OTAs Are Investing in Stays. Is Your Property Visible?

If you use booking platforms like Booking.com or Agoda, these figures are worth knowing. The platforms’ flight business is shrinking, and the next wave of growth is shifting toward accommodation. Traffic and exposure opportunities will increase, but whether your guesthouse gets seen still depends on whether someone actively manages its listing.

Platforms are shifting their focus toward stays

The latest analysis from international research firm Phocuswright points to a turning point: flights now account for only about one-fifth of booking-platform business, and that share is declining. The reason is simple—travelers increasingly prefer to book flights directly with airlines.

What will drive the platforms’ next phase of growth? Accommodation. The research highlights the importance of hotels and guesthouses to their business.

The market is growing

In 2025, booking platforms generated a total transaction value of USD 100.3 billion in the U.S. market alone, up 4% from the previous year. About one-fifth of all travel bookings are now made through platforms; that share is expected to reach 21% by 2028.

In practical terms: More travelers are getting used to finding, comparing, and booking rooms on platforms. This trend isn’t going away.

But the opportunity is not shared equally

Platforms investing more in stays means more traffic and exposure opportunities. But those opportunities won’t automatically reach every guesthouse.

Platforms rank listings according to their own criteria: photo quality, review scores, response speed, competitive pricing, and how often room availability is updated all affect where you appear.

Among guesthouses in the same area, some are fully booked while others stay quiet all season. The difference often isn’t the property itself, but how it appears on the platform.

Listing is only the beginning

Many owners say, ‘I’m listed—why am I still getting no bookings?’ Because listing is a one-time action, but rankings and room rates keep changing.

1. 1

   Photos shape first impressions: When others update their photos, your ranking and appeal may slip; the two seconds travelers spend scrolling determine whether they stop to look.

2. 2

   Adjust rates with the market during peak season: When peak season arrives or local events are underway, failing to adjust room rates means missing out on revenue you could have earned.

3. 3

   Take an active approach in the off-season: If you don’t lower off-season rates or adjust your offers, your rooms could sit empty all month. Platforms rerank listings daily; bookings go to properties that are consistently managed.

Key Takeaways

1. 1

   Accommodation becomes a key growth driver: Flight bookings on reservation platforms are shrinking, so platforms need accommodation providers more than ever and are more willing to support them.

2. 2

   Traveler habits continue to solidify: The share of the overall travel market represented by platform bookings is expected to grow from about one-fifth to 21% by 2028.

3. 3

   Turn traffic into bookings through active management: Photos, rankings, and room rates determine how many opportunities you capture, and they need ongoing adjustment—not a one-and-done effort.

Talk to H& about what this means for your property:

• Can the photos of my guesthouse on booking platforms hold travelers’ attention through those two seconds of scrolling?
• I’m listed on only one or two platforms. Which other platforms attract guests suited to my room types?
• How should you adjust rates for peak seasons, off-seasons, and local events without missing out on potential revenue?
• Can H& review my current platform performance and identify where I can still grow bookings?