INTEGRATIONS

Learn more about using online travel agencies to sell your rooms

Two-thirds of the travel market book their trips online. The best online travel agencies create a seamless, user-friendly experience for those who want to research, book, and manage their trips with just a few clicks.

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Your business deserves to be where your customers are

Hotels that use online travel agencies enjoy higher occupancy rates and increased revenue, especially during off-peak periods. For most businesses, an online travel agency is a necessary marketing and distribution platform.

The OTA Billboard Effect

Did you know that OTAs can influence your direct bookings? The OTA billboard effect is a phenomenon that occurs when travelers book directly with the property after initially discovering it on an OTA.

Research by Expedia Groups shows that 65% of travelers booking directly with the property visited an OTA during the research stage. And about 18% of those travelers even visited an OTA on the day of the booking.

The best online travel agencies

The RoomRaccoon channel manager is fully integrated with the best online travel agencies, wholesalers, and metasearch engines used by millions of business and leisure travelers to book stays every year.

We don’t charge our users extra to connect with OTAs and other booking channels. We understand that online bookings are essential to your success – and we want our hoteliers to succeed!

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5 seconds rate and availability synchronization

The RoomRaccoon channel manager syncs your rates and availability across multiple OTAs within 5 seconds! You can manage your inventory from one central location and free up your time to focus on other aspects of running your business.

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Reach an enormous travel market with an online travel agency

In February 2022, the number of visitors on Booking.com increased from the previous month, reaching approximately 401 million visits. Every other second, a traveler books accommodation on Expedia. Leverage these customer-driven platforms to target travelers, and enjoy more bookings for your property.

FAQ: OTAs

1Why do consumers prefer to book with online travel agencies?

If you want to travel, the first thing you do is compare your options online. Online travel agencies are the popular choice for finding accommodation. OTAs make comparing specific prices, room types, and destinations easy and convenient. Plus, travelers can even book flights and excursions directly through their favorite online travel agencies!

One-stop-shop online travel agencies that allow customers to research, book, and manage their trips in one place will soon own 41% of the online digital travel market.

2How do OTAs make money?

Most OTAs make money by taking a commission per booking, anywhere from 5% to upwards of 25%. Some OTAs, like Expedia, make the majority of their revenue through the merchant business model. The platform buys hotel rooms and then resells them to travelers. Often, they sell rooms as part of vacation packages with airfares and rental cars.

3What are the drawbacks of OTAs?

The most obvious drawback is that property operators must pay a commission fee to the OTA whenever they receive a booking. Most operators are okay with paying the commission fee. They feel that this is a small price to pay for having a full house and online exposure.

And unlike direct bookings, you are not in complete control over the guest experience from the get-go.

4What are the best OTAs for American businesses?

Expedia.com
Expedia.com is an American-based OTA and the second-largest global online travel agent behind Booking.com. Expedia Groups own Hotels.com, Trivago, TripAdvisor, among other popular travel companies. Expedia.com is a popular OTA used by hotels in North America, the largest travel market in the world. Expedia customers are more likely to buy vacation packages over individual rooms.

Airbnb
Airbnb is a home-sharing platform created for hosts who want to rent out their homes and apartments. But it’s becoming an increasingly popular OTA used by independent boutique hotels and guesthouses in Canada. This is because Airbnb charges less than the industry average of 15-25% per booking.

Booking.com
Booking.com is an industry and traveler favourite. The OTA giant spent approximately $1 billion on Google advertising to ensure whenever travelers search for accommodation anywhere in the world, Booking.com listings will pop up first on metasearch results. Booking.com competes for highly valued traffic with Expedia, Tripadvisor, and even Google.

Hotels.com
Hotels.com is an affiliate of Expedia with headquarters in Dallas, Texas. The OTA is a top choice for domestic and international travelers thanks to its excellent loyalty program. Frequent travelers can enjoy their 11th night for free plus benefit from Secret Deals, saving them money over other booking sites.