OTAs In The Travel Industry: How Can An Online Travel Agent Help To Market Your Property?
And Which Ones Are Relevant To Smaller Properties In 2025?
The hospitality and travel industry is full of acronyms and jargon that can be really difficult to cut through and understand, particularly if you are either new to the industry or a smaller accommodation business. But when it comes to marketing your property online, you will definitely come across the term OTA. But what is an OTA in the travel industry and how can they help you to stand out among your competitors and more importantly improve your occupancy rate?
What is an OTA In The Accommodation and Travel Industry?
Firstly, let’s define what OTAs in travel, accommodation and hospitality are and what they do. An OTA, which stands for online travel agent or online travel agency, is a digital platform where travellers can search for, compare and book accommodation, flights, car hire and other travel services.
Popular OTAs such as Expedia, Agoda, Booking.com and Airbnb act as intermediaries between accommodation providers and travellers, facilitating the room booking process. For a commission fee, these platforms showcase your property to millions of potential guests searching online, helping increase your reach and occupancy.
Why are Online Travel Agencies Important for Hotels and Accommodation Businesses?
OTAs play a vital role in the booking ecosystem and your distribution strategy and this is especially true for smaller and independent properties. Here’s why:
Increased Visibility
OTAs rank highly in search engines and attract high volumes of traffic, allowing your property to be discovered by travellers you may never reach through your own website alone.
Brand Credibility
Most of the OTAs are strong brands that the majority of travellers have heard of and trust. This is particularly valuable to small and independent accommodation owners who can leverage off this.
Trusted Resources
Linked to the fact that OTAs have built strong brand credibility is the fact that they are usually the first port of call for travellers searching for accommodation because they offer speed, convenience and choice.
According to industry statistics, 90% of travellers rely on the Internet to plan their trips and a significant 76% of online bookings happen through OTAs. By leveraging the reach and visibility offered by OTA’s, you can tap into this vast pool of potential guests and increase your bookings.
OTAs also play a role in promoting direct bookings on your website. Surprisingly, approximately 20% of direct bookings come from people who discovered your hotel through an OTA. So while OTA’s provide exposure and bookings themselves, they can also act as a catalyst for guests to explore your website and make direct bookings.
How Do I Get My Hotel Or Motel Listed On An OTA?
The process of getting listed on an OTA platform is usually straightforward. The key to getting started with online travel agencies is to first consider what type of audience you want to reach.
- Choose OTAs selectively: Shortlist one or more platforms that suit your target market and will attract your ‘ideal’ guests that are most profitable for you. This is especially important for smaller, independent properties. (see below for more info on this).
- Create a Listing: Sign up as a partner and provide your business details, photos, room types, pricing, amenities and cancellation policies. The more comprehensive the info you provide, the better.
- Sync With Your PMS or Channel Manager: To avoid double bookings, you can connect your OTA listings with a channel manager like GuestPoint’s, which keeps availability and rates updated across all platforms.
- Go Live: Once approved, your listing becomes visible to millions of OTA users and you can start accepting bookings.
- Manage and Optimise: Use guest feedback, adjust pricing and update content to improve your performance on the platform.
How Do I Choose the Right Online Travel Agent For My Property?
Not all OTAs are created equal. Here’s what to consider when selecting the best one for your hotel or accommodation:
- Target Audience
Start by defining your ‘ideal’ guest. Then consider which OTAs cater to the types of guests you want to attract. For example, Expedia and Booking.com are popular choices for international guests, while platforms like Hostelworld cater to backpackers. Understanding your target audience and their preferred OTA’s will help you select the most relevant platforms to list your property. - Commission Rates
OTAs mainly work on a commission or cost-per-acquisition model. Compare fee structures to ensure profitability. - Ease of Use
Is the dashboard intuitive? Is the platform reliable and secure? - Geographic Reach
Some OTAs dominate in particular regions (e.g., Agoda in Asia). - Integration Support
Can it easily sync with your property management system (PMS) or channel manager?
Using a channel manager like GuestPoint’s allows you to manage all listings from a single dashboard—reducing manual work and the risk of overbookings.
What Are The Benefits Of Listing Your Accommodation On An OTA?
As we’ve highlighted, online travel agencies can really propel a hotel or motel’s online visibility. Unlike smaller and independent accommodation owners, they have big marketing budgets so they offer you the opportunity to reach a big audience without the huge upfront costs. The majority of travellers are now booking their travel online with OTAs at least featuring in this research process. For most accommodation businesses online travel agencies are a crucial part of their distribution strategy because they offer:
✅ More Bookings
OTAs expand your reach, helping to increase occupancy – especially during off-peak periods or weekdays.
✅ Cost-Effective Marketing
While OTAs charge a commission (typically between 10% and 25%), they save you the cost of running large marketing campaigns yourself.
✅ Access to International and Corporate Travellers
Many overseas and business travellers rely on OTAs to book accommodation, especially for convenience, reviews, and secure payment handling.
✅ Reliable Reviews and Social Proof
Guest reviews left on OTA platforms help build credibility and can influence future bookings.
✅ Revenue Management Tools
Many OTAs in travel offer tools to help you optimise pricing, manage promotions, and boost visibility through deals and offers.
