The Advantages and Disadvantages of Working With an Online Travel Agency

An online travel agency is a business that provides a platform for the sale and purchase of travel products such as air tickets, hotels, lodging, car rentals, cruises, tours and other related services. Online travel agencies (OTAs) act as intermediaries between a travel supplier like an airline or hotel and their customers by providing booking capabilities, and also often provide additional travel information and content such as reviews and tips.

The main benefit of working with an OTA is that they offer your property access to large audiences that wouldn’t be available on your own. OTAs are a great way to grow your visibility and drive bookings.

They’re an easy-to-use, convenient and flexible distribution channel. They can help you reach new audiences, as well as offer you the chance to experiment with a variety of pricing and marketing strategies.

Unfortunately, online travel agencies are not without their pitfalls. For example, many travelers have been lured in by low prices offered through OTAs only to find that those prices do not include all of the fees and taxes associated with the transaction. OTAs can also be prone to data errors and unavoidable technical difficulties such as outages that prevent the website from being usable for users.

Another drawback is that OTAs may not be transparent with their revenue model, especially in the case of corporate travel. A full-service travel management provider will work with you to make sure your corporate travel program adheres to your company’s travel policy and that employees enjoy a seamless booking experience, while leveraging their data and insights to optimize your budget and costs. online travel agency