online travel system

Best Online Travel Agencies

Booking.com is our top choice for making your trip arrangements

Ligaya Malones is an editor, blogger, and freelance writer specializing in food and travel. Ligaya's work has appeared in publications including Lonely Planet and BRIDES.

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Planning a trip can be easier through an online travel agency than if you handle each aspect of the planning separately. You can book hotels, air travel, rental cars, and more through a single site, and booking everything together sometimes results in discounts. By inputting a destination, a range of dates, and other preferences, you will see a list of options for each aspect of travel.

The best online travel agencies offer options from the largest number of airlines, hotels, car rental agencies, and more. Look for sites that offer discounts for combining reservations for different aspects of your trip. For example, the best sites will have lower rates if you book both plane tickets and a hotel through their services. The best sites also provide reviews from customers who actually have booked through the service. These are our top picks.

• Best Overall: Booking.com
• Best Budget: Skyscanner
• Best Price Predictor: Hopper
• Most Innovative: Kiwi.com
• Best for Eco-Conscious: Kind Traveler
• Best for Social Impact: I Like Local
• Best for Design-Forward Homestays: Plum Guide
• Our Top Picks
• Booking.com

Kind Traveler

I Like Local

• See More (4)

Final Verdict

Frequently asked questions, methodology, best overall : booking.com.

 Booking.com

This industry leader offers one of the most comprehensive trip planning platforms on the Internet.

Lots of options to choose from

Interface is easy to use

Numerous filters to customize your search

Tricky to tell whether changes/cancellations can be made with Booking.com or the vendor directly

Booking.com was founded in 1996 and has grown into an industry leader that stands out for being one of the most comprehensive trip planning platforms out there. From one website, you can compare and book accommodations, flights (including one-way and multi-city flights), sightseeing activities, and even airport taxis. The website lists more than 28 million accommodation options, from hotels, hostels, and B&Bs to vacation homes and luxury resorts—you can browse more choices per destination on Booking.com than other online travel agencies. The website also performs well on cost and typically returns lower-than-average prices for flights and hotels. 

Booking.com's interface is also easy to use. On the home page, search for a hotel by entering your chosen destination and dates. Then, use the extensive list of filters—such as price range and distance from the city center—to narrow the results down and find the best fit. You can also search for a specific hotel, or seek inspiration by clicking through options grouped by destination or property type or by topic such as the country’s best Michelin-starred hotel restaurants or the top cities for vegan travelers. The flights, car rental, and other tabs are just as intuitive. 

Best Budget : Skyscanner

 Skyscanner

You can compare prices across airlines, hotels, and car rentals.

Simple interface

Option to toggle searches between specific dates or by monthly calendars

Search Everywhere button is great for spontaneous planners

Extra clicks are required to make a final purchase

Must read fine print for changes/cancellations—may need to deal directly with the vendor

Ads on the sidebar can be distracting

Find deals on airfare, hotels, and car rentals with an aggregator site like Skyscanner , which uses a metasearch engine to compare prices from all online travel agencies and the airline, hotel, or car rental company in question. Run searches with fixed dates, opt to compare airfare prices month to month, or click “Cheapest Month.” Searches also include options for nearby airports or non-stop flights only. With hotel searches, you can choose to select only from properties with free cancellation, a cleanliness rating of 4.5/5 or higher, or 3- or 4-starred hotels only. Car rental searches include an option to select “return car to different location.”

Once you’ve found the best rate, click on the link to be redirected to the third-party site to make your booking. Feeling spontaneous? The Search Everywhere button on the homepage offers a list of the cheapest flight deals for destinations both locally and across the world—just plug in your departure airport first.

Best Price Predictor : Hopper

The company claims a 95 percent accuracy rate at predicting when flights and hotel rates will be cheapest.

Color-coded system makes it easy to determine cheapest days to buy

App is easy to use

Option to track flights and receive alerts when the best time to buy arises

Some have mentioned the app functions better as a research tool than a booking tool

Unclear whether Hopper will price match if you find a cheaper flight elsewhere

Hopper is a travel app available on iOS and Android that aims to help travelers save on airfare by usng historical data and their own algorithm to predict when flights will be cheapest. Just type in where and when you’d like to fly and Hopper will present you with a color-coded pricing calendar indicating how much tickets are likely to cost. (Green is the least expensive, then yellow, orange, and red for most expensive.) Hopper will also recommend you either buy now or wait, or you can choose to watch a trip and receive notifications on the best time to buy. In addition, the app has expanded to offer hotel and car rental price predictions, too.

Some newer features since the app’s inception in 2009 include an option to freeze a price for a limited time—for an extra fee—as well as exclusive app-only discounts. Hopper is free to download, and you can choose to book directly through the app, though some users mentioned they use Hopper as more of a research tool before booking directly with the airline or hotel. The company claims a 95 percent accuracy rate at predicting flight rates up to a year ahead.

Most Innovative : Kiwi.com

This metasearch engine scours the web to piece together the ideal itinerary using planes, trains, buses, and more.

Creative itineraries get you where you need to go, especially if you’ve got a multi-stop trip

Kiwi Guarantee offers rebooking or cancellation protections

Nomad option appeals to travelers with a lot of flexibility

Creative itineraries mean you may not fly out of the same airport you flew into

Kiwi Guarantee has an additional fee

Charges all-in-one fee for booking flights, trains, buses (though you can always purchase a la carte)

Travelers planning multi-city destinations and seeking a bargain, as well as those looking to take planes, trains, and automobiles to get there, might consider Kiwi . Kiwi is a metasearch engine that scours and pieces together itineraries from various airlines (even if they don’t have a codeshare agreement), considers multiple airports (even if your arrival airport is different from departure), and offers booking options, whether you’re looking at very specific dates or more general ones (up to 60 nights).

