I think that Airbnb saying it is the cheapest distrubution platform for hotels at around 15% is a bit disingenuous because much of branded stock is given lower commission rates depending on global brand agreements with OTAs. Maybe for independent hotels, but that’s a separate story. For hotels, the conversation should always revolve around controlling their own distribution and driving bookings through brand.com, through education, loyalty programs, making people understand that the rate they pay through the brand channel will be the same rate through the OTA and, should something go wrong, you won’t have to haggle with a third party. OTAs are a case of the toothpaste getting squeezed out of the tube, but hoteliers should always be driving this type of messaging. Leveraging AI will help.
