Online travel platforms boost total sales for independent hotels

As more and more consumers continue to turn to online travel platforms to plan their travels, the services have become crucial for independent hotels. For these smaller businesses, online travel platforms serve both as a marketing tool, as well as a means of gaining visibility amongst the major hotel chains. In a 2021 survey of independent hotels in Europe, a total of 80 percent of respondents surveyed indicated that online travel platforms like Expedia, Booking.com, Airbnb, Trip.com, etc. increased the overall amount of bookings they received. Only a minority of the independent hoteliers surveyed (15%) did not see any effect on their business, while just under 5 percent believed that online travel platforms reduced their total bookings.