Some will find the ability to make multiple bookings for a particular trip more convenient than going at it manually several different times, though note that you must opt into the Kiwi Guarantee program to access rebooking and refund protections should your reservation change or be canceled. Kiwi’s Nomad option allows you to plug in a bunch of destinations you’d like to visit and the length of your intended stay, and the website will churn out the most affordable itineraries for review.

Best for Eco-Conscious : Kind Traveler

A give-and-get business model means booking accommodations with exclusive perks, a donation to environmental organizations, and more.

All participating hotels include a local give-back component

Exclusive savings and perks

Participating hotels are located in some of the most beautiful places in the world

Inventory is much smaller compared to other booking platforms

Some of the amenities mentioned are based on availability only

In 2022, Kind Traveler (an online trave agency focused on hotel bookings) announced an increase in environmentally and socially conscious hotels, charity donations, voluntourism opportunities, and additional perks like waived resort fees or a welcome amenity.

Unlock exclusive hotel rates and perks from participating Kind Traveler hotels with a minimum $10/night minimum donation to a local charity. For example, stay at the Six Senses Laamu in the Maldives and receive up to $33 off the nightly rate and perks such as a food and beverage credit and an Earth Lab or Alchemy Bar workshop when you make a donation to Manta Trust. The organization funds coastal research to protect the island nation’s large yet fragile population of reef mantas.

Select from more than 140 participating hotels from the Hawaiian Islands to Bozeman, Montana, and the Maldives. Charities include wildlife, human rights, arts, education, and environmental preservation organizations.

Best for Social Impact : I Like Local

Choose from a host of travel experiences with the peace of mind that 100 percent of the cost goes directly to local partners.

Social impact mission woven into organization’s business model

Immersive experiences led by local guides

Range of experiences offered

May not be best fit for those seeking upscale, luxury experiences and stays

Can’t sort experiences by a list of countries (though an interactive map is available)

No experiences outside of Africa and Asia

For an online travel agency with a booking platform designed to route dollars spent directly to the communities travelers intend to visit, consider I Like Local . Visit the website to browse a host of travel experiences in countries including Indonesia, Kenya, and Cambodia. Experiences include homestays and farmstays as well as wellness and culturally oriented experiences—from cooking and cycling tours to weaving classes.

To search for an experience, select from drop-down items like travel dates and experience categories, or view a global map and click on a country to view experiences that way.

The platform got its start in 2014 and has grown to 4,000 local hosts across nearly 20 countries. As a social impact organization, 100 percent of each booking fee goes to local hosts. To date, 16,000 travelers have booked with I Like Local.

Best for Design-Forward Homestays : Plum Guide

Browse and book seriously vetted, design-forward vacation homes.

Highly curated inventory of vacation rentals across the world

Design-forward

Thorough vetting process

Does not publish guest reviews

Other platforms have homes available across more destinations

When it comes to booking a vacation home, serviced apartment, or condo, travelers are spoiled for choice. Plum Guide is an online travel agency that specializes in accommodations—though not just any home makes its directory. The company claims that each potential home listed on its site must jump through 150 hoops to be included, from internet speed and mattress and pillow quality to the showers’ water pressure and the home’s proximity to dining, shopping, and attractions.

Search by a featured collection on the website such as “ pet-friendly homes ” or “one-of-a-kind homes in Palm Springs.” Scroll to the bottom of its homepage to view its top destinations, as well as a list of all destinations where Plum Guide homes are available, including Barbados, Mexico, Portugal, Switzerland, the U.S., and Turkey. Note: From the top right-hand corner of the site, use the dropdown menu to select currency of choice.

As long as you know what you value most out of your travel experience—such as affordability, social impact, or luxe accommodations—there’s an online travel agency to help plan your next trip. Be sure to read the fine print, as some agencies are third-party websites and not direct vendors. If you're not sure where to start, Booking.com is your best bet for a smooth user experience and hard-to-beat offers on flights, hotels, and other travel arrangements.

What Is the Biggest Travel Agency?

Our choice for best overall, Booking.com, is known as an industry leader with listings for all major hotels, airlines, car rental companies, and more. It boasts more choices for accommodations per destination than any other site, and we found its interface to be user-friendly.

Are Online Travel Agencies Worth It?

This depends on your needs and priorities. The best online travel agencies certainly can save time by booking everything all at once. However, if you're someone who is good at haggling and enjoys the details of planning a trip, you might be able to find better deals by reaching out to hotels or other destinations and speaking to someone personally.

Is It Cheaper to Book Online Than With a Travel Agent?

Not always. A travel agent you know and trust should have the experience and connections to find deals that can match or surpass what you'll find online. Additionally, if something goes wrong, travel agents provide you with an actual person you can use as an advocate to correct the problem . But if you don't have access to a good travel agent, online sites still provide plenty of ways to streamline planning and save money .

We considered dozens of online travel agencies and narrowed down the options based on user experience, volume and quality of inventory, unique offerings and specials, and customer reviews. We also assessed travel companies’ environmentally and socially conscious policies.

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Online Travel Booking System: The Ultimate Checklist

• International Tour Operators
• Sales & Bookings
• Customer Experience

The global travel & tourism market is steadily growing and will reach an estimated 2.2 billion users by 2027 . This goes to show the sheer importance of running an efficient tour operation. 

What is the key to a seamless travel booking experience? That’s easy. It’s a convenient, easy-to-use booking system. Choosing the right online travel booking system for your tour company is paramount, and honestly, a game-changer (for your business and the overall customer user experience). 

That said, to stand out from the competition, you need more than just a convenient booking and payment solution. You need the whole package, with features that simplify and streamline all your processes from the moment someone books a tour, all the way through to the after-sales service. 

