It’s what every Caribbean hotel wants more of: direct business. That means when consumers forego larger online travel agent options like Expedia and go right to the hotel website. It means a deeper relationship between customer and hotel, and, more importantly, commission-free revenue for the property.

But how do you do it? That’s the focus of the first-ever Direct Booking Summit, which is being presented by the Caribbean Hotel and Tourism Association during its Caribbean Travel Marketplace conference in Antigua next month. 

The event runs May 22, a one-day deep-dive aimed at providing the “tools, insights and strategies to drive more direct bookings and long-term profitability,” according to a statement from the CHTA provided to Caribbean Journal. 

The event begins with a survey of the direct booking landscape, followed by a series of high-level panels: best practices for repeat bookings, leveraging attractions and cultural attractions, improving hotel websites and managing relationships with wholesalers, among others. 

That’s along with a look at rate parity and other revenue strategies, using social media, crisis management and a view to future trends in this ever-changing industry. 

The CHTA says there are a trio of primary reasons to attend: maximizing revenue and profitability, staying ahead of industry trends and, of course, networking. 

There are a total of 17 different time slots. You can find more on how to attend by contacting events@caribbeanhotelandtourism.com.