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The ultimate OTA directory for independent hotels

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A comprehensive guide to choosing the right online travel agencies for your independent hotel, so you leave nothing to chance when it comes to your distribution strategy

Being an independent hotelier is no easy feat. Fierce competition, tight budgets, and limited resources all add to the challenge of securing bookings. 

So, how do you make sure the right guests find your property among a sea of choices? That’s where online travel agencies (OTAs) come in.

OTAs are an undeniable force in the hospitality industry. They’ve completely changed how travelers book their stays. In fact, 80% of global travelers feel it’s important to be able to book their trips entirely online. 

Today, OTAs offer a platform where even the smallest properties can compete with big-name chains. And for independent hoteliers, they can be incredibly helpful if you know how to use them strategically. 

Having a successful OTA strategy expands your reach and booking potential. But it’s all about knowing which OTAs to invest in, to get the right bookings and balance commission, well as and how to manage your pricing, inventory, and listings effectively.

There’s a caveat, though. The OTA landscape is vast and always shifting, with new ones popping up all the time. Evolving guest preferences and booking habits also make knowing which ones to invest in a little tricky. 

That's why you have this directory to act as your one stop shop to navigate the world of OTAs with confidence. 

What is an online travel agency (OTA)?

An OTA is an online platform that connects travelers with accommodations, flights, car rentals, and other travel-related services.

For independent hotels, OTAs can be powerful marketing tools. They help you gain additional visibility and bookings from a global audience that might not otherwise find you.

Popular OTAs like Booking.com, Expedia, and Agoda provide a convenient way for travelers to search, compare, and book accommodations. 

For hoteliers and short-term rental property owners, these platforms act as intermediaries, showcasing your property to millions of potential guests in exchange for a commission fee (typically ranging from 15% to 30%) on each booking.

OTA vs. metasearch: What’s the difference?

You may have also heard the term metasearch in the same breath as OTAs. So how do they differ? 

Well, while OTAs handle the entire booking process, metasearch engines like Skyscanner, Google and Trivago simply aggregate listings from various OTAs and your direct website.

  • OTAs: Guests book directly on the OTA platform, which collects the commission.

  • Metasearch: Guests are redirected to the booking source (OTA or your website) to complete the reservation. You may still pay fees for visibility, but metasearch can help drive direct bookings if managed correctly.

Hotelier giving room keys to guests

Four reasons online travel agencies are crucial for independent hotels

When you’re an independent business, competing with well-known, well-resourced chains and capturing the attention of travelers might feel like an uphill battle. 

OTAs can help level the playing field, giving you a way to expand your reach, attract new bookings, and gain credibility by showcasing your property on recognisable websites for customers and receiving reviews.

1. Global reach without a global budget 

OTAs, put simply, are popular with bookers. They give your property access to millions of potential guests from around the world. 

2. Boost credibility and trust

Travelers trust OTAs as a convenient, one-stop shop for booking accommodations. Reviews, photos, and detailed descriptions help build trust with potential guests, encouraging them to book.

3. Fill rooms in the off-season

During slower periods, OTAs help fill gaps in your occupancy. Many platforms offer tools to promote last-minute deals or discounts to help you shift empty rooms when demand dips.

4. Reach niche markets

OTAs cater to various traveler types, from budget backpackers to luxury seekers. Specialized OTAs make it easy for you to target guests that align with your property’s offerings.

Learn from Niki how you can diversify your online distribution, so you are setting your hotel up for success!

Choosing the right online travel agencies for your hotel

Creating the perfect balance of OTAs is critical to maximizing occupancy, revenue, and profitability while avoiding over-reliance on any one channel.

Why it's important to choose the right OTAs

Picking the best OTAs for your business can significantly impact your success. The right OTAs for your hotel will:

Attract the right audience

Specialized OTAs can help you connect with the specific type of traveler your property caters to, whether it’s business travelers, luxury travelers, or budget backpackers.

Improve profitability

By balancing commission costs with the bookings generated, you can ensure your OTA partnerships deliver a strong return on investment.

