www.thailand-hotel.net

I have submitted the abovementioned web site about a week ago for review under the section :

http://dmoz.org/Regional/Asia/Thailand/TravelandTourism/lodging/GuidesandDirectories

I would be grateful if you can give me a guideline of how long it will take before the site will be considered for listing in the open directory.

For the convenience of all others looking at this category, a working link:
http://dmoz.org/Regional/Asia/Thailand/Travel_and_Tourism/Lodging/Guides_and_Directories/

Your site has been rejected multiple times due to a lack of unique content. Many of the links point to other sites, and you use an affilliate system for bookings. Generally, we do not accept such sites into the directory.

I note that the site above was rejected due to reasons stated.
The editor’s unbiased assessment is incorrect.
Our reasons:
1. Original / Unique Content -
a. Hotel content is original although not necessarily unique as it is ­not intended to be unique.
b. The destination information is an adjunct to the web site, which is intended to sell hotel rooms hence the name ­ “Thailand Hotel”.
This web site presents information in a similar fashion to existing web sites participating within the open directory project in an unbiased manner.
2. Links to affiliates -
a. The site does not send people to pages that are not within the original web site or for that matter outside the context of hotels and hotel reservations.
b. The site does not point to affiliates for the purpose of creating new transactions intended to enlarge the original request.

Yes, we know much of the evil that lurks in the hearts of hotel reservation affiliate systems. We know that they recognized the off-site links in their affiliates were causing them to be too easily recognized and deleted. We know that they have spent considerable effort coming up with ways of concealing that affiliation: this site does, in fact, use one of the new stealth affiliate systems that doesn't include the tell-tale "offsite affiliate links."

This does not make a site "not-spam", it merely makes it "devious-spam."

Regarding affiliate programs, can the writer confidently make such remarks having used the system? The best way to judge the integrity of this or any reservation system – is try it out! The comments raised are interesting to the extent that they become irrelevant or ambiguous when compared to what actually is in place. If the reservation or money taken for a reservation, go elsewhere or to a place not relevant with the web site – then the comments raised are valid. The issues above beg the question about whether a judgment has been made fairly about excluding the site from Open Directory.

I have the utmost confidence that your reservation system is legitimate - but that's not the point.

The point is that your content - the actual hotel rooms a person can order through your site - is not yours, nor is it unique. This is why you aren't listed.

>> can the writer confidently make such remarks having used the system?

Here:

Test1) starting fron the homepage of http://www.thailand-hotel.net/ and following Bangkok Hotel Listings > Viengtai Hotel you land into http://www.thailand-hotel.net/bangkok/hotels/hotel_1616awd.html ; clicking on "Reservations" you are directed to a page residing under another domain: http://www.resort-hotels.com/bookings/awd-bangkok/viengtai_awd/ ; here you can see clearly stated that the reservations system is managed by AsiaWebDirect ( http://www.asiawebdirect.com/ )

Test2) starting fron the homepage of http://www.thailand-hotel.net/ and following Phuket Hotel Listings > Holyday Inn Resort you land into http://www.thailand-hotel.net/phuket/hotels/hotel_1062awd.html ; clicking on "Reservations" you are directed to a page residing under another domain: http://www.resort-hotels.com/bookings/awd-phuket/holidayinn_awd/ ; here you can see clearly stated that the reservations system is managed by AsiaWebDirect ( http://www.asiawebdirect.com/ )

And so on...

In reply: unfortunately the site has been disparaged because of the way we manage the content and use bandwidth. the fact we send visitors elsewhere to complete their booking has nothing to do with spam - its purely web site management.

further, it is important to note that by the time the user gets to the other web site(s) - listed in the test above - the user would have already made their purchase decision to the extent that they would choose to progress to the next level. moreover, the owner if the “other” web site is one in the same.

the transactions are thus not spam / affiliate spam or devious spam. we are not soliciting more business, but concluding a transaction.

hence I do not concur with the editor’s comments above. we are a commercial site in existance for the purpose of generating revenue. the way we structure the site is to improve efficiency and cost.

Look call your "system" whatever you want, because frankly the nature of your business is immaterial to this discussion. Sites are listed on the basis of "unique content," which in this case would be considered the reservation system. You are merely a re-seller of someone elses unique content, which does not in and of itself make your site unique.

As it stands now, your site won't be listed. Period.

to apeuro : so much for a fair go!!!!! sorry if I offened you, but your cursory reply speaks for itself. obviously I am wasting my time making a case because i know NOT ALL open directory listing are unique. PERIOD !

Peralex : it appears that you have had a 'fair go'. This discussion has continued far longer than it should've done. You've had metas and editalls respond to your original post and yet you're still arguing! To receive a 'cursory reply' from apeuro, is, in itself, quite remarkable!

We cannot give listings to sites that don't have unique content - the reasoning behind this should be quite obvious - the directory would be taken over by doorways selling the same product(s) and would become a shambles with webmasters fighting over listings selling the same products only with *their* affiliate codes.

There may *well* be listings within the ODP that aren't unique - we're human and sometimes it can be difficult to spot affiliate sites. If you stumble across any listings that don't offer unique content, please do contact an editor via feedback and we'll happily investigate and remove the listing if you're correct.

I hope this helps.
Jezebel <img src="/images/icons/grin.gif" alt="" />