STAAH Unveils Top 10 Online Booking Channels For 2021

Here’s a list of top hotel booking revenue makers across the globe. Is your property connected to them?

STAAH, one of the leading cloud-based hotel distribution and guest booking platforms, has unveiled the lists of online channels that brought the greatest booking revenue to hotels and vacation rentals in 2021.

The lists, which vary across 10 of the world’s popular travel destinations, reveal a broader range of consumer choices, although common preferences stand-out.

Booking.com is the top online travel agent (OTA) globally, and is among the top 3 channels across all key destinations measured, including New Zealand, Australia, Thailand, Indonesia, India, Singapore, Sri Lanka, Philippines, Malaysia and United Kingdom.

Expedia and Agoda make it to the top 5 spots across these destinations as well. Go MMT holds strong in the top spot for the Indian market, but there are a number of new entrants in the top 10 spots, including Happyeasygo, HRS and EaseMyTrip. The increased popularity of Airbnb as a channel is also seen in Sri Lanka, Philippines, Thailand and Australia. The new entrants to the top spots also reflect the strengthening of local and regional distribution channels as a result of restricted international travel.

The annual lists also highlight the importance of direct bookings for hotels, with hotel websites maintaining their top positioning in all destinations over the full 2021 year. In a pandemic year, these commission-free bookings have been a boon for cash-strapped property owners.

“The pandemic has levelled the playing field for many distribution channels,” says Tony Howlett, Chief Operating Officer at STAAH Ltd. “With international travel restricted, travellers are turning to regional channels and hotel websites (direct bookings). The staycation demand could be one driving up Airbnb preference as travellers seek authentic experiences at home.”

STAAH’s top 10 distribution channel list is a guide for property owners to connect with top-performing channels in their region via the STAAH channel manager. However, it is not just about connecting to all top channels; it is equally about ensuring the channel is right for you and more importantly, you optimise your listing on these channel to attract more bookings.

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