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STAAH Blog

  • Home
  • MANAGEMENT
    • The Role of a Hotel Revenue Manager:…

      Why Every Hotel Needs a Channel Manager…

      Program Konsorsium Hotel: Bagaimana, Mengapa & Berapa…

      โปรแกรม Hotel Consortia: อย่างไร ทําไม และค่าใช้จ่ายเท่าไหร่?

      ตัวจัดการช่องทาง Channel Manager คืออะไร และทำไมผู้ให้บริการที่พักจึงจำเป็นต้องมี?

  • Marketing
    • Smart Hotel Distribution: What Every Hotelier Needs…

      The Ultimate Guide to Turning Negative Reviews…

      6 Social Media Trends Hoteliers Must Leverage…

      ไอเดียโพสต์โซเชียลมีเดียที่กําลังมาแรงสําหรับโรงแรมในปี 2025

      Xu Hướng Nội Dung Mạng Xã Hội…

  • Tips & Trends
    • What Is a Hotel Booking Engine and…

      Seamless Integrations: Enhancing Hotel Operations with Advanced…

      Smart Hotel Distribution: What Every Hotelier Needs…

      Maximizing Hotel Revenue: Advanced Channel Manager Strategies…

      The OTA Balancing Act: How a Channel…

  • News
    • Thoughtful Thursday – Drive More Bookings with…

      Cloudbeds and STAAH partner to enhance channel…

      STAAH Achieves Prestigious Seamless Product Badge from…

      STAAH Product Updates You Can’t Miss –…

      Thoughtful Thursday – Reporting for Properties: Converting…

  • Success Stories
    • Kenyan hospitality group’s smart switch to STAAH

      Bookings rise beyond expectations for boutique UK…

      The Komu Boosts Direct Revenue by 25%…

      Online Revenue Jumps 50% for Mangkuluhur Residences…

      23% more online bookings for Vivatel Kuala…

  • Resources
    • All BLAAH BLAAH @STAAH Connectivity News e-Books Events Podcast Quiz Testimonials Webinars

      Connect with Expedia – Expand Your Reach…

      Alexa+ could earn “top-of-the-funnel” spot in travel…

      STAAH & Hotelbeds: A Powerful Partnership Driving…

      STAAH’s new eBook to guide hoteliers through…

      BLAAH BLAAH @STAAH with Captain Mihir Deepak…

      BLAAH BLAAH @STAAH with Dia Mirza

      BLAAH BLAAH @STAAH with Avijit Arya and…

      BLAAH BLAAH @STAAH with Mauro Risch

      Connect with Expedia – Expand Your Reach…

      Alexa+ could earn “top-of-the-funnel” spot in travel…

      STAAH & Hotelbeds: A Powerful Partnership Driving…

      EMPOWERING CHANNEL PARTNERS: THE POWER OF CONTENT…

      STAAH’s new eBook to guide hoteliers through…

      STAAH ReviewMinder Playbook

      STAAH GDS Playbook

      The Expert Guide to Drive More Direct…

      BLAAH BLAAH @STAAH with Suwamana Wahyu Putra…

      BLAAH BLAAH @STAAH With Matthias Dybing And…

      BLAAH BLAAH @STAAH with Vikramjit Singh and…

      BLAAH BLAAH @STAAH with Suhail Kannampilly and…

      STAAH Weekly Hospitality Quiz: 17 January

      STAAH Weekly Hospitality Quiz: 10 January

      STAAH Weekly Hospitality Quiz: 20 December

      STAAH Weekly Hospitality Quiz: 13 December

      The Domain Hotel and Spa, Bahrain

      Pramana Experience (Indonesia)

      Merusaka Nusa Dua, Bali (Indonesia)

      Acappella Suite Hotel (Malaysia):

      From Search to Stay: Maximize your Visibility…

      STAAH Webinar: From Search to Stay: Maximize…

      STAAH Webinar: Manage Revenue Mastery: How to…

      STAAH Webinar: Manage Revenue Mastery: How to…

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OTA bookings – how have they changed in a COVID world?

