10 Great Hotel Direct and OTA Distribution Posts: Hospitality Marketing Link Digest

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Howdy, Big Thinkers! Super hot here in the wilds of New Jersey today, so I’m going to skip the setup and get you straight to this collection of these 10 great hotel direct and OTA distribution posts from the past week. Enjoy:

1. Leading off, we’ve got these “3 Myths About Hotel Direct Revenue You Must Stop Believing” for you. Great stuff.
2. You also won’t want to miss these “8 Outstanding Insights: the Top Travel Marketing Posts of Summer, 2016.” Definitely worth your time.
3. One of the reasons you’ll want to pay attention to the tips outlined above comes from Business Travel News, who report that “Hotel Occupancy Flattens Across Global Regions.” It seems like the good ol’ days are starting to come to an end. Most of the RevPAR growth in the past year has come more from rate than occupancy. While that’s a good way to gain growth, it’s also a sign that demand for rooms is beginning to fall, the supply of rooms is increasing, or, most likely, a bit of both. Definitely time to get ready for a tougher market ahead.
4. Inc. Magazine looks at “3 Travel Hacks Millennials Use and You Should Too.” Interesting insight into how millennials — and many consumers, really — actually shop for travel and well worth your time.
5. In other less-welcome news, HotelMarketing says that “In Search of Hotels, More Travelers Turn To OTAs Than Hotel Websites.” That’s not great, really.
6. EyeForTravel looks at “OTAs vs Hotels: Why ‘An Old and Tired Story’ Keeps Running.” Well, for starters, there’s things like this: “OTA’s vs. Chain Brands: Expedia Comes Out Swinging.” Though, I suppose, we also ought to consider “A Fair and Balanced Look at Balancing Direct and OTA Business” too. OTA’s have their role to play in your distribution strategy. It’s your job to ensure you use them correctly.
7. Before moving on, Director in the UK explains how “Booking.com Envisions the Future of Travel.” Absolutely something you should check out, if for no other reason than “know your competition.”
8. And on a highly related note, TheStreet says “Here’s Why TripAdvisor Is Becoming the Facebook of Online Travel” that you should take a look at too.
9. If you’re looking to grow your direct business, these “5 Helpful Hospitality Marketing Stories for You” from our Hospitality Marketing Link Digest are worth a look.
10. And, finally, pay attention to these “Four Key Elements of Modern Hospitality Marketing” to help you reach and attract more guests to your hotel. You’ll be glad you did.

If you’re looking for even more travel marketing goodness, you might also want to take a moment to review the slides from my recent seminar, “Digital Marketing Directions 2016: The Key Trends Driving Your Hotel Marketing Next Year” here:

Finally, you will definitely want to check out some of our past coverage of the mobile, local, social web and how to make it work for your hotel, including:

• Is Social a Waste of Time for Hotel Marketers?
• 5 Fantastic Insights Into 2016 Travel Marketing Trends: Hospitality Marketing Link Digest
• 6 Key Hotel E-commerce Tips: A Cheat Sheet to Drive Direct Business
• 5 Hospitality Marketing Trends You’ll Want to Keep in Mind: Hospitality Marketing Link Digest
• Expedia’s Accelerator Program: A Wolf in Wolf’s Clothing
• For Travel Marketers, Content is Still King
• Trends in Hospitality Digital Marketing for 2016
• 8 Great Posts About 2016’s Top Trends: Hospitality Marketing Link Digest
• 5 Key Facts About Mobile, Millennials, and Hotel Marketing
• How Safe Are Independent Hotels from Airbnb?