As booking journeys evolve, OTAs are more important than ever. Travellers use them to browse, compare, dream and plan. Large language models and answer engines (like Google AI overviews) use them as a reliable and trustworthy source of information.
NB: This is an article from GuestRevu
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Instead of treating them as a necessary evil, the most successful hotels today treat their OTA listings as something far more useful. A shop window. A source of discovery. And, when done well, a quiet supporter of their direct booking strategy.
In this blog, we’ll look at how OTAs are constantly changing, why they are so important, and practical ways to get the most from your listings.
Why Visibility Matters First: The Billboard Effect
Most hotel bookings do not happen in a single click. Guests browse, compare, save options, forget them, return later, and only then make a decision. Visibility early in that journey is what makes the difference.
Being present on OTAs does more than generate immediate bookings. It can also increase direct bookings through what is often referred to as the “billboard effect.”
Think about it like this. You are on a road trip and drive past a billboard on the highway. You only see it for a few seconds, but the image of a pristine beach, wildlife, and stunning scenery catches your eye. The hotel name, for example, Oceana, sticks in your mind. Later that evening, you remember it and decide to search online to learn more. That brief moment has planted a seed.
This is exactly how the billboard effect works on OTAs. A guest might notice your hotel while browsing, recognise it again later on Google, read reviews that evening, or notice your hotel among the options when they ask AI for suggestions. Even if they do not book straight away, that early exposure makes your hotel feel familiar.
When your property appears consistently during the research phase, travellers start to recognise your name, your style, and what you offer. That familiarity makes them far more likely to return and book directly when they are ready.
