The Managing Directors/CEO's/Owners/Director/Partners/General Managers \
All FHRAI Members
CC: All Members of the Executive Committee
All Regional Associations
President FHRAI
Sub: Important Updates from Agoda for the Members
Dear Members,
We would like to share some important updates following our recent discussion with Agoda. These points will help clarify some of the common concerns raised by our member hotels.
1. Commission on GST
Agoda has confirmed that they no longer charge commission on GST for domestic hotel partners in India. This change has already been rolled out to 99% of their Indian partners. If any member is still being charged commission on GST, the issue should be resolved within the next 7 days.
2. Contract Terms (GTC)
Members have raised concerns about difficulty in identifying changes to Agoda’s General Terms and Conditions (GTC), which are posted on the extranet without any summaries or detailed communication.
We have suggested that Agoda send a simple mass email to all partners clearly highlighting the specific changes made to the contract, instead of expecting hotels to log into the extranet and search through updated contracts.
This is especially important considering these contracts are mutually agreed legal documents and the extranet does not support version tracking. Agoda has assured us that this suggestion will be revisited with their legal team.
3. Discounting of Room Rates
Some members were concerned about Agoda offering discounts without hotel approval. Agoda clarified:
- Hotels can opt out of discounts initiated by Agoda.
- Hotels can choose whether or not to offer their own discounts.
- Hotels may also request Agoda not to apply any additional discounts from their side.
4. Financial Grievances
Some members have raised issues related to past commission practices and GST penalties. Agoda has stated that past commissions were based on agreed terms and they cannot refund earlier charges. Members who wish to challenge this will need to do so individually.
Agoda Contact Details for Members
We hope this information helps you resolve any Agoda-related issues. If you have further concerns, feel free to reach out to Agoda directly or contact us.
With warm regards,
Jaison Chacko
Secretary General
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The Federation of Hotel & Restaurant Associations of India
Regd. Off. : B-82, 8th Floor, Himalaya House, 23, K G Marg, New Delhi - 110 001
Tel.: 011-40780780, Email: fhrai@fhrai.com, Web.: www.fhrai.com