This 3-step guide will show you how to choose the ideal travel booking software for your business. 

Choosing The Right Online Travel Booking System 

We’ve curated three straightforward steps for choosing the ultimate travel booking system for your tour company. Ready to take your online booking processes to a whole new level? Let’s get started. 

Step 1 - Honest Evaluation Of Your Current Processes And Your Needs

This is two-fold. You need to evaluate your business from an operational and customer experience point of view. 

Does your current process resonate with your audience, or do they find it difficult to understand and use? You’ll be able to identify what their pain points are with a quick analysis of any negative reviews received. If you’ve sent out customer surveys, this is also a useful tool to understand feedback from the user experience. 

From an operational perspective, are you spending a lot of time on admin, payment issues, and communicating with your clients? These are all signs that it’s time for an upgrade. 

1. Analyze Your Current Process

Ask yourself what your goals are for your online travel booking processes. Then consider how your current processes hold up against closer scrutiny. To get to the core issues, perform a gap analysis to compare your current performance metrics with what you hope to achieve. 

It’s also crucial to research different software options to see what’s out there and what could benefit your tour operation the most. A platform like WeTravel gives you access to a 360 solution , taking control of all areas of your business so that you can focus on the most important part - providing an incredible travel experience. 

2. Needs vs Wants

Be realistic about your actual needs, and the needs of your clients, vs your wants . Don’t be distracted by bells and whistles that your booking platform doesn’t need. Choose only the features that you know you will use or that could improve your business. 

Did you know that WeTravel has an option to try the software for free ? Better yet, choose the Basic Plan to get started (did we mention that this plan is also free?) 

Step 2 - Draw Up Your Checklist Of Crucial Online Travel Booking System Features 

Once you have identified your unique areas of concern, and what you most need from an online travel booking system, it’s time to draw up a checklist of required features. This will guide you in your choice, taking emotion out of the equation so you can make a data-driven decision for your business.

Real-Time Bookings

Real-time bookings are a must! The system you choose should update booking availability continuously and instantly. 

When your customers can see the current availability and secure their reservations instantly, their customer journey is a calm and happy one. It saves them the disappointment and frustration of choosing a destination, only to discover that it is no longer available.

Automated Communications

Automated communications streamline the entire trip booking process for customers and travel agents alike. They offer significant benefits, saving time and improving the customer journey.

This includes abandoned cart reminders and disputed payment support. It also includes valuable features like pre-departure safety tips and general info about their destination. Communication doesn’t have to stop after the vacation is over. 

You’ll increase the chances of repeat business with post-trip communications. An example is sending out automated messages asking what they enjoyed about their trip, and inviting them to leave a review. 

Learn more about the best practices for client communications, here . 

User-Friendly Interface

Your online booking system should offer a user-friendly interface with a clean, uncluttered look and an embedded checkout link for your website. This makes online travel bookings more accessible to users who aren’t technologically savvy, and would normally be hesitant to make payments online. 

Integrates With Social Media For Online Booking Versatility

With so many people scrolling through social media for news, entertainment, and shopping, it’s no surprise that many access information about travel there as well. This is why social media marketing is one of the most effective ways your travel businesses can boost engagement . 

It’s just as important to the travel booking experience. If they have to go off-platform to book a trip, you risk losing that customer. Your booking software should ideally allow people to book a trip with your company directly from that social media platform .

Low Learning Curve For Your Employees

When switching to a new online travel booking system with unfamiliar booking and payment solutions, your staff need to get to grips with the new tech, fast. 

The more time it takes to train your travel agents or tour operators on the new software, the more time will be lost while trying to get your booking processes on track. Choose a system with a low learning curve and excellent technical support. 

Secure Payment Gateway

When conducting business online, you need to be able to accept payments 24/7, safely and securely. So a secure payment gateway is critical. 

To provide your customers with maximum convenience, it should allow payments in multiple currencies (with competitive exchange rates), and accept most major credit cards. Here’s a comprehensive list of payment features to consider when choosing a payment platform .  

Payment gateways can carry high commission fees, and this can negatively impact your profits. Worse still, factoring in those costs means your customer will share the burden with you. So choose an online travel booking system with a payment gateway that addresses this issue, head-on. 

For example, WeTravel pricing starts at an ultra-low processing fee of 1%.

Curious about what you can achieve with WeTravel?

Data Security

Data security is one feature you can never overlook. The right online travel booking system will offer security for client data as well as your own. This includes the protection of personal data, as well as payment data.

Why is online payment security so important? 

It protects you and your customer from fraud, but also builds a relationship of trust with your customer base. Only choose a booking and payments system that ensures the protection of sensitive data and adheres to payment card industry (PCI) standards.

Mobile Friendly

Mobile phone use trends are shaping the travel industry . Is the booking system you’re considering mobile-friendly? This is essential, as so many of your customers will be booking their trips on mobile devices. 

But it goes beyond customer convenience. It has to be convenient for you, too. 

You should be able to check in on your travel bookings at any time, from anywhere. This means that the online travel booking system you choose should have a mobile-friendly UX and an app for your agents to use, on-the-go. 

Versatility In Pricing And Structure

The online travel booking system you choose should offer you flexible pricing options and optional add-ons, so you can choose what works best for your tour company. You should also have access to customizable elements like branded email communications and branded customer dashboards. 

As an example of this, WeTravel offers these customizable branding possibilities. 

Some of our features are reserved for Pro and Enterprise plans. But ALL plans, including the free one, include unlimited bookings & team members, with integrated payment processing and support for your team and customers. 

A major benefit of using WeTravel? The platform is scaled to grow with your business. 

