We've switched from search-based weighting to itinerary-based weighting for the Google Hotel Ads parity dashboard.
General Questions
Q: Why are you making this change?
A: We’re reducing the complexity around how the Google Hotel Ads parity data is calculated. By giving equal emphasis to all the itineraries that we’re sourcing for you from Google Hotel Ads, we’re providing a bird’s eye view across your parity landscape on metasearch. We’re now delivering more comprehensive, consistent information that aligns with the approach used by other popular tools.
Q: Will this affect my Price Match functionality?
A: No, Price Match will continue to work exactly as it does today.
Data Impact Questions
Q: How much will my parity percentages change?
A: Changes will vary for every hotel. Some may see significant shifts, while others may see little to no change. It depends on the search patterns on your Booking Engine vs. actual booking opportunities on metasearch. Note that this is only an update to how data is presented in the Triptease dashboard. It does not indicate any change in your underlying parity status.
Q: Why might my numbers look worse/better after the update?
A: The old system only counted dates when guests actually searched your booking engine. The new system counts all possible booking dates equally, whether guests searched for them or not.
Your numbers may look better if: Guests were mostly searching your site on dates when OTAs had lower prices, but you actually have competitive pricing on many other dates.
Your numbers may look worse if: Guests were mostly searching your site on dates when you had the best prices, but OTAs are undercutting you on many dates that guests weren't searching for.
In simple terms: We're now giving you the full picture of your competitive position across all dates, not just the dates when guests happened to search your site.
Q: Will my historical data change?
A: Yes, your historical data will be updated to use the new itinerary-based approach.
Q: How far back will the new calculation method apply?
A: It will apply to all data available in the GHA Parity view.
Technical Questions
Q: What exactly is an "itinerary" in this context?
A: An itinerary is a stay for 2 adults, ranging from 1 to 7 nights, for the upcoming 90 days.
Q: How does this compare to the Meta Parity Health Check tool?
A: It uses the same itinerary-based logic as the parity check tool, but with a longer 90-day rate window.
Q: Does this affect the data in the Website parity view?
A: No, website parity will continue to be weighted by Booking Engine searches as it is today. Only the GHA parity view is changing to itinerary-based weighting.
Q: What other parity features are affected?
A: Only the main GHA parity dashboard view is affected. All other features (tables, calendar view, demand tools) remain unchanged.
Business Impact Questions
Q: Will this change affect my reporting to management/stakeholders?
A: You may want to explain the methodology change when sharing parity reports, as the numbers may look different from previous periods. See below.
Q: How should I interpret the new data compared to the old data?
A: The old system only counted dates when guests actually searched your booking engine. The new system counts all possible booking dates equally, whether guests searched for them or not. In simple terms: We're now giving you the full picture of your competitive position across all dates, not just the dates when guests happened to search your site.