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Specific to the thrust of Max's question, in this context we are referring to search/find from the booking/transaction perspective. In that light...For me it is the next generation of search.Depending upon the user, we can now be far more specific with the input to get more targeted output.We will be able to speak and converse, which is more natural and a next gen over multiple queries or filters.I do believe that when the buying time comes after the research phase the customer will still 'come' to the point of booking.

The Internet enabled you to find things yourself. Agentic AI will do everything for you. That’s why it’s: Much bigger than blockchain or the metaverse. And closer to how big the Internet was.

“When your grandmother can use a new technology, that’s when you know it will reach widespread adoption.” I’m paraphrasing this Kevin O’Leary here but the principle is nevertheless highly instructive for why blockchain and metaverse technologies didn’t have prominent adoption in the travel sector.

The Cloudbeds data is striking, but let’s be honest — a 21.8% OTA cancellation rate isn’t just a distribution problem. It’s a relationship problem. OTA bookers aren’t disloyal by nature; they’re simply responding rationally to a system that hotels helped create.  When a guest can book a hotel through five channels and find five slightly different prices, they begin to treat their reservation like a placeholder, not a commitment.

What can hotels do to decrease their cancellation rates?  Maintain Rate Parity! If travelers find a lower rate for your hotel on the OTAs, they can cancel their direct booking and be tempted to book your hotel on the OTA or be lured away by a competitor with lower rate or better value.  Maintain Market Parity!

High cancellation rates – particularly for OTA bookings – are a growing challenge for hotels. They make planning harder, put pressure on rates, and often lead to last‑minute discounting that hurts overall performance.