Enhance visibility in key markets

Regional OTAs, for example, help you capture demand in countries or areas where your property has little organic reach.

Guests checking in to a hotel

How to build the correct OTAs for your hotel

Now let’s look at how to build a blend of OTAs that generates as much visibility and bookings as possible. 

Who are you targeting?

Consider your target audience. If you’re an airport hotel, you may be focused on business travelers or layover passengers. If you’re a resort, you may be focused on families or couples. 

Select the right OTAs

It’s time to choose your OTAs. You’ll want to include global, regional, and niche OTAs in your selection. Research each OTA’s user base, commission structure, and tools to find those that align with your goals.

Consider the number of OTAs you’ll use

Too few channels might limit your reach, while too many can dilute focus and increase administrative burden. It’s best to focus on quality over quantity and continually monitor your performance. 

A good rule of thumb is around five OTAs - this means you don't have all your eggs in one basket, while you won't be overwhelmed with too many channels. Here's a quick list of 10 of the larger OTAs, as a starting point, if you want maximum global reach.

Balance direct and OTA bookings

While OTAs are essential for visibility, prioritize direct bookings where possible to save on commission costs. Use OTAs as a marketing channel to draw guests to your property and encourage future direct bookings.

Compare fees and commissions

Different OTAs charge different commission rates based on their business models. Today, these rates typically sit between 15% and 30%. Push for the lowest rate possible when negotiating with OTAs. 

Learn from Niki how you can master online distribution, so you can make the best decisions for your property.

Now that you understand how to pick the right OTAs for your hotel, it's time to use our comprehensive directory below to explore the best OTAs to work with to help you attract more bookings, boost revenue, and expand your business.

OTA directory

How to navigate the OTA directory

We’ve created the ultimate, easy-to-navigate list of Online Travel Agencies (OTAs), categorized by accommodation type. Whether you run a boutique hotel, a vacation rental, a hostel, or a bed & breakfast, simply select your property type to explore the OTAs that are best suited for your business. This overview is designed to help you quickly identify the OTAs that align with your unique offering and maximize your visibility to the right guests.

Efficiently managing multiple OTAs with a channel manager

As you can see from the directory there are a lot of OTAs to choose from. A channel manager is a software tool that helps you manage your distribution strategy across multiple OTAs. 

This tool gives you a way to centralize and automate the management of room availability, rates, and reservations from various platforms. 

Channel managers keep your inventory up-to-date across all channels in real-time. This means there’s less of a risk of overbookings, inconsistencies in pricing, and the need for manual updates. Here are a few things to consider when choosing a channel manager:

  • Does it have AI-driven dynamic pricing?
    AI-driven dynamic pricing helps you stay competitive with real-time optimized pricing based on market demand, competitor rates, and your internal performance data. 

  • Consider customer service 
    Support is important when it comes to choosing a good channel manager. Pick a tool that provides hands-on support in the language you require. Also, don’t forget about the onboarding process.

  • Does it connect to the right channels?
    Make sure the channel manager you pick already connects with the channels you use frequently and has access to the widest variety of channel partners as possible.

  • Does it integrate with your property management system (PMS)?
    Your channel manager must integrate with your PMS. This ensures your availability and rates are updated in real-time. 

  • Analyze their data security
    Today, data security cannot be overstated. Make sure the tool you pick is compliant with PCI DSS, SCA, and GDPR, for example.

If you want to optimize your OTA distribution, look to Lighthouse

Lighthouse Channel Manager gives you access to 200+ booking platforms and allows for central management of your rates and availability in real-time. And when connected with Pricing Manager you can automate pricing, promotions, and syncing of availability with AI-driven dynamic pricing across all connected channels.

In other words: lots of time saved, increased revenue and no more overbookings. Take a look at Channel Manager and see how you can boost visibility across OTAs and increase direct bookings at the same time.

"It's crucial we work together with different OTAs, meaning that we need a Channel Manager in order to respect the planning, not have any double bookings and a good administration."

Tom Volders, Maison Nationale City Flats & Suites

Automate dynamic pricing across all of your channels with Lighthouse

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