Step 3 - Make The Transition

After you have found the online travel booking system that meets your needs, it’s time to make the transition. Despite your eagerness to get started, your staff must be well-prepped and ready for the switch to your new booking and payment solution.

Training And Support 

If you’ve chosen a system that is easy to set up and requires very little training, it’ll make the transition that much easier. 

The simple setup is just one of the many reasons that over 5000 companies use WeTravel to simplify their online bookings and payment processes. It’s user-friendly for both travel agency staff and the people booking their trips. Have a look at some of our success stories and see for yourself. 

Top-tier support should be a standard feature. Did you know that WeTravel offers a support team available to you on ALL plans? 

WeTravel understands the need for ongoing support, on all levels. This transcends technical issues and includes tutorials and academic guidance. That’s why joining the WeTravel community gives you access to e-books and guides, as well as tools and templates that streamline your workflows.

Continuous Learning

The travel industry is a dynamic force, adapting to and meeting the needs of an ever-more demanding global audience. 

Making the transition to more functional booking and payment solutions is a step in the right direction. But to continue offering your clients maximum value, you must stay up-to-date with the latest trends. So cultivate a culture of continuous learning in your staff. 

Keep abreast of travel industry developments, and stay informed about best practices. Participate in travel industry-specific webinars that help you to unlock your company’s potential growth. Or join the thousands of industry professionals taking our Academy courses to hone their online business skills.

The right online travel booking system for your tour business should focus on features that really matter. It should provide simplicity, convenience, security, and ongoing support. 

WeTravel is more than just a booking and payment solution for travel companies of all sizes. We are the solution, with features that offer an easier and more enjoyable travel booking experience for both you and your valued customers. 

Are you ready to give the travel community the convenient, user-friendly, and secure travel booking and payment platform it deserves?  WeTravel will help you do that. Contact us today for a free demo .

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Services : OTRAMS can drive your agency operations with Booking Engines for Hotels, Flights, Transfers and Car Rentals. It adds layer or services like Activities booking, Group Booking, Dynamic Packages for your agency to deliver a complete travel experience.

Additional services like Visa booking, Local Contracting, Extranet, Travel Insurance booking provides you the opportunity to create a well-rounded services portfolio for your business.

Global Presence : OTRAMS is the flagship travel ERP system of Qtech Software used by over 50 travel companies in over 36 countries. It delivers a travel booking engine par excellence, features travel inventory management with multiple API integrations and back-office software.

Security & Reliability : Its security systems and comprehensive set of features make it the trusted choice of global B2B and B2C players. With strong security protocols and business intelligence features you can drive your travel business with 100% confidence. OTRAMS is the preferred travel booking software for agencies all around the world!

Industry Leading Customer Support : Our travel booking systems include access to our dedicated customer support structure. All our clients get a dedicated key account manager with 24×7 support. OTRAMS also has an inbuilt CMS for customer communication and multilingual support.

In the age of the internet, a company’s growth potential is only limited by two factors- its imagination and its technology. With OTRAMS, you can unlock the next phase of growth, and bring your business goals to fruition.

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Qtech Software is a technology company you can trust. For over 15 years we have been delivering excellence through our products and services.

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In 2024, we proudly maintain our position as the Middle East’s Leading Travel ERP Technology Provider.

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Category: Travel

Date: May 31, 2024

Online Travel Agencies – A Brief Introduction

The role of an online travel agency (OTA) is becoming increasingly important in the accommodation industry as they provide a convenient way for travelers to arrange their stay. From the comfort of their home, travelers can compare hotel prices and book them over the internet. 

In this blog, we are going to discuss what an OTA is, the best OTA platforms, travel website development and how to do it right, and more.

Ready? Let’s go.

What Are Online Travel Agencies?

An online travel agency (OTA) arranges and sells accommodations, tours, transportation and trips on an online platform for travelers. They are third parties who sell services on behalf of other companies.

Usually, these OTAs offer many benefits with added convenience with more of a self-service approach. They also include a built-in booking system which allows instant bookings.

How Do Online Travel Agencies Work?

OTAs generally work on two models. They are,

1. Merchant Model

In this model, hotels sell rooms to OTAs at a discounted or wholesale price. Then, the OTA sells them to the customer at a markup price

2. Agency Model

This is a commission-based model where OTAs acts as a distribution partner. OTAs receive full commission after the stay has taken place. The hotel directly receives the payment from the end customer and does not wait for the payment transfer from third-party distributors.

What Are the Benefits of Partnering with Online Travel Agencies?

In one word – exposure! Online travel agents get thousands of website visitors from all over the world. Plus, they have positioned themselves as an authority on everything related to travel. So, people trust the recommendation they receive from OTAs.

By listing in OTAs, accommodation businesses like hotels not only reach a vast set of audience but will also find their service among many other reputable sources of information.

In addition, hotels that are listed on OTAs can also benefit from what is referred to as the ‘billboard effect’. This means that OTAs provide a form of advertising for service providers such as hotels on their platforms. Once the user gains this awareness, they may even go to the website of that particular hotel to make a direct booking.

What Are the Advantages and Disadvantages of Selling Through Online Travel Agents?

Accommodation businesses like hotels and B&Bs have pros and cons of getting listed in OTAs. Let’s take a look at them.

Advantages Of Online Travel Agents

• Low-cost method of selling accommodation services
• Reduced online marketing spend as OTAs invest in advertising to attract potential customers
• Impartial reviews give customers the confidence to book
• Users can easily compare various accommodation costs at one place

Disadvantages Of Online Travel Agents

• Commission rates are charged on every sale. It can range between 10-15% of the gross cost
• Restrictive cancellation terms
• Even if accommodation businesses use OTAs, the need for their own website and booking engine does not go away
• Investment in a balanced multi-channel strategy may be needed to boost sales

Even though OTAs can help to fill your rooms, accommodation businesses must try to maximize revenue through their own website. Consistent work on search engine optimization tactics and other digital marketing techniques is a must. Accommodation businesses must focus on customer retention techniques and directly target their existing customers through emails and direct marketing.

