making the overbooking rooms available again and assuring the full coverage of your rooms.<\/p>\n\n
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What can you do if a hotel overbooks?<\/h3>\n
Overbooked hotel: legislation<\/h4>\n
Overbooked hotel: what to do<\/h4>\n
Another non-negligible detail is training the staff to manage this eventuality from an organizational point of view, quickly finding a new accommodation and efficiently communicating with guests to avoid an escalation of negative reactions, bringing about more disadvantages than benefits.<\/p>\nHow to avoid an overbooked hotel?<\/h3>\n
Frequently Asked Questions<\/h3>\n
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Book a Free Demo<\/h3>\n