12 Online Travel Agents (OTAs) to Increase Your Hotel Bookings

An online travel agency, or OTA, is a website or online service, which sells travel related products to customers. Skiptocontent 12OnlineTravelAgents(OTAs)toIncreaseYourHotelBookings Home/CategoryCorona,Marketing&DistributionTips/12OnlineTravelAgents(OTAs)toIncreaseYourHotelBookings PreviousNext 12OnlineTravelAgents(OTAs)toIncreaseYourHotelBookings ViewLargerImage Theroleofanonlinetravelagency,orOTAforshort,hasbecomeincreasinglyimportantwithinthehotelindustry,becausetheyprovideaconvenientwayforcustomerstocomparehotelsandtobookthemovertheinternet,fromthecomfortoftheirownhome,oronthego.Inthisarticle,youwillfindoutmoreaboutonlinetravelagentsandthebestplatformstoturntoinordertoincreasethenumberofhotelbookingsyouattractfromcustomers. Quickmenu: WhatisanOnlineTravelAgent(OTA)? TheMostImportantOnline DistributionChannel WhyAreOnlineTravelAgentsImportant? HowDoesCommissionWorkWithOnlineTravelAgents? 12OnlineTravelAgentsYourHotelShouldBeWorkingWith 1.Booking.com 2.Expedia.com 3.Hotels.com 4.Agoda.com 5.Priceline.com 6.HRS.com 7.Airbnb.com 8.Orbitz.com 9.Laterooms.com 10.Tripadvisor.com 11.Trip.com 12.Travelocity.com HowtoDistributeYourHotelInventoryWithAllOTAs? TipsToIncreaseYourHotelBookingsThroughOnlineTravelAgents MoreDistributionTips WhatisanOnlineTravelAgent(OTA)? Anonlinetravelagency,orOTA,isawebsiteoronlineservice,whichsellstravelrelatedproductstocustomers.Theseproductsmayincludehotels,flights,travelpackages,activitiesandcarrentals.Crucially,OTAsarethirdparties,resellingtheseservicesonbehalfofothercompanies,includingthoseinthehotelindustry. Typically,anOTAwilloffermanyofthebenefitsofusinganofflinetravelagency,withaddedconvenienceandmoreofaself-serviceapproach.Theywillalsoincludeabuilt-inbookingsystem,allowingforinstantbookings. TheMostImportantOnlineDistributionChannel Althoughonlinetravelagenciescanplayavitalroleintermsofdistribution,allowingthosewithinthehotelindustrytoreachawideraudience,itisimportanttounderstandthatyourownwebsiteshouldalwaysbethenumberonepriority.Afterall,bookingsmadethroughyourwebsitedonotrequireyoutopaycommissiontoathirdparty,whichisimportantforrevenuemanagement,asitmaximisestheamountofmoneyyouactuallyreceive. Youcanfindsomeusefultipsforgainingmorebookingsthroughyourownwebsiteinthearticle“8TipsToGainMoreBookingsWithYourHotelWebsite”. WhyAreOnlineTravelAgentsImportant? Onlinetravelagentsareincreasinglyimportantforhotels,becausetheyserveasbothamarketingandadistributionchannel.AgrowingnumberofpotentialguestsnowturntoOTAstosearchfortheirhotels,becausetheyfunctionasakindof‘onestopshop’,allowingthemtoeasilysearchforhotels,readreviews,andcompareprices. Inaddition,hotelsthatarelistedononlinetravelagentwebsitescanalsobenefitfromwhatissometimesreferredtoasthe‘billboardeffect’.ThisreferstothefactthatOTAscanprovideaformofadvertising,makingtheirusersawareofthehotelsontheirplatform.Aftergainingthisawareness,usersmaythendecidetoresearchahotelandperhapsevengoontomakeadirectbookingthroughthehotelwebsite. HowDoesCommissionWorkWithOnlineTravelAgents? Effectively,onlinetravelagentsmakebookingsonbehalfoftheirusers,andtheymakemoneybychargingacommissionfeetosuppliers.Theprecisefeecanvarysignificantlyfromservicetoservice,butisgenerallyapercentageoftheamountpaidbythecustomer. Inmostcases,thecommissionfeeispaideitherafterthecustomerhasmadetheirfinalpayment,orafterthetravelitselfhasbeencompleted.Thecommissionfeevariesperonlinetravelagent.Thecommissioncouldbesomewherebetween10and25%.Higherfeescanbechargedinexchangeforahigherrankingwithinsearchresults.Thisisthetrade-offforthoseinthehotelindustry,becauseanOTAcanhelpthemtosellrooms,butitisalsolikelytobeoneoftheirmostexpensivedistributionchannels. 