List Of Top OTAs For Smaller Properties
While we have highlighted the main OTAs in travel and hospitality, we’ve also included a few of the more niche OTAs that we can connect you to.
Airbnb
Airbnb is a unique OTA that focuses on non-conventional travel accommodations and consumer-to-consumer rentals. Its emphasis on local influences and unique designs makes it an ideal platform for boutique hotels competing against larger chains. You can reach its extensive user base of 150 million active users across 200 countries by listing on Airbnb. The commission for hotels on Airbnb ranges between 14% and 20%.
This OTA is suitable for Boutique hotels with unique designs, bed and breakfast establishments, vacation rentals and properties offering non-conventional accommodations.
There are some really good Airbnb alternatives that also cater for smaller properties. With nearly 500 million user reviews, TripAdvisor has become one of the largest travel websites globally. Its Instant Booking platform allows visitors to read reviews and make bookings directly on the platform. Listing on TripAdvisor provides exposure and helps build a strong reputation through user reviews. Furthermore, its advertising partnership with Expedia and Priceline opens doors to connections with other high-visibility OTA’s. The commission for listings on TripAdvisor averages around 15%.
This OTA is suitable for hotels of all sizes and categories. It is particularly valuable for properties that prioritise guest reviews and reputation management.
Tripadvisor
Expedia
Expedia.com is another of the most well-established OTAs in travel with listings spanning over 60 countries. It attracts an audience that seeks low prices and affordability, making it a great platform to reach travellers who may not have considered your hotel independently. Additionally, Expedia.com allows customers to book hotels along with flights and rental cars, offering a more comprehensive experience. The commission for rooms booked through Expedia.com varies based on property type and dynamic pricing, but it averages around 16%.
Suitable for hotels and motels that offer competitive pricing and value for money. Expedia.com attracts a wide range of travellers, including those who prioritise affordability.
When it comes to OTAs in travel, Booking.com is one of the pioneers. It has a global reach, covering more than 200 countries and processing over 1.5 million hotel nights daily. It offers options for various types of properties, including hotels, motels, vacation homes, apartments, and B&Bs. Booking.com’s easy setup process and the ability to import information from other OTA platforms make it convenient for hotels to get listed quickly. The commission for listings on Booking.com fluctuates depending on the market segment and property type but averages around 15%.
Suitable for various types of properties including hotels, motels, vacation homes, apartments, and bed and breakfast establishments. It is especially useful for properties looking for a global reach.
booking.com
Agoda
Agoda is an OTA with a strong focus on the Asian market, making it an excellent choice for hotels looking to expand into this audience. While its largest pool of property listings is in Asia, Agoda has expanded its presence in Europe and America as well. It offers listings in 38 languages and emphasises low-priced options and affordability. Commissions for listings on Agoda average around 16%.
Suitable for hotels and accommodations targeting the Asian market. This includes properties located in countries in Asia.
Hotels.com, part of the Expedia network, has a significant presence in the Western Hemisphere. With over 360,000 listings across more than 19,000 locations, it can help improve awareness of your property in this market. Hotels.com attracts travellers searching for accommodation in specific areas and provides an opportunity to increase direct bookings through its website.
Suitable for hotels located in the Western Hemisphere, including North America, Central America, and South America. It can be beneficial for properties that want to increase their visibility and direct bookings within this specific geographic region.
Hotels.com
The Hotel Network is Australia’s leading accommodation aggregator.
They specialise in providing programs for corporate and government clients with extensive rural and regional travel.
HostelsClub offers a large selection of smart and affordable accommodations worldwide including more than 30,000 hotels, hostels, campsites, B&Bs, guesthouses, and apartments.
Headquartered in Venice, a team of international professionals manages the different work activities: from property support and customer care to the development of innovative IT and marketing solutions.
Hostelsclub
Google Hotels has emerged as a dominant player in the OTA landscape with its Google Hotel Ads platform. It benefits from its unrivalled advantage in traffic, with an estimated 4.5 billion searches made on Google daily. Google Hotel Ads attract travellers searching for accommodation in your hotel’s specific area and increase the number of direct bookings generated through your hotel’s website. Additionally, Google Hotel Ads provides access to guest data and analytics, giving you valuable insights into the trip-planning process. Commission rates for Google Hotel Ads may vary.
This OTA should be used by properties of all types and sizes that want to increase their online visibility and leverage Google’s extensive search traffic
Summary:
So, what are OTAs in travel, accommodation and hospitality? It’s more than just a listing site – it’s a valuable distribution channel that helps hotels and accommodation providers grow their reach, attract more bookings and boost revenue. For smaller properties, OTAs can open doors to international markets and help fill rooms without the burden of high advertising costs.
However, the key is balance. Using OTAs alongside your own booking engine and direct channels helps you reduce commission costs while still reaping the benefits of global exposure.
With GuestPoint’s all-in-one platform – including a channel manager and integrated booking engine – you can simplify OTA management and grow your business more efficiently.
Check out our lastest blog: What Is A Channel Manager? to find out how you can realise all of the benefits of being listed on the OTAs with none of the hassle.
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