We cannot deny the opportunities and visibility that OTAs bring to the tourism industry. They are exceptionally powerful when it comes to presenting your tour to the right traveller, in the right market, at the right time.
When a well-prepared product page is combined with the right pricing, high-quality visuals and strong reviews, OTAs can significantly support your international reach and booking performance. For many tour and experience providers, working with OTAs is not merely an option; it is an important part of their growth strategy.
Today, GetYourGuide and the Tripadvisor/Viator ecosystem are among the best-known names in the industry. However, as the market continues to evolve, platforms such as Klook, Traveloka, KKday, Trip.com, Civitatis and Headout are also creating valuable sales opportunities across different regions.
Considering today’s market conditions, has the train already left the station? Do new or less-visible businesses still have a chance?
We believe the opportunity is still there. However, the rules of the game have changed.
Simply Being Listed on an OTA Is No Longer Enough
The growth of OTAs has created major opportunities for tourism businesses, but it has also resulted in intense competition. In many destinations, travellers now see a large number of identical or very similar tours and experiences listed side by side.
From a traveller’s perspective, these platforms can sometimes resemble an enormous shopping centre: the windows are full, the choices are endless, and many of the products appear almost identical at first glance.
So how does a traveller decide?
Most people naturally choose something they recognise, have previously experienced or already trust. This behaviour is not limited to the travel industry. Even when buying the smallest everyday product—even a pack of chewing gum—we often choose the brand we already know.
People generally prefer a reliable and predictable experience over uncertainty.
When travelling to a completely unfamiliar part of the world, this need for trust becomes even stronger.
OTAs Create Trust; Brands Create a Reason to Choose
GetYourGuide, Tripadvisor/Viator, Trip.com and other major platforms provide travellers with an established and professional purchasing environment. Platform policies, content standards, business verification procedures and supplier acceptance requirements may vary depending on the platform and market.
Together, these elements can help customers feel more confident when making a booking.
However, even when travellers trust the platform, they are still faced with many options within the same category. This is where brand value becomes important.
The question in the traveller’s mind is no longer simply:
“Can I trust this platform?”
The real question is:
“Why should I purchase this particular experience from this particular business?”
Your tour name, itinerary or description may be similar to those of your competitors. However, your service standards, story, expertise, history, reviews and relationship with your guests can set you apart.
For this to happen, your business must become more than an OTA listing. It needs to become a recognisable and researchable brand.
What Do Travellers See When They Search for You?
A guest who discovers your tour on an OTA may not book immediately. They might search for your business on Google, read your reviews, visit your website or check your social media profiles.
What do they find during that research?
- Do you have an up-to-date Google Business Profile?
- Does your business have its own professional website?
- Are customer reviews answered regularly?
- Is your brand presented consistently across different platforms?
- Is it clear that there is a genuine, accessible and experienced team behind the tour?
- Is it easy to contact your business or book directly?
- Do your photos, descriptions and communication style inspire confidence?
The answers to these questions shape your brand value.
Branding is not simply about having an attractive logo or choosing distinctive colours. Branding is the complete impression travellers receive when they research your business.
OTAs Are Your Sales Channels; Your Brand Belongs to You
OTAs continuously improve their systems, ranking models and user experiences. These platforms will continue to be among the first places travellers visit when searching for tours and activities.
And that is exactly how it should be.
However, no OTA can completely replace your own brand and the sales channels that belong to your business.
Platform policies, ranking systems, commission structures, supplier eligibility requirements and product presentation methods can change over time. These changes are not always within the business owner’s control.
A platform may provide strong visibility today and introduce different ranking, content or eligibility policies tomorrow. This is a natural part of working within third-party platforms and their commercial frameworks.
For this reason, building your entire business strategy around a single platform partnership is not a healthy long-term approach.
Even if your OTA accounts perform extremely well, you should continue developing your brand presence, direct communication channels and customer relationships.
Your Brand May Not Be Equally Visible on Every OTA
On platforms such as GetYourGuide and Tripadvisor/Viator, business or experience-provider information may be presented more prominently to customers. Klook, Headout, Trip.com and other platforms may use different product presentation methods, distribution structures and supplier-information formats.
This does not mean that one platform is good and another is bad. Every OTA has its own target markets, user experience and commercial model.
However, it highlights an important reality for businesses:
Customers may not encounter your brand with the same level of visibility across every sales channel.
Your brand recognition should therefore not depend solely on your visibility within an OTA. Your Google presence, website, social media profiles, reviews and direct communication channels should complete the picture.
The Right Approach Is Not Choosing Between OTAs and Direct Sales
The issue is not simply a choice between OTAs and direct bookings.
The right approach is to make these channels support one another.
OTAs provide visibility, international reach and booking potential. Your website, Google Business Profile and direct communication channels strengthen your brand value, customer relationships and commercial independence.
A healthy digital structure includes:
- Strong and actively managed OTA accounts
- An up-to-date Google Business Profile
- A professional and trustworthy website
- An easy-to-use direct booking system
- Regularly managed customer reviews
- A consistent brand language and visual identity
- Active social media and communication channels
- Accurate performance measurement and reporting
Having one of these does not make the others unnecessary. On the contrary, every channel supports the credibility and performance of the others.
The Important Advantage of Direct Bookings
Bookings received through your own sales channels can help reduce OTA commission costs and allow you to build a direct relationship with your customers.
Of course, direct bookings are not completely free of cost. Website development, payment infrastructure, advertising, content production and system management can all involve operational expenses. However, these investments contribute directly to your own brand, customer data and long-term sales capacity.
The most important difference is this:
A booking received through an OTA improves your performance on that platform. A booking received through your own channel also helps grow your brand.
Conclusion: Use OTAs, but Do Not Neglect Your Brand
OTAs remain extremely important for generating bookings and reaching new markets. When managed correctly, they can make a major contribution to the growth of your business.
However, if you want to build a high-quality and sustainable operation, you should not create a roadmap that depends entirely on these platforms.
You should give your Google Business Profile, website, reviews, direct booking system and brand identity the same level of attention you give your OTA accounts.
Platforms may change, ranking systems may be updated and commercial conditions may evolve. The brand value you build correctly, however, will remain a long-term asset of your business.
OTAs can place you in front of the traveller.
But your brand is what explains why the traveller should choose you.