As more North Americans use online travel agencies like Expedia and Booking.com (an estimated 40 percent), hoteliers have to get smart about competing for those travel dollars. That means competing on price as one approach, Sean Fitzpatrick, CEO of OTA Insight, tells us in this episode of the Hospitality Podcast. “The hotel industry is going through a significant period of disruption with the rise of Online Travel Agents,” Fitzpatrick said. “Hotel operators are wrestling with a huge amount of information that has a significant impact on their business.”
It’s a great time to be a hotelier, with the industry seeing a record period of growth. Not only is supply growing, but so are levels of demand and the number of channels to market to. But with a wide range of fluctuating room rates, it’s still difficult to offer guests consistency and value. Enter data. Fitzpatrick discusses how that data is being used to help solve the recurring issue of rate parity across the hotel industry. “OTA pulls all that info, rationalizes it and presents it in a simple way that empowers the hoteliers to make smarter revenue decisions,” Fitzpatrick said.
For the latest news, videos, and podcasts in the Hospitality Industry, be sure to subscribe to our industry publication.
Follow us on social media for the latest updates in B2B!
Twitter – @HospitalityMKSL
Facebook – facebook.com/marketscale
LinkedIn – linkedin.com/company/marketscale
The skilled trades are undergoing a shift as experienced workers retire faster than new talent enters the field. According to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, demand for HVAC technicians is projected to grow 8% by 2034. That’s much faster than average — and shows the urgency of attracting and keeping new talent. While…
Sales enablement is having a moment—and for good reason. As organizations grow more global, product portfolios expand through acquisition, and AI tools flood the market, sales teams are under pressure to ramp faster, stay consistent, and sell smarter. Effective sales enablement can improve win rates and shorten sales cycles, yet many companies still struggle…
Gen Alpha’s coming of age is reshaping retail, with children playing a more visible role in purchase decisions through early preferences around color, comfort, and self-expression. Research continues to show that kids increasingly influence household purchases, especially in apparel and lifestyle categories, pushing brands to rethink how early identity, confidence, and joy are designed…
Healthcare systems across the U.S. are facing a persistent and worsening medical worker shortage, particularly in allied health roles that keep hospitals, clinics, and surgery centers running. Rural access gaps, rising tuition costs, and skepticism about the ROI of traditional degrees are colliding with urgent employer demand. At the same time, momentum is building…
Sustainability is no longer optional in hospitality—it’s the expectation. A recent Booking.com report found that 84 percent of global travelers now prioritize making their trips more sustainable, raising the bar for hotels worldwide. Yet too many properties are still relying on the basics—like towel reuse cards or energy-saving reminders—that guests increasingly see as table stakes….
The hospitality industry has weathered enormous shifts in the last five years, from pandemic‑era shutdowns to evolving guest expectations. Although hotels are projected to add over 14,000 employees in 2025, staffing levels are still well below pre‑pandemic (2019) figures. For hotel professionals, visibility and adaptability are critical, not only in operations but in how they…
