How Hotels View OTA Partnerships with AI Platforms
As major online travel agencies like Expedia and Booking.com deepen their partnerships with artificial intelligence providers, uncertainty is growing across the hotel sector about the future of distribution. At The Phocuswright Conference, industry leaders explored how AI-driven search will reshape the relationship between hotels, OTAs and travellers.
Kristie Goshow, former chief commercial officer of Peregrine Hospitality, voiced concerns shared across the industry: “We’re all worrying about—are we going to get disintermediated?” Lennert de Jong, CEO of citizenM Hotels, noted that hotels have long struggled to regain distribution control. “Everybody runs over 50% OTA penetration,” he said, adding that citizenM’s decision to align with Marriott was driven by the strength of its loyalty ecosystem.
Accor’s group deputy CEO, Jean-Jacques Morin, compared the rise of AI to previous disruptions—including the emergence of OTAs and Airbnb—that forced hotels to adapt their business models. While acknowledging the challenges, he said the long-term impact may prove favourable. “You still have a very good grip on your customer, on your data, and as long as you’ve got that, your business is to some extent safe.” However, he cautioned that hoteliers will not remain in full control: “We have, on our side, the fact that we have a warm body called the customer.”
Cloudbeds CEO Adam Harris offered a more optimistic perspective, predicting a “re-democratization event” as new search behaviours take hold. He argued that hotels and independent brands will be able to introduce their own MCP layers and agentic capabilities, reducing dependency on intermediaries. “The idea that new intermediaries are going to provide the technical bridge is unnecessary,” he said.
As AI reshapes search, loyalty, and direct booking pathways, hoteliers are preparing for a future where both risk and opportunity increase—and where the balance of power in distribution may shift once again.
Related news: https://airguide.info/category/air-travel-business/artificial-intelligence/, https://airguide.info/category/air-travel-business/travel-business/
Sources: AirGuide Business airguide.info, bing.com