Chains taking away perks for online bookings

Online hotel bookings are increasing faster than any other segment of the internet, but some hotel chains are removing perks for bookings outside their own systems, reported The Wall Street Journal. The percentage of online travelers booking hotels jumped last year to 71%, the newspaper said. It was 57% in 2002, according to the Travel Industry Association of America. Examples of hotel chains offering guaranteed lowest prices are common. Hyatt.com, for one, offers a price match and a 20% discount to anyone who finds a cheaper published deal for the room on another site. But a clear trend is for some hotels to make deals less attractive when customers buy from other sites. Last spring, Hilton Hotels Corp. started a rule that when HHonors members book stays three times at third-party sites, they don’t receive benefit points.