Are licenses needed for a hotel to sell or advertise flights on their website?

Ryland

New Member
Jurisdiction
Colorado
I'm trying to start a business that lists cheap flight opportunities on vacation hotels' websites.

Our first potential customer recently let me know they have no license (no legal right) to sell or advertise flights on their website.

I searched all day yesterday to figure out what they are referencing, but didn't find anything. I also asked the company, but have yet to hear a response.

Are there any licenses needed for a hotel (or entity) to sell or advertise flights on their website?

PS — My business is located in Colorado and their business is based out of Panama.
 
Are there any licenses needed for a hotel (or entity) to sell or advertise flights on their website?

No.

They are BSing you because it's easier to BS you to make you go away rather than saying no and have you argue.

Did you offer to pay them to list your ads on the website?
 
I disagree with adjusterjack ONLY because we are not familiar with Panamanian law. This forum is for US law matters only. The law in Panama may, in fact, require a license/permit of some type.
 
Thanks for your answer @adjusterjack. From my research, that's what I was starting to figure.

Did you offer to pay them to list your ads on the website?

The flights aren't ads or affiliate links — the idea is that we find the cheapest, full-service flights straight to the hotel. Our widget shows the flights opportunities on their website and integrates with their booking service so the guest can get the cheap flight after they book their stay.

Hopefully, that helps clarify more of how it works. If you have any other thoughts/questions, I'd love to hear them.
 
I disagree with adjusterjack ONLY because we are not familiar with Panamanian law. This forum is for US law matters only. The law in Panama may, in fact, require a license/permit of some type.

Thanks, @Zigner er. Any resource you could point me towards to help find if a license/permit is required?
 
Thanks, @zinger. Any resource you could point me towards to help find if a license/permit is required?

You could try the internet - or you could try contacting attorneys/lawyers (or whatever legal counsel is called) in Panama.
 
If you sell tickets, you need to be licensed as a travel agent.
If you are receiving a commision for directing a customer to an airline site to buy a ticket, you need to have permission from the airline, obviously (or else they're not obliged to do anything for you).
 
If you sell tickets, you need to be licensed as a travel agent.
If you are receiving a commision for directing a customer to an airline site to buy a ticket, you need to have permission from the airline, obviously (or else they're not obliged to do anything for you).

Maybe this is what they were worried about. Thanks, @flyingron!

We just surface flight links from metasearch engines like Google Flights and Skyscanner.

After the hotel booking happens, we provide the guest with the flight link and they use the metasearch engine to book.

Do you see any issue there?
 
Issue?

How do you expect to make money providing this service?

In other words, who pays you? The hotel, the airline, the consumer?

And how much will you charge for this service?
 
In other words, who pays you? The hotel, the airline, the consumer?

Hey -- Sorry for the delay. I was unable to reply yesterday because I had hit my reply limit. Anyways...

The hotel pays us 7% commission on any booking that was made using our link.

Steps:
1. We find cheap, full-service flights on Skyscanner and Google Flights.
2. We show the flight info on the hotel's website and update the info every 2-3 hours.
3. Those buttons link to their checkout page with a note that says, "After you book your stay, we'll send you the cheap flight."
4. After they book the hotel they are provided a link to purchase the cheap flight through Google Flights or Skyscanner.
 

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