Hotel Owners Emerge as Overlooked Third Force in OTA Distribution War

The long-running battle between hotel brands and online travel agencies (OTAs) like Expedia and Booking.com has dominated industry headlines, but a new analysis suggests the real power imbalance involves a third party: hotel owners. While brands and OTAs negotiate commission rates and marketing spend, owners often foot the bill and see little direct benefit from loyalty programs or customer acquisition strategies. As artificial intelligence reshapes search and booking, owners may face even greater financial pressure, with brands and OTAs leveraging data to capture more direct bookings at the owner’s expense. The shift raises urgent questions about who truly controls the guest relationship—and who pays for it. Industry experts argue that owners need a seat at the table in distribution strategy, or the economics of hotel ownership could become untenable. The next phase of the distribution war may not be brand versus OTA, but owner versus both.