How To Start An Online Travel Agency?

Travel agencies no longer inform customers about the availability of flights and rooms. They issue rooms and get a commission from the respective accommodation businesses. That is why most of the new travel businesses follow the OTA model.

If you plan to enter the OTA arena, you can specialize in pilgrimages, leisure travel, business travel or any niche. But, focusing on how effectively you offer things is the key to success.

Here Are Some Points You Have To Consider When Starting An Online Travel Agency.

• Register the name of your agency and if applicable, take a license as per your local laws
• Try to get a membership in IATA or any other reputed travel organization
• Gain more knowledge about the travel industry and particularly the nice you want to concentrate
• Get your travel website designed by a professional company like ColorWhistle
• Offer deals that focus on a specific geography. Focusing on a particular niche will also bring more success
• Publicize your business in the online space
• Utilize the power of blogging
• Create a good social media presence

Why Do People Use Online Travel Agencies?

 here are some of the main reasons they prefer ota’s..

• Few OTAs offer reward programs which can be used for future travel needs
• Special rates which cannot be found elsewhere
• Some OTAs may have generous cancellation policies. For example, Priceline does not offer any penalty if the user cancels the ticket until the end of the next business day
• Most users may not have an idea on where to book other than an OTA
• OTAs make it easy to compare different rates

Which Are the Best OTA Platforms?

1. booking.com.

Booking.com is one of the largest accommodations websites which has now expanded to smaller markets such as family-operated bed and breakfast, vacation rentals and self-catering apartments.

Interesting statistics

• Every day, 1,550,000 nights are booked
• 68% of nights booked came from families and couples
• 42% of nights booked came from unique places such as homes and apartments
• 38% of reviews are given by guests which are useful for other travelers
• 75% of nights booked come from guests who booked more than 5 times

2. Expedia’s Hotels.com

Expedia’s Hotels.com is a popular brand which has a global audience and attracts diverse travelers. The company gained more power in the industry by acquiring Travelocity.

• Gets over 675 million monthly site visits
• Operates in 70+ countries and 40+ languages
• Attracts 75 million monthly flight shoppers

Airbnb revolutionized the travel accommodation industry by introducing home-sharing. The website has diverse listings and travelers get a sense of safety as they can know their guest’s identity.

• 2.9 million hosts are present on Airbnb
• Average of 800k stays each night
• 14k new hosts join every month

Apart from these major OTAs, there are many small ones such as OneTravel, Vayama, Tripsta, TravelMerry, ExploreTrip, Kiss&Fly, Webjet, GoToGate, Travelgenio, Bookairfare, Fareboom, Skybooker, Travel2be, OneTwoTrip!, and eBookers.

Drive Conversions and Boost your Business with Expert Travel Website Development.

What the future holds for online travel agencies.

It is clear that, in the near future, accommodation businesses are not about to back down from OTAs. They are enjoying the billboard effect and trying their best to retain website visitors and convert them into direct booking. 

Sure, there is a cost involved. The upside of this is that accommodation businesses are working hard to create a loyal customer base that will continue to seek direct bookings.

The chances of OTAs suffering in the long run are pretty slim. Smaller accommodation businesses have a lot to gain from the exposure they receive through OTAs. Plus, a large portion of the younger generation prefers OTAs. So their market will continue to grow.

If you need any help to design, develop or market an OTA website, contact our travel web design and development experts at ColorWhistle . 

We can create an amazing website with beautiful designs combined with dynamic content such as live rates and special offers. Contact us today for your free business analysis and consultation.

In quest of the Perfect Travel Tech Solutions Buddy?

Be unrestricted to click the other trendy writes under this title that suits your needs the best!

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• GDS OTA Travel Meta Searchengines
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About the Author - Anjana

Anjana is a full-time Copywriter at ColorWhistle managing content-related projects. She writes about website technologies, digital marketing, and industries such as travel. Plus, she has an unhealthy addiction towards online marketing, watching crime shows, and chocolates.

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The Pros and Cons of Booking Through Online Travel Agencies

After spending seven years in the U.S. Air Force as an Arabic linguist, Carissa is now a freelance writer using points and miles to fund a four-year (and counting!) adventure. She previously worked as a reporter for The Points Guy. Her writing has since been featured in numerous publications, including Forbes, Business Insider, and The Balance. When she's not flying, you'll usually find her in a Priority Pass lounge somewhere, sipping tea and cursing slow Wi-Fi.

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You’re likely already familiar with online travel agencies, even if you don’t travel often. These companies — such as Priceline , Expedia and Orbitz — act as intermediaries between you and a travel provider.

Booking your travel through an OTA can be a good idea in some circumstances, but you’ll want to be wary of its pitfalls. Let’s take a look at the pros and cons of online travel agencies, so you’ll know what to use to book your next vacation.

Pros of booking through online travel agencies

There are certainly advantages booking through online travel agencies, though you’ll find different experiences whether you’re using public OTAs — such as Kayak — or private ones like those offered by your card issuer, such as the Chase's travel portal .

✅ It may be cheaper

When searching for flights online, you may see different prices for the same routes that vary across websites. Although it may be a result of fare type — for example, some search results may not clarify that a fare is basic economy rather than main cabin or economy — other times, the difference comes down to competition for your business.

Online travel services will often offer slightly lower prices on flights in an effort to entice you as a customer. This is true for both hotels and airlines.

