My OTA & Travel Distribution Update for the week ending Friday, May 4, 2018 is below. Not a lot of news this week, hence the abbreviated Update.
AHLA: $5.2 Billion Spent in Fraudulent and Misleading Hotel Bookings
Hotel Business - News, May 3, 2018
New research from the American Hotel & Lodging Association (AHLA) suggests that online booking scams and fraudulent and misleading travel websites and companies continue to mislead and confuse consumers.
Dissecting the dark world of travel search engines, hotels and online agencies
PhocusWire, May 3, 2018
We have always defended the notion that the value online travel agencies have is to provide visibility to hotels and help them generate new sales, sales that otherwise would be impossible to access. This greater exposure, by generating more demand for you, allows you to increase your average price, not only for OTAs but also for the rest of your channels, something which is highly positive and has a direct impact on your RevPar.
Travelport Lost Lucrative Flight Centre Contract to Distribution Rivals
Skift Travel News, May 3, 2018
There could be some Travelport drama in the second half 2018, given that New York-based activist investor Paul Singer of the hedge fund Elliott Management recently took an 11.8 percent stake in the UK-based travel technology group. But the shape of things to come are unknown.
