At Dtravel, our mission is to create a better travel experience for everyone through direct connections. Providing vacation rental brands and short-term rental operators with an easy way to start, run and grow their direct booking business is the first step in establishing an ecosystem that supports this mission and will, as a result, empower greater ownership in travel.
Dtravel Direct eliminates the need for intermediaries, encouraging more short-rental operators to reduce their dependence on third-party booking platforms while helping established vacation rental brands grow their business.
In response to the COVID-19 pandemic, many third-party booking platforms canceled months of bookings with hardly a relief for the businesses that propped up their marketplaces. To make things worse, these same businesses are often subject to listing penalties, suspensions and delayed payouts. The direct booking model not only gives operators greater control over their business, eliminating any third-party marketplace risk, but it also lowers fees for both business owners and the travelers booking their stays. In the process, direct bookings help establish more meaningful relationships, rewarding operators who excel as service providers with positive reviews and returning guests.
The next phase in delivering on a roadmap that creates a better travel experience for everyone through direct connections will be supported by innovative partnerships and ongoing product development. Most recently, we announced an upcoming partnership with Travala.com, the world’s largest blockchain-based online travel agency. This partnership will enable any short-term rental business using Dtravel Direct to power their direct booking site with the ability to opt-in to having their listings discoverable by Travala users, commission-free. In addition to this partnership, we aim to develop a metasearch engine, which will make it easier for travelers to find and book any Dtravel Direct powered direct booking site.