2 June 2021
OTA bookings – how have they changed in a COVID world?

According to a Google study 52% of travellers visit a hotel website after seeing it on an OTA, and 20% of direct bookings occurred after a hotel was found on an OTA.


Don’t discount online travel agents in your marketing mix yet. These formidable intermediaries have adaptive strategies to make a comeback – and you are a part of this recovery.

OTAs and hotels: what was…

The 2008 global financial crisis saw a rise of OTAs as price comparison became a thing for consumers seeking the greatest value. The click-and-book proposition became the go-to platform for leisure and business travellers, cementing OTAs as a dominant force in the travel industry.

As commissions and push for discounts grew, so did the rift between hotels and OTAs grew. Between 2015 and 2019, the hotels began a concerted fightback to capture more guest bookings through direct channels. Along with brand diversification by OTAs, the appearance of Airbnb, this direct push brought on challenging times for these booking giants.

2020 was the perfect storm. COVID-19 paused travel worldwide. Bookings were cancelled. Call centres were overwhelmed. Hotels were looking for answers on ownership of guest hotel bookings while fighting their own direct revenue decrease.

The OTA comeback…

Industry experts would say that OTAs are ready to bounce back by leveraging the same factor that made them a dominant force – the ability to compare and book in one place.

OTAs are responding to these challenges, adapting to a new normal and planning for the future through investments in new and innovative start-up brands, simplifying their cancellation and payment policies, and adapting their purchase of search words and pay per click advertising while emphasizing their strength and support in the marketplace, especially with millennial travelers.

Industry experts would say that OTAs are ready to bounce back by leveraging the same factor that made them a dominant force – the ability to compare and book in one place.

As the world ambles through the new normal, people are craving travel. Fear Of Missing Out (FOMO) is big, resulting in impulsive bookings when the opportunity arises. Price is greatly valued, as is safety. Quick browse and book behaviours are back. All these factors combined create favourable conditions for OTAs.

What to expect from OTAs?

As they compete for survival, here are a few things to expect from OTAs.

·      Emphasis on cleanliness.

A high standard of cleanliness is the most valued amenity in hotels. To promote health and safety, OTAs not only promote COVID safety protocols followed by properties listed on their platform, they also rank those following safety practices over others.

·      More local properties.

As staycations and domestic travel ride high, OTAs are responding by promoting local traveling. In doing so, new avenues are being explored such as packages.

·      Tailoring of search advertising.

Marketing budgets across the board have been slashed. It is time to get creative when it comes to tailoring advertising to suit the new normal. Price based search ads are being overshadowed by health and safety messaging. Keywords such as “drive to destination” are being brought in more actively into OTAs’ search strategy.

·      Better customer service.

Guests want more, for nothing. OTAs are obliging with improved customer service and flexible booking and cancellation policies. Chatbots are more prominently placed on websites to assist with queries quicker.

How should hotels respond?

Don’t bank on any single distribution channel; direct or OTAs. Now more than ever before a balanced channel mix is important.


***Find out the Top Online channels to be listed in your region.


Don’t bank on any single distribution channel; direct or OTAs. Now more than ever before a balanced channel mix is important.

OTAs spend a lot of money in marketing and UX. This helps boost hotels’ visibility. As a booking channel, their preference is still strong, and it is important for hotels to maintain their presence on them – they are the best billboard you can get in these times. At the same time, a viable distribution solution also needs direct bookings representation.

To do these, smart technology solutions such as a hotel channel manager are important.

Equally important is a need to understand guests better and respond to their needs by creating packages with greater appeal and ensuring your property offers the safe haven travel-deprived guests are now seeking.


Conclusion

The COVID-19 tsunami has wiped out a lot of the old ways of thinking about hotel strategies. In the face of one of the biggest crises in recent memory, the hospitality market needs to rethink how it operates and build anew. This new does not come in the form of replacing critical distribution platforms, rather rethinking how each of these platforms will grow cohesively in the new normal.

OTA bookings – how have they changed in a COVID world? was last modified: June 15th, 2022 by Nashi Dasgupta

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