The battle between direct bookings and OTAs is one of the most important topics in the hotel industry today. Travelers often assume that OTAs (like Bookingcom and Expedia) offer the best deals, but our latest research challenges that belief.

We analysed 30 destinations across 15 countries, comparing direct booking prices with OTA prices. The results? Direct bookings often offer the best deal—especially in Europe. However, in some regions, OTAs still dominate.

As we count down to ITB Berlin, the world’s leading travel trade show, we’re launching a 7-day blog series to reveal the real booking trends in each country.

After ITB, we will continue unveiling a new country or destination every week to keep the conversation going.

What Our Data Shows (Worldwide Trends)

From 300 hotel price comparisons across 30 countries, we found that: 

✅ 59% of the time, direct bookings were cheaper
❌ 40% of the time, OTAs offered better prices
⚖️ 1% were neutral (same price)

The numbers shift depending on the region: 

🌍 Europe leads the way – In 65% of cases, direct booking wins
🏨 The EU market is strong – 64% of direct bookings were better
🌎 Outside Europe, OTAs dominate – In 70% of cases, OTAs had better deals

What’s Coming in the Next Days?

Starting tomorrow, we’ll zoom in on 7 countries we analysed each day.

Each post will: 

🔹 Reveal which cities/destinations we checked
🔹 Show the biggest price differences between OTAs & direct bookings
🔹 Explain why certain markets favour OTA bookings more
🔹 Share insights into local travel trends & sustainability
🔹 Highlight how travel apps can help travellers make better choices

Our journey does not end in Berlin. It is just the beginning. After Berlin, we will continue releasing weekly deep dives into specific destinations and cities, featuring interviews with hoteliers, travel experts, and travelers.

Why This Matters

Rate parity has fallen in Europe, but nobody knows! We want to make travellers aware that at least 65% of the time, you Book Better Direct. Hotels are fighting back against OTA commissions that eat into their profits (15-30% per booking). 

But travellers also win with direct bookings: 

✅ Lower prices
✅ Better communication, cancellation policies & upgrades
✅ More sustainable travel (supporting local businesses)

If you’re a hotelier, travel business, or traveller, stay with us for the next 7 days as we uncover the true cost of bookings around the world.

 📍 Tomorrow’s destination: Austria 🇦🇹 – Are direct bookings winning or losing?