In 2025, choosing the right Online Travel Agency (OTA) isn’t just about bookings—it’s a strategic revenue lifeline for hoteliers.
With the OTA market surging to $1.06 trillion by 2027 and competition fiercer than ever, partnering with the best online travel agents can make or break your occupancy rates and profit margins.
Whether you’re a budget boutique or a luxury resort, discover which platforms deliver global visibility, operational efficiency, and—critically—how to balance OTA partnerships with direct bookings to slash costs and boost loyalty.
If you're new to OTAs, check out our comprehensive guide to understanding Online Travel Agencies before diving into this year's rankings.
Based on extensive market research and real performance metrics through the HotelMinder platform, we've curated the definitive ranking of the most impactful OTAs for 2025.
Each platform key criteria including commission structures, booking volume, technological innovation, and customer satisfaction scores.
Whether you're managing a boutique hotel or a large chain, this list will help you optimize your OTA partnerships:
Expedia Group - which owns CarRentals.com, Expedia.com, HomeAway, Hotels.com, Hotwire.com, Orbitz, Travelocity, trivago and Vrbo among many other brands - is the biggest Travel Agency is the world.
Expedia.com is particularly popular when targeting the North American and Asian markets.
Since the early 2000s, the group performed many mergers and acquisitions, culminating in 2015 with the purchase of Travelocity from the tech firm Sabre Corporation.
Quick facts:
• Expedia owns over 200 travel booking sites, over 150 mobile apps and websites.
• Expedia operates in nearly 70 countries and in over 35 different languages.
• Expedia currently reaches 25 million guests per year.
E-dreams (E-Dreams ODIGEO Group) focuses on contracting with Bed and Breakfasts, Hostels, Self-Catering Apartments and 1-3 star Hotels.
Quick facts:
• E-dreams currently produces 90,000 room nights per night.
• There are no setup fees, maintenance costs, end-of-month bills or binding contracts, making it easy to try out.
The world's largest accommodation website, Booking.com has now expanded their reach into the small accommodation market too, now including family operated Bed and Breakfasts,Vacation Rentals and Self-Catering Apartments.
Quick facts:
• Booking.com has 135 offices in over 50 countries worldwide.
• Booking.com is available in over 40 different languages and offers over half a million properties across 207 countries. That's some reach!
• There are over 700,000 room nights reserved on Booking.com every day.
• In Europe, Booking.com drives 50% of all European online hotel bookings.
• Booking.com currently has 83 million verified reviews.
• The great benefit for hoteliers and accommodation providers is that you only pay Booking.com when a booking is made. No monthly fees are necessary.
Booking.com connects to more Channel Manager solutions that we could list below.
LateRooms allows access to its website users and also its sister site AsiaRooms.com.
They also put your hotel into extensive ad campaigns, which in turn drives additional traffic to your own website.
Quick facts:
• Laterooms currently offers over 200,000 hotels worldwide.
• Laterooms has a reach of 20,000 and sister site Asiarooms has 60,000.
Airbnb has changed the travel accommodation industry, as the home sharing giant embarks on entering the online hotel distribution space.
This travel website is diverse in listings and can be accessed by almost anyone from air beds in apartments to enchanted castles, according to Airbnb's website.There is an element of safety with Airbnb, as you can be sure of your guest's identity.Moreover, reviews from previous hosts tell you what your guest is like as a guest.
quick facts:
• Number of total guests: 200,000,000+
• Number of listings: 3,000,000+
• Number of countries: 192
• Countries/Regions where most prominent: Global
formerly Ctrip.com, Trip.com is the fastest growing OTA and is coming from China, partially thanks to Booking Holdings (formerly The Priceline Group) several rounds of investments since 2014.
With the largest population in the world and a rapidly growing middle class willing to travel abroad, China is quickly becoming the world's largest source of outbound tourism therefore you might want to consider listing your property on China's leading travel website - Trip.com.
Ctrip / Trip.com is a strong brand within China and dominates the local market but has little influence within other parts of the world so far.
Quick facts:
• Number of active users: 90 million+ registered
• Number of listings: about 1,000,000
• Number of countries: 200
HostelWorld is currently the world's leading, hostel-focused OTA and advertising hostels through its website and thousands distribution partners, including Lonely Planet.
Hostelworld acquired Hostelbookers in 2013 to expand its online power further.
