In the middle of the last decade, hotels flexed some muscle to take back some semblance of distribution control from the likes of Expedia and Hotels.com, but with Google, Apple and Facebook waiting in the wings, a new study suggests hotels ain’t seen nothing yet.
The 214-page study, Distribution Channel Analysis: A Guide for Hotels, warns that third-party “gatekeepers” such as Google, Facebook and Apple, will expand their influence as “preferred points of entry” when consumers search for hotels and make reservations.
“… It is plausible that upwards of half of the hotel business could ultimately pass through third parties before being delivered to a hotel or brand …” according to the study, which is billed as a special report from the American Hotel & Lodging Association and STR (formerly known as Smith Travel Research).
Read full story at: http://www.tnooz.com/2012/01/25/news/with-google-apple-and-facebook-on-the-prowl-will-hotels-lose-even-more-control-of-distribution/
