Hotels and OTAs Shift Focus From Booking Channels to Guest Experience

At WiT Singapore 2025, hotel leaders and online travel agencies (OTAs) reached a rare point of alignment: the future of hospitality isn’t about direct versus indirect bookings—it’s about trust, emotion, and the guest experience.

Moderated by Kerry Healy, Chief Commercial Officer for Accor’s premium, midscale and economy brands across the Middle East, Africa, Turkey and Asia Pacific, the panel brought together industry heavyweights:

Puneet Mahindroo, Group Director of Revenue Management & Distribution, COMO Hotels and Resorts
Boon Sian Chai, Managing Director and VP of International Markets, Trip.com Group
Laura Houldsworth, Managing Director, Asia Pacific, Booking.com

Together, they reinforced a fresh perspective: guests don’t care which channel they used to book—they care about how they feel when they arrive.

From Channels to Experience

Healy reframed the long-standing direct-versus-OTA debate with one question: “When was the last time a guest told you what channel they booked on?” The panel agreed that hospitality’s real battleground is no longer distribution—it’s seamless experience orchestration.

Trip.com: Empowerment Over Ownership

Chai noted that Trip.com’s goal isn’t to “own” customers but to empower them. With tools like Trip Genie and social platform Trip Moments, the OTA aims to enhance discovery, not just transactions. He emphasized the importance of service, noting the company’s global 20-second call response standard and that more than half of guest inquiries happen before booking—evidence of Trip.com’s role in shaping decisions early.

Booking.com: Humanizing Travel Tech

Houldsworth challenged misconceptions about OTAs being purely algorithm-driven. Technology, she said, should enrich human connection, not replace it. With 350 million reviews and a growing focus on inspiration, Booking.com is shifting further up the funnel, becoming a trusted part of the dreaming and planning process—not just checkout.

COMO: Fixing the Real Problem—Data Silos

Mahindroo argued that distribution is no longer the issue—trust and data fragmentation are. He pointed to common friction points like repeated information requests or mismatched spa bookings as signs of disconnected systems. COMO’s strategy emphasizes “experience orchestration,” aligning every touchpoint to create emotional loyalty, not just transactions.

Trust, Friction, and Retention

All panelists agreed that reducing friction is essential. As Chai noted, technology should eliminate frustration—not reinforce it. Houldsworth added that accountability must be shared: “We all want to own the customer until something goes wrong.”

The industry’s next evolutionary step, according to Mahindroo, is shifting focus from acquisition cost to guest retention. Real action must happen during the stay—not after a complaint surfaces online.

The New Hospitality Imperative

Healy closed with a powerful reminder: guests will always book where they want—but they’ll return to the brands that make them feel valued.

The future belongs to whoever delivers the simplest, most personal, and most memorable journey—regardless of the channel.

Tags: phocuswire, SyndicEx251116B