– Here we have an Italian lady who lives in Russia, and who has a French telephone number. Have booked a double room for eight days. Hotel consultant Peter Kumlin shakes his head and has to laugh a little at the order that has come to Rauland Høgfjellshotell from an international booking company. – This is a trick booking, he states without hesitation. There have been many of them lately. MUST CLEAN UP: Hotel owner Kristian Samnøen says the fake bookings are a mystery for the hotel. Photo: Theo Aasland Valen / news The motive is a mystery For hotel owner Kristian Samnøen, it’s not a good joke. The rooms are held and may prevent others from booking. This means a loss of income for the hotel, which has extra high demand during holidays and weekends. – This happens time and time again. It is something we have to clean up, says the hotel director. But so far it hasn’t been that simple. It remains a mystery to the hotel why these bookings appear. What is the motive? And who is behind it? USER FEMALE NAME: Here is one of the fake bookings that have come into the hotel. “Tina M.” have booked a room for several days. Photo: Theo Aasland Valen / news Operations manager and daughter of the hotel director Kathrine Samnøen tells of an increase after the New Year. Since January, they have had four or five fake orders. – We have had a large order for five rooms where no one turned up. It is around NOK 70,000. We have also had some simple bookings of double rooms for several days. And it just goes on and on, she says. Could be prostitution One of her theories is that there could be people who know nothing about the hotel and who are engaged in prostitution. – Someone who does not know the hotel can reserve a room. If they get customers, they drive on, and if not, they don’t show up. The hotel director does not reject the theory entirely. But in that case, those behind it have no knowledge of the hotel in Vinje in Telemark, he believes. – Because no man walks in and out here, three meters from the reception desk, without being asked questions about what is going on. It doesn’t work here at Rauland. We know all 1,106 residents up here, so it would be very strange, says Samnøen. LOSING MONEY: Since the new year, Rauland Høgfjellshotell has experienced an increase in fake bookings. Photo: Theo Aasland Valen / news More people are affected NHO tourism has not registered a storm of inquiries about ghost bookings here. But a little round of calls shows that other hotels also experience frivolous bookings where the guests don’t show up. In the industry it is referred to as “No shows” and “Fake bookings”. One of the hotels that news contacted was The Hub. A large hotel with an attractive location in the center of Oslo. Hotel director André Schreiner confirms that they have received fake bookings via international booking companies. – It happens from time to time. But those who work at the reception have learned to see them and list them out, so that they are deleted from the booking channels. There are often bookings with many overnight stays. SAME PROBLEM: Clarion Hotel The Hub in Oslo has also had several ghost bookings, confirms the hotel director. Photo: Simon Skjelvik Brandseth / news Bigger problem for restaurants At The Hub and many other hotels, prepayment has become increasingly common. According to Schreiner, this is a development that has occurred throughout the hotel industry. It reduces the risk of frivolous orders. The hotels also have some information that shows that the customers are serious. – Many bookings are through our benefit programmes, and then we know that the guests are real. Or via travel agencies that guarantee for customers. However, what has become a problem in the cities are restaurant bookings, where no one turns up. There are a number of customers who book a table at several restaurants at the same time. Then they choose where they want at the last minute, and some restaurants get empty tables. The users are blocked Booking.com is one of the international booking companies that has forwarded fake bookings to Rauland Høgfjellshotell. The company writes to news that they take such matters very seriously, even though the vast majority of orders are carried out without problems. Several measures have been initiated to reveal and block possible fraud attempts, says Karoline Matilde Bruun. She press contact at Booking.com in Sweden. In the case of Rauland, the reservation has been deleted and the user has been blocked, so that it cannot make further reservations. The company writes that they understand that fake bookings can be frustrating for hotels and other partners.
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Several hotels are plagued by ghost bookings – news Vestfold and Telemark – Local news, TV and radio
