Direct distribution is not just about saving a few percentage points on commissions.
It's about building your brand equity, owning your customer relationships, capturing valuable data, and creating repeat business without paying a toll each time. It's the difference between owning your guest and renting your guest.

Now, are OTAs valuable partners? Absolutely. They're fantastic for reach, for filling rooms you might otherwise miss. But exclusive dependence? That's not partnership, that's dependency, and dependency is not a strategy.

Hotels that ditch their direct channel are effectively saying:
I'm okay with being invisible unless I pay someone else to let guests find me.
That's not distribution strategy!

The future is about balance.
Use OTAs as powerful allies to drive incremental business. But invest in your direct channels to own your most profitable and loyal guests. In today's hyperconnected world, if you can't find ways to engage directly with your guests, you're not just missing out you're actively giving away your competitive advantage.

Because if hoteliers stop fighting for direct distribution, they might wake up one day and realize that the OTAs are not just managing the booking button, they're managing the entire guest relationship, and charging you rent for every smile, every stay, and every cent.