OTAs Are Winning More Bookings — Here’s What Tour Operators Should Do Next

If direct bookings feel harder lately, it’s not just you.

A new study from Arival.travel—Global Operator Landscape (4th Ed.) — The State of Experiences—based on feedback from 5,000+ operators worldwide, points to a clear shift: direct website bookings are declining, while OTAs are taking a larger share of bookings.

What’s especially telling is that online booking growth has levelled off. The overall share of bookings made online held steady at 60% between 2024 and 2025. But even though the size of the online pie isn’t growing right now, who’s getting the slices is changing. More of that demand is moving through reseller channels, with OTAs rising to 37% of bookings in 2025.

This matters because it changes the economics of growth. For a tour operator, more bookings through the OTA can mean higher volume but also higher costs, weaker customer ownership, and less control over how your brand appears online.

Tour Operators are not just fighting the OTAs. AI is reshaping travel discovery—from how people research to how they compare options and decide what to book. Traditional digital marketing playbooks are being disrupted, and the brands that stay visible will be the ones that adapt fastest.

What leading operators should do now

1) Build a balanced distribution strategy
OTAs can be valuable, but unmanaged dependency is risky. If one channel becomes your main pipeline, you’re exposed to commission changes, algorithm shifts, and sudden demand swings. The goal isn’t to abandon OTAs; it’s to always stay in control.

2) Strengthen your direct presence (even if it’s harder than ever)
Direct demand is tougher to earn today, which makes the fundamentals even more important: a fast website, a smooth mobile booking flow, clear product pages, strong reviews, and content that actually answers what travelers are searching for. Operators that improve their digital storefront still win direct because they remove friction and build trust.

3) Lean into AI early
AI is quickly becoming a new “front door” to travel discovery. Operators who start using LLMs now can move faster: creating better content, improving customer communication, and sharpening conversion. It’s also a way to compete with larger players by operating smarter without necessarily spending more.