12OnlineTravelAgentsYourHotelShouldBeWorkingWith Thereareawiderangeofonlinetravelagenciesonthemarketanditisanindustrythatisgrowingallthetime,especiallyasnewtechnologyemerges.Belowyouwillfind12ofthemostsignificantOTAsthathotelmanagementcanconsidertoincreasetherevisibilityandbookings..   Booking.comisownedbythesamecompanyasPriceline,andisoneoftheoldestonlinetravelagents,havingbeenoriginallyfoundedin1996.ThebusinesshasitsheadquartersinAmsterdam,intheNetherlands,andthewebsitehaslistingswhichcovercloseto200differentcountriesaroundtheworld.LikemanyOTAsonthemarket,Booking.comoffersuserstheabilitytobookhotels,motels,holidayhomesandothersimilaraccommodationtypes,whilealsofunctioningasatravelfareaggregationservice. ClickheretolistyourhoteltoBooking.com.   Expedia.comisatravelbookingserviceandthemainOTAoperatedbytheExpediaGroup,whichalsoownsanumberofsubsidiaries.ItisbasedinBellevue,Washington,intheUnitedStatesandwasfoundedin2001.Itisoneofthehighestgrossingtravelcompaniesintheworldandhaslocalisedsitesin40countries.Customerscanbookhotels,holidayhomes,B&Bs,flights,rentalcars,activitiesandothertravelservices.Intermsofmarketing,itplacesanemphasisoncheapandaffordableaccommodation. ClickheretolistyourhoteltoExpedia.com.   Hotels.comisaservicewhichallowsuserstobookhotels,B&Baccommodationandcondosonline.ItisbasedinDallas,Texas,intheUnitedStatesandisownedbytheExpediaGroup.Theplatformoperatesonaninternationalscaleandahugepartofitsbusinessmodelisbasedonrepeatbusiness.Indeed,amajorcomponentofthecompany’sofferingisthe‘Hotels.comRewards’scheme,whereuserscanclaimapricereductionafterevery10overnightstaysthatarebookedthroughtheservice.Hotels.comispartofTheExpediaGroup. SinceHotels.comispartoftheExpediaGroup,yourhotelwillvisibleonHotels.comwhenlistedtoExpedia.ClickheretolistyourhoteltoHotels.com.   Agoda.comisaglobalaccommodationbookingservice,whichisbasedinSingapore.LikeseveralotherOTAsonthislist,itformspartofBookingHoldings;theparentcompanybehindBooking.com.TheAgodanetworkprovidesuserswithachoiceofoveronemillionhotelsorholidayhomes,withastrongfocusontheAsianmarket,althoughitisincreasinglytargetingEuropeandtheAmericastoo.Intermsofitsapproachtomarketing,thecompanyplacesastrongemphasisonprovidingcustomerswithcheapordiscountaccommodation. ClickheretolistyourhoteltoAgoda.com.   Aspreviouslystated,Priceline.comisownedbyBookingHoldings,thesamecompanythatoperatesBooking.com.However,thePriceline.comcompanyhasitsheadquartersinNorwalk,Connecticut,intheUnitedStates.ClickheretolistyourhoteltoBooking.com.ThemaindifferencebetweenPriceline.comandBooking.comisthatPriceline.comfocusesevenmoreheavilyonthediscounttravelmarket.Toachievethis,itoffersa‘NameYourOwnPrice’model,wherecustomersareabletosettheiridealprice,locationandhotelstarlevel,andtheservicewillthenfindasuitableoption. SincePiceline.compartneredupwithAgoda.com,yourhotelwillvisibleonPriceline.comwhenlistedtoAgoda.com.ClickheretolistyourhoteltoPriceline.com.   HRS.comisanonlinetravelagentwebsite,whichisbasedinCologne,Germany,withmajorofficesinLondon,ParisandNewYork.Itbeganlifeasanofflinetravelagency,andthecompanyitselfwasfoundedbackin1972.WhiletheHRS.comserviceprovideshotelbookingsforbothprivatetravellersandbusinesstravellers,itplacesaclearfocusonthelattergroup,promotingaspecial30percentdiscount,or‘businessrate’.Itcan,therefore,beanexcellentchoiceforhotelswhichareprioritisingbusinesscustomerstoo. ClickheretolistyourhoteltoHRS.com.   