The Brave New World of Booking Direct

Grace Azcarate | August 11, 2021

By Grace Azcarate Over much of the last decade, OTAs (online travel agencies) have become the most common way that people book hotels. These companies streamlined the booking process and added convenient features (such as easy price comparison) at a time when most hotels lacked an effective digital presence. As the OTAs’ share of bookings grew, they were able to charge higher commissions, meaning less revenue for the hotels themselves. In response, many hoteliers took a stance to win business back and reclaim direct bookings. However, the COVID-19 pandemic prompted a huge shake-up in the travel industry. While travel came to a halt ar...