The Guestbook releases new White Paper, "Metasearch, What to Know Before You Bid"

Independent and boutique hotel rewards innovator offers new insight into metasearch tools and how they beat the odds online amid high competition for room nights.

LOS ANGELES - Rewards program for independent and boutique hotels, The Guestbook, announces the release of a new white paper, entitled "Metasearch, What to Know Before You Bid." This enlightening new white paper examines the many ways independent hotels are turning to new search tools to improve direct bookings and conversion rates, examining the rise of metasearch and how hotels can use it to their advantage.

The booking journey continues to evolve, with a survey finding 94.4 percent of consumers reported they used price comparison sites at least occasionally when booking a hotel, and within this group 72.5 percent of consumers regularly used metasearch sites. These tools aspire to be the "new homepage" for hotel properties around the world, and are often the first point of reference between travelers and hotels. By understanding how travelers are using metasearch tools for research, independent hoteliers are able to better position themselves online and in their local market, and better compete with larger brands and Online Travel Agencies ("OTAs").

"Metasearch has already left its mark on the traveler booking journey, but many boutique and independent hoteliers are failing to fully take advantage of this transformative tool, which allows them to compete on equal footing with online travel agencies and some of the industry's largest organizations," said James Gancos, CEO and Founder of The Guestbook. "Providing compelling incentives, alongside the increased visibility provided by metasearch, is sometimes the only boost these hotels need to increase conversion rates and net room revenue. The challenge comes from understanding the traveler journey and choosing to invest accordingly."

Topics covered in the white paper include:

• Metasearch's utility as a conversion tool
• What boutique and independent hotels should focus on before investing in metasearch
• How boutique and independent hotels can compete against OTAs on equal footing
• The influence of cashback rewards within metasearch messaging