Airbnbisanonlinehospitalitymarketplace,whichallowsmemberstoofferlodgingsortobookovernightstays.Itsofferingsprimarilyconsistofhomestays,althoughthebrandhasbranchedoutandnowlistshotelstoo.However,Airbnbtendstobequitestrictaboutthehotelsitwillallowtobelistedonitsplatform,astheymustmeetcertaincriteria.Typically,ahotelwillneedtoprovethatithasuniquedesigncharacteristics,thatitsroomshaveaclearlocalinfluence,andthatguestshaveaccesstosharedcommonspaces. ClickheretolistyourhoteltoAirbnb.com.   Orbitz.comisanonlinetravelmetasearchengineandOTA,whichservesasasubsidiaryoftheExpediaGroup.AlthoughitisprimarilygearedtowardstheAmericanmarket,itprovidesarangeofinternationaltraveloptions.Asidefromofferinghotelbookings,italsocatersforflights,carrentals,cruisesandpackagedeals.TheservicewasacquiredbytheExpediaGroupin2015,withseveralsourcesstatingthatitwouldhelpthemtocompetewiththePriceline.comcomponentofBookingHoldings’businessmodel.ClickheretolistyourhoteltoBooking.com. SinceOrbitz.comispartoftheExpediaGroup,yourhotelwillvisibleonOrbitz.comwhenlistedtoExpedia.Clickhere tolistyourhoteltoOrbitz.com.   LateRooms.comisadedicatedhotelreservationplatform,whichisbasedinManchester,intheUnitedKingdom.Thecompanywasfoundedin1999,butdidnotofferonlinehotelbookingsuntil2002.Asaplatform,LateRooms.complacesaclearemphasisonattractingcustomerslookingforlastminutedealsonovernightstays,includingbookingsfortheverysameday.Inmanycases,theselatedealsaresoldatadiscount.Asaresult,itcanbeasolidoptionforhotelsthatarepronetohavingspareroomsthattheyneedtofill. ClickheretolistyourhoteltoLateRooms.com.   TheTripAdvisor.complatformisanonlinetravelandrestaurantservice,whichisprimarilyfocusedonreviewsandotheruser-generatedcontent.However,italsohasabuilt-inhotelbookingservice.ThecompanyitselfhasitsheadquartersinNeedham,Massachusetts,intheUnitedStates,andwasfoundedin2000.ClickheretolistyourhoteltoBooking.com.TripAdvisorworkswiththird-partyconnectivitypartners,displayinglivehotelpricesandavailabilitylistings.ThewebsitealsohasanadvertisingpartnershipwithExpediaanditsPriceline.comsubsidiary. ClickheretolistyourhoteltoTripadvisor.com.   BasedinShanghai,China,Trip.comisthelargestonlinetravelagencyinthecountry.ItprimarilytargetstheChinesemarket,includingbothdomesticandinternationaltravellers,andthevastmajorityofitssalescomefrompeoplelivinginthecitiesofShanghai,Beijing,Shenzhen,andGuangzhou.TripalsohasastrategicpartnershipinplacewithBooking.com,whichallowstheChinesecompanytoaccessBooking.com’sglobalportfolio,andallowsBooking.comtogaingreateraccesstotheChinesemarket. ClickheretolistyourhoteltoTrip.com.   TheTravelocity.combrandwasfoundedin1996,makingitoneoftheolderactiveOTAsonthemarket,andittooisnowownedbytheExpediaGroup.ThecompanyhasitsheadquartersinDallas,Texas,intheUnitedStates.Intermsofhowitdifferentiatesitselffromitsparentbrand,Travelocityplacesanincreasedfocusonpackagedealsandonprovidingpositivetravelexperiences.Oneofitsuniquefeaturesisa‘TravelforGood’scheme,wherecustomersarerewardediftheyparticipateinvolunteeringopportunitieswhileontheirtravels. SinceTravelocity.comispartoftheExpediaGroup,yourhotelwillvisibleonTravelocity.comwhenlistedtoExpedia.ClickheretolistyourhoteltoTravelocity.com. HowtoDistributeYourHotelInventoryWithAllOnlineDistributionAgencies? Forhotelsthatopttouseonlinetravelagencies,oneofthemajorchallengesinvolvesdistributingahotelinventorytoasmanyonlineplatformsaspossible.Thebestsolutiontothisproblemistouseahoteldistributionchannelmanagementsolution,whichallowsthevariousdistributionchannelstobemanagedfromasingleplace. Moreinformationabouthoteldistributionchannelmanagerscanbefoundinthearticle“HotelDistributionChannelManager:WhatAretheAdvantages?”