» Learn more: Best credit cards for online travel-booking websites

✅ It can earn you more rewards

Have you ever heard of shopping portals ? By logging into a shopping portal, you can earn rewards for purchases made with many online merchants. Some hotel chains, such as Hilton , Marriott and IHG , can be accessed through shopping portals while still booking directly on the hotel website. In this way, you can earn rewards with the hotel directly as well as with the shopping portal.

The same isn’t true for shopping portals and most airline sites. However, many public online travel agencies are accessible through shopping portals, which can then earn you rewards for airfare bookings. By opting to book in this way, you’ll be able to earn points or cash-back rewards through the shopping portal that you’d otherwise miss.

Some card issuers will also reward you heavily when using their online travel services. Clear examples of this can be seen with Capital One and Chase. With the Capital One Venture X Rewards Credit Card , for example, you’ll get 10 miles per dollar spent on hotels and rental cars booked through Capital One Travel .

The Chase Sapphire Reserve® is similar. With this card, you can get 10 Ultimate Rewards® points per dollar spent on hotels and rental cars booked through Chase's portal.

While these numbers are high, it’s important to remember that there are trade-offs when booking through an OTA rather than directly with a hotel or airline. We’ll get into that a little later.

Online travel agencies offered by your card issuer may not feature the same prices as booking directly; you’ll want to compare these before committing to a purchase.

Some card issuers will go so far as to give your points more value when redeeming through their online travel agencies.

This is true with the Chase Sapphire Preferred® Card . When redeeming points on Chase's travel portal, you’ll get 1.25 cents in value per point rather than 1 cent elsewhere.

» Learn more: How much are your airline miles and hotel points worth this year?

Cons of booking through online travel agencies

There are several downsides when it comes to using online travel services for booking travel. It mainly comes down to the fact that travel providers prefer that you book directly with them — and offer more perks to woo your business.

❌ It can be harder to change a booking

Ever needed to change a flight after it's booked? No matter the reason, attempting to alter or otherwise cancel a flight can be a hassle — especially if you’ve booked through a third party.

Generally speaking, rather than offering you direct assistance, both hotels and airlines will recommend you contact the online travel agency you’ve booked with in order to make any changes.

While you may be able to make changes or get refunds with the travel agency, airlines and hotels can — and will — offer much more flexibility when you’ve booked with them directly. You may also be subject to additional fees charged by the online travel agency, which can erase any savings you’ve received.

❌ You may not receive elite benefits

This is the real kicker for anyone wanting elite status. Although airlines will almost always recognize your elite status and allow you to earn miles even for bookings made through an online travel agency, hotels and rental car companies will not.

This is especially important for hotel chains. Earning elite status with hotels generally relies on elite night credits. Although these can be earned in a variety of ways — including having complimentary status by holding certain credit cards — the main method of acquiring elite night credits is by spending nights in hotels. Rooms booked through an online travel agency do not count toward elite status as elite night credits.

Additionally, you will not receive any of the benefits of your existing elite status if your booking is through a third party. This can mean the loss of perks such as room upgrades, complimentary breakfast and even free Wi-Fi.

» Learn more: The best airline and hotel rewards loyalty programs this year

❌ It may be more expensive

Did you know that many hotel chains have best price guarantees? Hyatt, Hilton, Marriott and IHG all have a guarantee that’ll give you either points or a discount if you find a better rate elsewhere.

These guarantees are generous; Hilton, for example, will match the rate and then discount it by a further 25%.

Although you’ll need to file claims for these guarantees and they face limitations — such as a 24-hour window from when you made the booking — you can save a lot of money on your stay if your request is approved.

Online travel agencies can be hit or miss

There are two sides to every coin and this is no different, as there are several benefits and limitations of online travel services. Depending on your needs and loyalty program status, you’ll want to choose whether to book directly with a travel provider or rely on OTAs to do the job for you.

Booking travel through credit card portals from issuers like Chase and Capital One can earn you big rewards. But if you anticipate altering your travel plans or aim to earn elite status instead, booking directly is the way to go.

How to maximize your rewards

You want a travel credit card that prioritizes what’s important to you. Here are some of the best travel credit cards of 2024 :

Flexibility, point transfers and a large bonus: Chase Sapphire Preferred® Card

No annual fee: Bank of America® Travel Rewards credit card

Flat-rate travel rewards: Capital One Venture Rewards Credit Card

Bonus travel rewards and high-end perks: Chase Sapphire Reserve®

Luxury perks: The Platinum Card® from American Express

Business travelers: Ink Business Preferred® Credit Card

on Chase's website

1x-5x 5x on travel purchased through Chase Travel℠, 3x on dining, select streaming services and online groceries, 2x on all other travel purchases, 1x on all other purchases.

60,000 Earn 60,000 bonus points after you spend $4,000 on purchases in the first 3 months from account opening. That's $750 when you redeem through Chase Travel℠.

1.5%-5% Enjoy 5% cash back on travel purchased through Chase Travel℠, 3% cash back on drugstore purchases and dining at restaurants, including takeout and eligible delivery service, and unlimited 1.5% cash back on all other purchases.

Up to $300 Earn an additional 1.5% cash back on everything you buy (on up to $20,000 spent in the first year) - worth up to $300 cash back!

on Capital One's website

2x-5x Earn unlimited 2X miles on every purchase, every day. Earn 5X miles on hotels and rental cars booked through Capital One Travel, where you'll get Capital One's best prices on thousands of trip options.

75,000 Enjoy a one-time bonus of 75,000 miles once you spend $4,000 on purchases within 3 months from account opening, equal to $750 in travel.

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You can’t overestimate the importance of an online booking on your travel portal. Once set up, it’s bound to expand your revenue streams, opening your travel services to new customers.

