0020 GMT - Consolidation among major hotel chains is a long-term negative trend for agents like Webjet and wholesalers that include its WebBeds business, says Jefferies. In a note, analyst John Campbell says five operators--Marriott, Hilton, InterContinental, Wyndham and Accor--now control some 25% of global rooms. In North America, that rises to 48%. "Further, the top 5 have circa 640 million loyalty members," Jefferies says. It highlights remarks by InterContinental that loyalty members are 10 times more likely to book direct, bypassing agents and wholesalers. "We're positive on Webjet but flag this as a long-term threat," Jefferies says. (david.winning@wsj.com; @dwinningWSJ)
(END) Dow Jones Newswires
April 10, 2024 20:20 ET (00:20 GMT)
Copyright (c) 2024 Dow Jones & Company, Inc.
Comments