PHUKET: Online uncertainty ended for a large Patong resort this week when a warning message was finally removed from the resort's internet front page.
For almost a year, the resort - which prefers to be unnamed - fought a legal battle to pull down a look-alike site that was costing it bookings and business.
Just by inserting a dash in the resort's name, whoever put up the alternative site was able to trigger confusion.
The imitation site even carried the same warning to customers, which read:
Dear Guests,
It came to our attention that an unauthorized copy of our hotel website with a similar web address has been created by a 3rd party called xxxx.
Please be informed that our hotel is not related in any way to the above website. Please use our official website address at yyyy or book trough reputable online travel agents on well-known sites such as Expedia, Agoda, Wotif, or Booking.com to reserve your room.
Legal proceedings are on process to fix this issue, should you wish to reconfirm your reservation please email us or call us at +66 76zz zzzz.
Best Regards,
The management
At the attacked hotel this week, the GM was relieved to be able to tell Phuketwan that the issue had been settled in court.
''An attempt was made to steal our business,'' he said. ''We were able to understand what was happening when customers started contacting us to say that their booking hadn't been confirmed.
''There was no technical solution,'' he said. ''It was a copyright infringement, so we sought a legal solution.''
The second site mirrored the original site in every way, but did not take actual bookings.
''We don't know who did it or why,'' the GM said. ''But it certainly sends the message that companies may be wise to buy a bunch of similar URLs to prevent this kind of thing.''
He recommends that would-be customers rely on resort sites for information but book through recognised agents.
An IT technician who posted the warning notice said that the duplicate was noticed soon after an email arrived suggesting that the resort's owners buy other URLs as a precaution.
Phuketwan has learned of a second resort in Karon, the beach south of Patong, where a second resort has been having similar problems.
For almost a year, the resort - which prefers to be unnamed - fought a legal battle to pull down a look-alike site that was costing it bookings and business.
Just by inserting a dash in the resort's name, whoever put up the alternative site was able to trigger confusion.
The imitation site even carried the same warning to customers, which read:
Dear Guests,
It came to our attention that an unauthorized copy of our hotel website with a similar web address has been created by a 3rd party called xxxx.
Please be informed that our hotel is not related in any way to the above website. Please use our official website address at yyyy or book trough reputable online travel agents on well-known sites such as Expedia, Agoda, Wotif, or Booking.com to reserve your room.
Legal proceedings are on process to fix this issue, should you wish to reconfirm your reservation please email us or call us at +66 76zz zzzz.
Best Regards,
The management
At the attacked hotel this week, the GM was relieved to be able to tell Phuketwan that the issue had been settled in court.
''An attempt was made to steal our business,'' he said. ''We were able to understand what was happening when customers started contacting us to say that their booking hadn't been confirmed.
''There was no technical solution,'' he said. ''It was a copyright infringement, so we sought a legal solution.''
The second site mirrored the original site in every way, but did not take actual bookings.
''We don't know who did it or why,'' the GM said. ''But it certainly sends the message that companies may be wise to buy a bunch of similar URLs to prevent this kind of thing.''
He recommends that would-be customers rely on resort sites for information but book through recognised agents.
An IT technician who posted the warning notice said that the duplicate was noticed soon after an email arrived suggesting that the resort's owners buy other URLs as a precaution.
Phuketwan has learned of a second resort in Karon, the beach south of Patong, where a second resort has been having similar problems.
Know a resort suffering from an online copycat?
Tell us what you have learned by emailing
editor@phuketwan.com or commenting below
Tell us what you have learned by emailing
editor@phuketwan.com or commenting below