GP Solutions offers you more than just a booking platform. We deliver travel booking software with a comprehensive line-up of automated search-and-book features, from travel product listings to invoice management and analytics.

Related Case Study

Cutting-edge booking engine for an ambitious saudi travel startup, we bring online booking within your reach.

We developed our online travel booking system to be flexible and targeted to address specific challenges of travel businesses. Fill your technology gaps with our solutions depending on your company needs:

Tour Operators

Book directly from wholesalers and sell your own packages to both your partners and the end customer.

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Extend your outreach to digital-savvy travelers and help them book cruises and ancillary services from any device.

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Use our travel agency booking engine as the backbone of your business and manage your direct and partner sales.

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Set up self-booking tools for corporate clients, configure corporate policy, approval flows, corporate tariffs, etc.

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What You Can Exchange Via API

We’ve rolled out a range of online booking management and processing solutions based on both our GP Travel Enterprise platform and custom tools made to fit your particular needs. We equip our booking engine for travel with a wide range of features to meet the requirements of modern travel suppliers:

• 180+ turnkey modules available
• B2B & B2C sales functionality
• Integrated API connection to 75+ suppliers
• Smart travel itinerary builder
• Adaptive interfaces with cross-browser and mobile support
• 18+ built-in payment gateways
• Private account for partners
• Effective sales management tools
• Built-in Travel CRM
• Multiple currency and language options

We make it easy for you to list and manage your direct self-operated products and those provided from a 3rd party via our Inventory module and API connections to travel suppliers:

• Put your products online, including those from offline suppliers
• Create diverse travel products (hotels, transfers, activities, charters, etc.)
• Update availability in real time
• Configure dynamic pricing policies

• Tap into thousands of competitive travel products from 75+ suppliers
• Keep your listed products updated at all times
• Add new suppliers when you need them
• Keep your time-to-market to a minimum

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“Our company would like thank GP Solutions for being so cooperative in implementing software solutions for our company in the shortest possible period. Your team has manifested the ultimate operational excellence and highest professional and personal competence. We consider your team’s cohesion and unity spirit as the key stone of our project’s success.”

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“ We’re impressed with their willingness to always find a way to make things happen.It is a very honest relationship we have with our team at GP and they really do feel like an extension of our own company. This isn’t something you find every day.”

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“I can highly recommend the services of GP Solutions. During the past 1.5 years, our company has been working with GP Solutions on a new project of ours. The company offers high quality services. We can say that we have always been satisfied by their work.”

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“Their expertise in travel-oriented development and their team’s wide range of skills has been huge for us. Engage their people as soon as possible within your project timeline. They have a fantastic level of expertise on all development fronts that will help your project get moving quickly.”

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“GP Solutions continues to produce high-quality outputs thanks to their dedication and commitment to delivering their projects on time. The team is highly adaptable, and internal stakeholders are particularly impressed with their vast industry experience.”

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We build shopping carts into our online travel booking engine tools, integrate them with multiple payment gateways, and connect to your accounting systems for you to easily manage your finances.

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Our travel automation platform includes Extended CRM as a separate module. It allows to track customer records and interactions thanks to detailed and actionable customer profiles.

If you are using your own third-party CRM system, we will seamlessly connect it with our travel booking engine software via an API. We’ll make sure the systems exchange data effectively with no duplicates and errors.

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Our multi-skilled team of developers will build a fully custom interface from the ground up, so that your online ticket booking service could truly stand out.

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Best online travel sites 2022

Use the best online travel sites to plan your trip ahead of time so you can enjoy your time away.

• Buying advice
• Testing process

The best online travel sites are wonderful not only plan your next trip for peace of mind, they're also a fun way to get excited ahead of your next adventure. You can simply go to one site and plan most of your trip's main parts from flights and hotels to rental cars and excursions. If what you're after is just hotel bookings, check out our list of the best hotel booking sites .

While what many of these sites offer is similar, it's the way in which they do it which is important. The last thing you need is a stress-inducing website when planning to go away to relax and unwind. So we've reviewed the best sites based on their price, of course, but also on the way they work, with the ease of use and clarity as important features. We also checked to make sure you won't suffer any extra charges added on top at the last minute. Plus, we took rewards schemes into account, which could help you save money upfront or in the longer term if you use some sites more than once.

With all that in mind, these are the very best online travel sites out there right now.

The best online travel sites

1. expedia.com: best online travel site overall .

Why you can trust Top Ten Reviews Our expert reviewers spend hours testing and comparing products and services so you can choose the best for you. Find out more about how we test .

Our expert review:

Specifications

Reasons to buy, reasons to avoid.

Expedia is a big name in online travel sites and hotel booking services and owns many popular sites like Hotels.com and Hotwire.com. We're fans of the original, though, thanks to its clean and straightforward to use interface. Hit the packages section of the site, and you can add up to five connecting flights, choose to add accommodation for all of or only part of your trip, and tag on car rentals too. 

It's all suitably well laid out, and it only takes a few seconds to start putting together your itinerary. However, we do wish there were a few more options for filtering out accessibility issues. Still, for most people, Expedia.com has everything they'll need, and there's even the option of a cruise too if you fancy it. It's as aspirational to look at as it is useful to, well, use and there are extra discounts for booking multiple parts of your vacation with the site. A Things To Do section rounds off the site's bid to help you plan your entire trip in one place.

2. Booking.com: Best for ease of use

Booking.com

Booking.com is a giant in the world of holiday bookings and not only offers over half a million properties in more than 207 countries but also offers flights and car rental services too. As such you can do it all from this one spot which makes it a very easy-to-use option. That said, there is a lot going on, and the user interface can be a little overwhelming at times. 