Quick facts:
• HostelWorld attracts young, independent travellers across 170 different countries.
• It has a reach of over 11 million guests!
Part of the Priceline Group, Agoda is one of the fastest growing platforms in the world.
It is currently most popular in Asia, particularly Malaysia, Taiwan, Indonesia, Thailand and Philippines.
Quick facts:
• Agoda operates in 38 different languages and offers a 24-hour, multilingual customer support service.
• Agoda employs dedicated Market Managers, able to create special promotions and marketing initiatives, which in turn allow Agoda to offer some of the best deals online.These can be specific to each location.
• Agoda are well known for the millions of authentic hotel reviews they display.
Despegar is Latin America's leading online travel company, revolutionizing how the region books travel by offering a one-stop platform for flights, hotels, and vacation packages.
As the first online travel agency in Latin America, Despegar has built strong brand recognition and trust across the Spanish and Portuguese-speaking markets. The platform offers comprehensive travel solutions with competitive pricing and local payment options tailored to Latin American consumers.
Quick facts:
• Monthly visitors: 18,000,000+
• Hotel properties: 300,000+
• Markets served: 20
• Countries/Regions where most prominent: Brazil, Argentina, Mexico, Colombia, Chile
Google Hotels is an online booking platform that integrates seamlessly with the Google ecosystem, allowing users to find, compare, and book hotels directly through Google Search and Maps. Known for its extensive reach, Google Hotels provides real-time pricing and availability information, optimizing user experience with personalized recommendations.
Quick Facts:
• Listings: Comprehensive coverage with access to millions of hotels worldwide
• Special Feature: Integration with Google Maps for location-based search
• Strengths: Real-time pricing and seamless comparisons
• Global Reach: Available in numerous languages and currencies
Instantly connect with a trusted expert for tailored recommendations.
Expert MatchFor hoteliers, navigating the evolving world of the biggest online travel agencies can be overwhelming. Online Travel Agencies, also known as OTAs, aren’t merely booking platforms; they are comprehensive marketplaces that let customers book hotels, as well as flights, car rentals, and holiday packages.
That means, finding an online travel agency that can get you maximum exposure, is a choice that you can’t take lightly! However, before we go any further, let’s understand how OTA travel can expand your reach, enhance customer experience, and become a strategic partner in your business.
If you're in the hospitality industry, this guide is your one-stop-shop for online travel services that you must indulge with and explore.
An Online Travel Agency (OTA), also referred to as an online travel agent, serves as a conduit between customers and a plethora of travel services. Starting off primarily with hotel bookings, OTAs now offer a variety of services, including but not limited to flights, trains, buses, outstation cabs, cruises, holiday packages, and more.
When you partner with a travel agent online, you get a chance to showcase your property to the already available audience of the OTA. They excel in giving your hotel higher visibility, thus helping you reach potential guests more effectively than traditional marketing methods. For instance, if you sign up as a partner with Booking.com, your hotel or homestay will be visible to the entire customer base of the popular travel company.
Increased Exposure and Customer Base: Travel Agents Online access a large and diverse customer base, expanding your hotel's reach and boosting its visibility online.
Cost-Effectiveness: OTAs take charge of many operational aspects of booking, thereby reducing your internal operational costs.
Marketing Leverage: The biggest online travel agencies have the financial clout to run extensive advertising campaigns, offering you a chance to capitalize on their marketing efforts.
Booking Efficiency: These platforms offer user-friendly interfaces that simplify the booking process, increasing customer satisfaction and consequently, direct bookings.
Commission and Fees: Keep in mind that online travel services do charge a commission—usually between 10-25%, which can impact your profit margins.
Customer Trust: The presence of your hotel on multiple OTAs not only boosts visibility but also adds to the customer’s trust, which can translate into a 20% uptick in direct bookings.
The OTA market is booming, projected to be worth a staggering $1.06 trillion by 2027. For the year 2024 for exemple, the market was estimated to be valued at $2.3 trillion.
Factors such as improved network connectivity, the rise of mobile platforms, and the increased spending capability of the average consumer are boosting the OTA travel industry.
Online travel agents are invaluable for the hotel industry. Their contribution is not just in bookings but in providing an efficient way for customers to compare prices and options. They have become integrated parts of the overall travel ecosystem, adding value to both hoteliers and travelers alike.
With the advent of technologies like AI and machine learning, some of the best OTAs are transforming the way bookings are made by offering personalized experiences to users.
