OTA penetration fell drastically during COVID-19 as travelers reached out directly to suppliers to allay safety concerns. But, as we return to the new normal, initial indications are that OTAs are regaining their dominant position within travel distribution.
As lockdowns start to lift, hotel bookings are beginning to pick up. Despite ongoing COVID concerns, people are eager to venture out again and this is very good news as long as travel is managed responsibly, with effective preventative measures in place. With positive signs now visible, lodging operators can look forward to and plan for increasing occupancy rates with more confidence. According to McKinsey s research, the pandemic has accelerated digital transformation by 10 years and today s travel consumers have become more digitally and tech-savvy than ever.
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Hotel prices skyrocketed after power outages. Here s what to know about price gouging.
Natalie B. Compton, The Washington Post
Feb. 17, 2021
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Two major winter storms have left millions without power, and claimed more than a dozen lives since Sunday as a result of cold, snow, ice and power outages.
Those in Texas, where at least 2.5 million residents were still without power on Wednesday morning, seeking refuge during the historic cold snap turned to hotels. But as lodging filled up quickly, some searching for rooms noticed rates exponentially higher than normal.
Dallas local news station WFAA reported that at one point, Hotel.com searches for rooms in the Dallas-Fort Worth area showed Super 8 nightly rates at $400 and Days Inn at $900. On Twitter, screenshots of the Ramada by Wyndham in South Austin nightly rates from $500 to $999 per night went viral.