OTA pressure is rising in Europe, while Turkey's platform law reaches committee stage
Booking and Expedia control a large share of online hotel sales in Europe, while hotels are trying to protect their direct sales channels. In Türkiye, a draft law regulating foreign digital reservation platforms will be discussed in a parliamentary committee tomorrow.
As the share of online travel platforms (OTAs) in hotel sales grows in Europe, hotels and independent travel agencies find themselves in a difficult position. Booking and Expedia control a large portion of online hotel sales on the continent, while hotels try to protect their direct sales channels.
The European Union is intervening in the price parity rules applied by Booking.com. Independent agencies competing with digital giants must manage both the cost of customer service and the growing power of the platforms.
In Türkiye, a draft law aimed at regulating foreign digital reservation platforms will be discussed on the parliamentary commission's agenda tomorrow.
For hotels and guesthouses in Azerbaijan, this means dependence on international platforms: if a large portion of sales comes from one or two channels, commission costs and price pressure also remain directly dependent on the terms of those channels.