Hotel Online Distribution Channels & Strategy

OTA's (Online Travel Agencies), websites, Metasearch engines, social media pages GDS (Global Distribution System), direct phone booking, and more. 

In this way, hotels establish their presence globally, making it simple for people to search for hotels and reserve rooms offline or online from anywhere in the world. 

Now, that we understand hotel online distribution, 

Let's look at some online hotel distribution strategies. 

5 Strategies for Maximizing Hotel Distribution Channels

1. Implement channel manager

Having listed several OTAs, sometimes hotels find it challenging to manage bookings.  

That's why a hotel channel manager is the most suitable solution to centralize all your distribution channels and manage all operations and bookings. 

Many channel managers like ChannelSyncro Combine smart pricing, in-depth monitoring, simple integration with OTAs, and real-time updates. That will certainly boost sales and maximize profits.

2. Utilize Social Media Marketing

As everyone is on social media it is easy to get visible for businesses to find potential guests. This is why using social media marketing is a good option for those who want exposure.  

Implementing social media strategies like advertising, crafting compelling content, and posting hotel visuals on various social media platforms to increase visibility and reach. 

This can attract potential customers, drive traffic, and lead to more direct bookings. 

3. Improve Search engine optimization (SEO)

For every hotel business, it is necessary to get top search results. To get found on the search results most hotel businesses opt for SEO marketing strategy.  

As it increases visibility and increases the number of visitors through organic search results.  

SEO marketing helps to target potential guests with a high intent on travel. 

For example, if someone searches "Best Hotel in Boston" on a search engine, the top ten hotels are displayed, and your hotel is featured among them.  

This is what SEO does: it increases your website's visibility and ranks it at the top of search results. 

4. Optimize Direct Booking

Hotels that have websites typically prefer direct booking. 

As with direct booking, hoteliers can reduce their acquisition costs, and increase occupancy and profitability.  

By building a hotel's website and optimizing it regularly by using various SEO tactics, it can see a visible increase in direct sales.  

With direct booking sites hotels can manage guests' data and give them preferred offers as per their liking.

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Create your website today with CreateWith(Hotel Website Builder) and enhance your direct bookings. 

5. Dynamic Pricing

Before selling a room, hoteliers must consider pricing that includes dynamic pricing.  

As for a successful business in the hotel industry, dynamic pricing is the strategy that adjusts according to the market demands.

It allows fluctuation of prices regularly based on room availability, too-high or too-low demand, special events, travel seasons, etc.

The dynamic pricing can change even in an hour or day as it follows the demand and supply rule. Making it profitable for hoteliers to sell the room and increase the overall revenue. 

Manage hotel revenue with RevMaxi a revenue management software that surely increases your ROI.

By applying these strategies one can surely enhance their visibility among potential customers.

Furthermore, without using distribution channels it is not possible to build a successful hotel online strategy

Different types of Hotel Online Distribution Channels

1. Metasearch Engines

Hotels can increase their visibility and direct bookings with the help of the Metasearch engine like Google Hotel ads and Trivago. 

This allows visitors to compare different pricing options such as best deals, room rent accommodation, etc.  

Thus, ensuring rates across channels and managing hotel profiles on the platform. 

2. Global Distribution System (GDS)

GDS is a platform responsible for connecting hotels to travel agents to book hotel rooms, car rentals, airline seats, etc. as per the requirements and preferences of customers. 

Platforms like Amadeus, Sabre, and Travelport can promote hotels and their inventory across the globe with a wide range of travel professionals facilitating bookings for business travelers and tour operators. 

3. Online Travel Agencies (OTA's)

One of the most common online distribution channels is OTA's, which provides online facilities for hotels to list their rooms and reach a global audience.  

This creates extra exposure and benefits the hotel's business.  

Some of the most common channels are Expedia, Booking.com, and Airbnb.

These OTA's usually charge commissions for bookings made directly through their platforms, but in return, hotels get access to a greater pool of travelers. 

4. Hotel Wholesalers

Wholesalers buy rooms and hotel inventories in bulk and distribute them to several market segments.

As they are an important part of travel agents and travel suppliers.

That partnership can be very beneficial in filling the empty rooms and finding guests who would like to buy a package deal.

The wholesaler never sells the room directly to the customer as it works business to business.

Lastly, these channels provide global exposure to every range of hotel and resort and help to maintain brand visibility among potential customers.

Manage your hotel distribution channels with BOTSHOT

BOTSHOT simplifies hotel online distribution in 2024 by providing a centralized platform to manage all channels, ensuring uniform rates and availability.

Its dynamic rate management responds to demand, increasing revenue. With seamless OTA and GDS connection, your hotel obtains more visibility.

Real-time analytics provide crucial insights for informed decision-making, and automated booking processes simplify administrative work.

BOTSHOT integrates with CRM systems to improve guest connections, resulting in repeat reservations and excellent reviews.

Overall, BOTSHOT enables hotels to remain competitive, efficient and customer-focused in the ever-changing hospitality industry.