otas

Direct Bookings growing, but losing ground to OTAs

The TravelClick North American Distribution Review (NADR, Q3 2015) reveals that while there is still growth in direct hotel bookings they are falling behind in bookings made with OTAs. Another […]

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France’s end to rate parity creates grey areas

A new law creates carte blanche on room prices but a big legal “grey area” and mounting conflicts between hotels and OTAs. Some have declared it the equivalent of the […]

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Rate parity legal landscape

Over the last decade, online travel agencies, such as Expedia, Travelocity and Booking.com, have gained enormous market power. The OTAs have advertising budgets that dwarf those of most hotels, and […]

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Expedia Orbitz deal gets a high profile naysayer

Almost seven months since the proposed acquisition was first announced, a major lobbying group has come out against Expedia-Orbitz deal. The American Hotel and Lodging Association says it registering its opposition to the […]

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Deep dive into last-minute online hotel booking habits

Let’s face it, before HotelTonight and chums came along the big boys of online travel had probably never even considered carving out a niche for last-minute online hotel booking. Or if they had, […]

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Expedia to scale back on hotel rate parity

Expedia is to axe clauses relating to rate parity in contracts with all its European hotel customers. In what could be seen as another landmark moment in the ongoing rate parity […]

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End of French hotels’ price parity

Hotels in France are to be granted “unprecedented control” to dictate prices across all online channels from next month’s holiday peak period, it is being claimed. Price parity, which allows […]

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Disrupting distribution

For many hotels in Europe and across the globe, wholesalers and distributors are important – sometimes vital – business partners. With every passing year, these partners are evolving their business […]

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Booking.com to amend rate parity terms

Booking.com says it will amend its rate parity clauses across Europe by July 1 in line with commitments given to competition authorities in France, Italy and Sweden in April. The […]

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Travel industry must accept freedom in distribution

If you go out to buy a new car the dealer will tell you the cost for the basic vehicle. Then they let you select the extras, such as sat-nav […]

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