How do you make your accommodations stand out among the rest?

Hospitality in the digital age

We live in the age of the Internet. Today, travellers predominantly search for their accommodations digitally, via laptop, tablet or cell phone, and online travel agents (OTAs) such as Booking.com, AirBnb and Expedia have become indispensable to the traveller.

In addition, keep in mind that a traveller's path to booking an accommodation is not linear. A recent study by Expedia (Expedia survey 2023) found that travellers conduct an average of 43 searches before booking. So it goes without saying that it plays to your advantage if your rooms are available through a variety of different direct and indirect channels, including, therefore, these OTAs.

A line through the account

We are seeing a growing trend in the hotel industry of trying to wriggle free from the clutches of some OTAs, mostly because certain platforms like Booking.com charge very high transaction and booking fees per booking which is a thorn in the side of many hotel operators and managers. And often a thorn in their side as well. Let's be clear, that's a good approach, BUT, at least 2 major drawbacks exist: creating direct reservations is a slow, intensive and often costly process, and the guest who booked with you through an OTA would probably never have booked without the OTA's intervention. Still, we are convinced that these online travel agents can play hugely in your favour, even with their high costs.

Why invest in OTAs and your online visibility?

In the Netherlands alone, 85.16% of all bookings are made through OTAs. Moreover, studies show that 65% of travellers who book directly with accommodations visit an OTA before booking directly, and about 18% of those same travellers even visited an OTA on the day of booking. This is also known as the "Online Billboard Effect," and it refers to the phenomenon whereby a traveller discovers a hotel or B&B through an online travel agent (OTA) and then looks up the accommodation's website to book directly, usually reasoning that by booking directly one can get a better price, room, or service.

In other words, the presence of your hotel or B&B on these OTAs is almost as important as the service you provide to your guests. Without it, even the best accommodations can face lost revenue due to fewer (direct) bookings.

So it is crucial to understand how to create online visibility in the digital age, as well as what methods and tools you can use to improve your online performance.

5 Tips on How to Build Online Visibility with Your Property

We share some tips you can easily apply to increase your online visibility:

1. A sophisticated distribution strategy on the OTA channels

2. A CMS that can link to the most relevant OTAs within the geography

3. Google Hotel Link

4. Metasearch

5. A website of your own

AND of course: achieve the best possible findability at the
most relevant OTA

Otamiser is a Game Changer in Hotel Revenue Management

To really use the potential of online visibility to your advantage in today's digital age, you need in-depth knowledge of how these platforms work and how customers behave online. For example, you need a good understanding of how OTA algorithms work, how search results are generated, and what factors influence a customer's decision to book a particular accommodation. That is exactly our expertise!

Smart Hoteliers Bet on the Perfect Mix of Online Visibility and Revenue Management

Otamiser gives hoteliers and property managers more bookings at the right price through online visibility as well as revenue management. The OTA's algorithm no longer holds any secrets for us. Or, as a major player in the hotel sector once introduced us to his business partner: ‘These guys hacked the code of Booking.com’

The always right price with Otamiser Revenue

Always show the right price, to the right customer, at the right time by using dynamic pricing. This way you are not only optimally findable but also super attractive to every guest!