It’s not about choosing any online travel agent: choosing the best travel agent that fits your hotel’s specific needs is crucial. Here's why:
Market Insights: These agencies offer tools that help you target customers more efficiently.
Revenue Impact: OTAs are used more frequently than individual hotel websites for bookings, making them a significant revenue source.
Customer Base: Picking an OTA with a wide-reaching customer base can lead to better occupancy rates for your hotel.
The right online travel agency can significantly impact your hotel's revenue and occupancy rates. Therefore, hotel owners and managers should carefully select their OTA partners to ensure they align with their business goals.
Your own website stands as a powerful distribution channel that offers lower operational costs and direct customer engagement. Unlike biggest online travel agencies, which are useful but often charge commissions, your website is a commission-free zone.
However, it requires ongoing SEO efforts and real-time inventory management to stay competitive. Your website can be seamlessly integrated into hotel channel managers, allowing for real-time inventory updates and rate adjustments.
While OTAs like those listed on HotelMinder offer a broad platform for visibility, they should be viewed as supplementary to your main website. They offer specialized tools like Expedia Extranet for room management but often at a cost, both monetary and in terms of brand visibility.
With HotelMinder, instantly match with vetted, trusted hotel experts.
HotelMinder, it is about:
Different OTAs have varied commission structures. Knowing these can help you make a more informed decision.
Some online travel agents specialize in particular regions. Choose one that aligns with your target market.
The best online travel agency websites often provide extra features like currency conversion and language support, which can be a boon for international visibility.
When you think about OTAs, keep in mind that diversification is key. Don’t depend on just one online travel agent; connect with multiple top rated travel agencies that target different markets.
Use metasearch engines to further enhance your hotel’s visibility. It can be particularly effective when you focus on reviews and ratings.
To manage multiple OTAs efficiently, use a channel manager. Check out HotelMinder’s Marketplace for Channel Managers for the best options.
Choose online travel services that align with your hotel's target audience for higher conversion rates.
Having a strong relationship with your OTA account manager can provide valuable analytical tools and insights. Advisory services play a crucial role here, helping you tailor strategies and spot market trends.
Implement dynamic pricing strategies and use OTA Travel analytics to understand customer behavior better.
The best travel agencies offer various promotional opportunities to boost your visibility. This is a key aspect of ota travel, where you can leverage the billboard effect to increase direct bookings.
For more expert advice and services, feel free to contact us at HotelMinder.
With 15+ years of experience in supporting hoteliers in optimizing their operations and launching innovative hotels around the world, Benjamin Verot (a.
HotelMinder brings value to hoteliers through a Knowledge Hub, a Technology Marketplace and one-to-one hotel management consulting services. We also offer an exclusive network of hospitality industry experts, which connects hoteliers with vetted professionals who can offer clear, actionable solutions to address their most pressing operational problems.
With our 50+ years of combined expertise, HotelMinder’s services provide hoteliers with actionable solutions to critical business challenges, while establishing a relationship based on trust, engagement and mutual benefit. We help hotels meet and exceed their business goals through an in-depth analysis of consumer insights, business requirements and opportunities.
If you are a hotelier who needs support, information or advice, sign-up for a free membership.
If you are a hospitality industry expert who wants to help hoteliers achieve their business goals, join our experts network for free.
Your trust is our top priority. Whether you're choosing technology or connecting with an expert, we're committed to transparency. Here’s how we ensure you get unbiased, reliable guidance. Learn more about our promise.
Check out the latest insights, news and articles from the HotelMinder team, industry leading technology vendors and hospitality consultants.
Discover what a Hotel CRS (Central Reservation System) is, how it integrates with your PMS, channel manager, and booking engine and the key benefits it brings to hotel operations, revenue and guest experience.
Learn Generative Engine Optimization (GEO) to boost your hotel's visibility on AI platforms like ChatGPT. Our guide covers websites, reviews, and OTAs. Get seen.
Discover essential AIO and SEO tips to optimize hotel websites for AI-driven search. Boost visibility and direct bookings with conversational content and technical strategies.
Comprehensive guide to hotel room categories and classifications. Understand the differences between standard, deluxe, and suite rooms for better booking decisions and revenue management.
Discover more insightful articles in our Knowledge Hub and Partners Hub.
Sign up for expert insights, exclusive offers, and real solutions made for hoteliers like you.