. TipsToIncreaseYourHotelBookingsThroughOnlineTravelAgents Onlinetravelagents,orOTAs,areavitalpartofthemarketingmixandalsofunctionasamajordistributionchannel.Ofcourse,withtheseOTAstakingacommissionforbookingsmadethroughtheirplatforms,itiscrucialthatyouoptimiseyourhotellistingsandmaximisethevaluetheseservicesprovide. Inthearticle“TipsToIncreaseYourHotelBookingsThroughOTAs”youwillfindvaluableinformationaboutsomeofthespecificactionsandstrategiesyoucanadopt,inordertoincreaseonlinebookings. Onlinetravelagentsplayakeyroleinthehotelindustry,servingasausefuldistributionchannel,especiallyinthemodern,digitalage.The12OTAsmentionedaboveareamongthebest-knownandmostpopularplatformsofthistype,andwillprovidehotelownerswiththebestpossiblechanceofincreasinghotelbookings. MoreDistributionTipstoOptimiseRevenue Thedistributionmixthathotelschoosetousehaveasignificantimpactontheirrevenuemanagementstrategy,andontheiroverallsuccess.Inthefollowingarticlesyoufindmoredistributionstrategiestooptimiseyourrevenue: ListofCorporateTravelAgentsforHotelstoGainMoreBusinessTravellers GlobalDistributionSystem(GDS):WhatAretheBenefitsforHotels? TheMostImportantOnlineDistributionChannelsforHotels TipsToGainMoreBookingsWithYourHotelWebsite EssentialHotelMarketingStrategies MoreTipstoGrowYourBusiness Revfine.comisaknowledgeplatformforthehospitality&travelindustry.Professionalsuseourinsights,strategiesandactionabletipstogetinspired,tooptimiserevenue,innovateprocessesandimprovecustomerexperience.Youcanfindallhotel&hospitalitytipsinthecategoriesRevenueManagement,Marketing&Distribution,TechnologyandSoftware. Revfine.com2021-08-19T10:40:56+02:00 RelatedPosts EmergingTrendsforHotelWebsiteDesignin2022 November19th,2021 | 0Comments 5StepstoMasterTheBasicsofHotelBenchmarking November15th,2021 | 0Comments HowTargetingHotelAudiencesEnsuresaPersonalizedExperienceforEachGuest November7th,2021 | 0Comments HotelRobots:AnOverviewofDifferentRobotsUsedinHotels November6th,2021 | 0Comments 3WaystoStreamlineUpsellingAcrossYourEntireHotelChain October18th,2021 | 0Comments HowtoGetStartedWithGoogleHotelAds October18th,2021 | 0Comments 7Comments Hari August7,2019at5:52pm-Reply Wow,thankyoufortheinformationaboutalltravelagents.keepupthegoodwork! AirportCorner September20,2019at12:43pm-Reply Verynicearticle.IcansaythataddingyourhoteltotheseOTAsisveryimportantandusefulifyouwanttoincreaseyourbookings.YoushouldalsohaveaPropertyManagementSystemorPMSinordertomanageallofthistoavoidoverbooking(whichissometimesdamagingthereputationofahotel). Maddy September27,2019at3:31pm-Reply Nicearticle,thankyou.ArethereanylistofOTAswhoaredoingthingsdifferentlyforhotelstobecost-efficientontheironlinesales.Icameacrossoneasentradio.comandsearchingforotheroptionsonthesameline. JewelAhmed November19,2019at1:19pm-Reply Thanksforallusefulinformation. Sabarish February6,2020at10:34am-Reply Wow!Thanksforwritingtheblogabouttheonlinetravelagentsindetail,pleasekeepwritinglikethis. NgoVan December28,2020at5:16am-Reply Thankyouforthisusefularticle. Dai March13,2021at1:11pm-Reply Thankyouforsharingsuchausefularticleabouttravelagents,reallyinformative. LeaveACommentCancelreplyComment Δ PracticalTipsbyCategory: PopularArticles: Pageloadlink ShareThisKnowledgeLinkedInTwitterFacebookRedditWhatsAppEmailCopyLinkSMSFacebookMessengerTelegramPrintInstapaper Revfine.comusesfunctionalandanalyticalcookies.Clickhereforourprivacypolicy. Ok  Followusonsocialmediaforthelatesttips! Follow@Revfine_com SendthistoafriendSendCancel GotoTop