STAAH helped us increase our online reach. More importantly, the insights helped us manage OTA bookings efficiently so our bottom line actually increased.
Verandahs Backpackers Lodge consists of two beautiful Victorian villas overlooking Western Park. We’re in a unique situation which borders on Ponsonby Road, the city and Karangahape Road.
We’ve been with STAAH for about 5 years and we’ve found them absolutely excellent. Before we had STAAH we used to just operate by a book and a pencil system which was a very laborious way of working and just a total waste of time.
Since we started using STAAH we found a massive increase in business coming through to our sites. With the marketplace changed considerably over the last few years the amount of business coming through OTAs increased.
We were finding that we were paying substantial commissions each month to the OTAs. While the OTAs are necessary we were finding that people weren’t able to book through our own website because the OTAs were chewing up our business. So what we do now is we can effectively, through STAAH, manage how much business goes through to OTAs and when by putting stop sells and minimum night stays, which has effectively increased our bottom line and the amount of business going through our website, hence our profitability.
I would totally recommend STAAH to any other accommodation provider. They’re friendly, they’re polite and in fact I have recommended it to other backpackers around New Zealand who have taken it up. And they also have been extremely pleased with their service and product.