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Rising Phishing Scams targeting Booking.com guests
Hotel guests are being targeted by scammers via WhatsApp and Booking.com’s own Guest Messaging feature.
The guests receive messages, which include their booking details (date booked, stay dates, hotel name, etc.), either asking for payment via an external payment gateway (in the case of ‘hotel collect’ bookings) or informing the guest that there has been a spate of fake bookings or scams and requesting the card details to confirm their booking is genuine).
The scam may only be revealed when they arrive and check-in at the hotel, believing they have already paid for their booking.
In June 2024 Booking.com reported a 500–900% increase in scams targeting their customers over the previous 18-months. But, despite claims of a robust and secure system, a recent article highlighted that a scammer can easily create a host account on Booking.com, with minimal ID verification and in less than 15 minutes.
This enables scammers to infiltrate the platform and access its guest messaging feature easily to send out phishing emails.
As scammers become more sophisticated hotels, especially small and independent hotels are encourage to:-
- Regularly update their account passwords
- Enable two-factor authentication for platform signins.
- Carry out daily messaging checks and train staff to recognize suspicious communications.
- Utilize the OTA channel platform automated email and messaging templates to inform guests upon booking, not to complete payments outside official Booking.com channels, and contact the hotel direct with any concerns about their booking via their website.
Philippine Food Tourism Roadmap launched by the DOT
The DOT has launched two programs – a Roadmap and Framework – with the goal of positioning the Philippines as the premier food and gastronomy tourism destination in Southeast Asia by 2029.
The Salo-Salo: Taste the Flavor, Experience the Culture initiative aims to achieve this by promoting regional cuisines, preserving farms and heritage sites, developing and promoting heritage villages for cultural communities, and expanding on halal and Muslim-friendly tourism to attract greater numbers of tourists. Further details can be found at ABS CBN And Adobo Magazine
Philippines hosts the UN Tourism Regional Forum on Gastronomy Tourism for Asia and the Pacific
The Shangri-La Mactan, Cebu City will host the UN Tourisms first Regional Forum on Gastronomy Tourism for Asia and the Pacific, on the 26-27th June.
300 people are expected to attend the two-day forum, including ministers from UN member-states and international tourism stakeholders, to focus on the development of sustainable gastronomy tourism in the Asia-Pacific Region.
The attention of the forum will be on the creation of robust environmentally and sustainable strategies, that promote local sourcing and reduce food waste. But delegates will have the opportunity to discover the delights of Filipino cuisine with a showcase by some of the country’s top chefs.
The 36th UN Tourism Joint Commission Meeting for East Asia and the Pacific and Commission for South Asia, is also taking place at the Sheraton Mactan, on June 28.
3 IHG Hotels set to achieve a 30% plant-based food menu in 2025
Three IHG Hotels & Resorts in the Philippines are working towards achieving a 30% plant-based menu across all dining and banquet facilities, by the end 2025.
The InterContinental Hotel Group announced the initiative back in June 2024 as part of its global sustainability program, and an action-based commitment to reducing its environmental footprint. IHG set the goal of all of its properties offering a 30% plant-based menu by end of 2027.
This month three of the groups’ properties in the Philippines announced that they are on target to achieve a 30% plant-based menu by the end of 2025:
- Crowne Plaza Manila Galleria
- Holiday Inn & Suites Manila Galleria
- Holiday Inn Cebu City
The TikTok Effect on Gen Z Travel Trends 2025
The Unpack ’25 Travel Trends report, pulled together using first-party travel data from Expedia, Hotels.com and Vrbo’s, insights from search behaviour, and survey results delivers insights into Gen Z travel trends.
The report highlights a growth in search and bookings for:
- All-Inclusive Packages and Deals – for their convenience and stress-free booking experiences
- Detour Destinations – tourists taking detours enroute to their primary destination, to experience new places.
- Goods Getaways – tourists seeking out destinations specifically for goods and souvenirs they can not purchase elsewhere
- JOMO Accommodation – embracing the Joy Of Missing Out with private and secluded mountain or beach/lake accommodations
- Natural Phenomena Travel – visit locations to experience natural phenomena like the Northen Lights, Geysers, Hot Springs or volcano’s.
- Set-Jetting – influenced by destinations and locations featured in TV shows and Films. Many of the Gen Z travelers surveyed cited TikTok as a main influencer on their travel interest and decisions.
Check out our tips for tapping in to the Gen Z Travel market