But with a superb rewards program, it is a great option that encourages you to keep coming back, making it easier to use as you become accustomed. You can even sort your taxi hire from this site meaning there is very little to think about when you get traveling as it's all been planned ahead of time. You also don't have to pay a booking fee on lots of hotels, allowing you to remain flexible – ideal if you're traveling about a lot on your journey.

3. CheapTickets.com: Best for finding things to do 

CheapTickets.com

CheapTickets is another site acquired by Expedia, but it does things a little differently. You can easily add on flight, hotel, and car or any combination of the three for package deals, although multiple flights are under a different option. So far, so Expedia (if less intuitive), but you can also clearly purchase event tickets from the site, which is far more useful if you want a one-stop-shop place to buy your trip. It's something other sites provide, but CheapTickets is that bit keener to entice you into the process, even if the site itself is a little cheesier looking than others. 

There's also the site's Vacation Value Finder, which lets you tweak how much you're willing to spend and what you're looking for from a vacation before making some fun suggestions. It's perfect for finding a last-minute deal if you don't have your heart set on one place. Students will also appreciate a section dedicated to them with extra discounts once you verify you're a student. All in all, it's a great varied site for numerous different needs. 

4. Priceline.com: Best for user reviews 

Priceline.com

Priceline is a big deal in the online travel site world for a good reason. It's effortless to use with options available for flights, cars, hotels, or any combination of the three. It's mildly annoying that Priceline's super cheap Pricebreaker deals don't extend to bundles, so you won't get an incredible bargain like you would if you booked separately. However, combining the set is still a worthwhile deal with discounts offered for the more you bundle together. 

One thing we really appreciated is that every hotel we looked at had dozens of reviews, and they're all from verified customers. It takes seconds to gain a reasonably accurate picture of what to expect from wherever you're considering booking. That's the perfect peace of mind when you're booking online, and you can't be sure of what you're getting without user reviews backing hotel statements up. Clearly laid out, you can focus on enjoying rather than worrying. Finally, Priceline is keen to make its VIP scheme easily accessible with straightforward discounts offered to you over time -- something that not all sites so clearly highlight. 

5. Kayak.com: Best for aggregated results 

If you're short on time, Kayak is pretty useful. That's because you simply enter where you want to go, and it aggregates results from multiple different sources. While it means you never book directly with Kayak, it does mean you get results quickly and without having to search around yourself, even if you will feel a bit overwhelmed with adverts while you search. 

The site itself looks a little basic, but under the hood is a surprising number of different filters (although no accessibility ones to speak of) and all the critical information you could require, although obviously you'll be sent to another site for the full details. The site also has a deals section, which has some great bargains for things you can do once you reach your destination, along with cheap car rental deals. It might not be pretty, but if you simply don't want to do the groundwork yourself, Kayak has you covered. It can be a real time-saver, and we reckon it's particularly useful if you're mostly researching possible trips in the future and want rough price estimates. Just watch out for the fact you can’t bundle in car rental deals. 

6. Hotwire.com: Best for renting properties 

Hotwire keeps things straightforward. All you need to do is enter what you're looking for, and a somewhat dated interface tells you what's available. It's not as pretty as some sites, but we really liked the extensive property type filters available. Want to stay on a houseboat or in a chalet at your destination? Hit the relevant filter, and you can find out if that's an option in the locale. That might not matter if your heart is set on a hotel, but it's a nice bonus even amongst the awkward site layout. 

Elsewhere, it's mostly business as usual, but that's no bad thing. Well laid out discounts are available to compare reasonably quickly, and most locations have plenty of reviews. If you feel like tracking down specific deals, you can do that too, with the site keen to offer up discounts to central locations if you're not quite sure where you'd like to visit next. It feels like the site needs updating when you compare it to its rivals, but it works well and speedily enough.

7. Agoda: Best for private home rental in Asia 

Agoda is a great option if you want to look for accommodation that isn't a hotel as this specializes in offering apartments and private rentals. In fact, there are dedicated market managers that work on finding properties, especially in Asia. As such you can find unique destination rentals at decent rates and should you change your mind there is a helpful 24-hour free cancellation policy in place. 

Everything is very easy to use and if you want to make more than one booking you can make great savings. Customer support is also a plus, as there is a 24-hour multilingual customer support service available when booking. With millions of reviews, Agoda makes finding a property very easy with a feeling of trust that can offer great peace of mind.

What to look for in an online travel site

Booking Travel Packages Travel packages can let you combine flights, hotel reservations and car rentals together for a better deal than booking separately. Some companies, like Priceline, pick hotels and flights for you, to get you to your destination for the lowest price. Other companies let you mix and match flights, hotels and car rentals to fit your schedule.

Booking Airfare One of the biggest reasons for searching on a travel site is to find cheap airfare. While there are dozens of airfare-specific websites, travel sites also give you the option to add hotel stays and car rentals. The best travel sites combine flight information from over nine different airlines and let you sort flights by price, number of stops, duration and flight class.

Booking International Travel Finding airfare for international travel is the easiest part of booking an overseas trip. AirGorilla helps you find accommodations and rent GPS units with your rental car, so you can find your way around. Often, sites will recommend hotels that are far from your actual destination or event. Searching for reservations on a site that gives accommodation recommendations will help you schedule an international trip with less stress.

How we tested the best online travel sites

We looked at how easy each site is to use during our testing, such as how quickly the site loaded and how easy it was to find what we were looking for. We considered whether the site felt cluttered with adverts or seemed like a dated interface. We also looked at how easy it was to find Contact Us pages, price guarantee information, and any kind of special deals section. 

We also considered how easily bundle deals could be arranged and how extensive they were and any potential discounts tied to them. We checked filter options to see how flexible and easy it was to look up different needs along the way.

We looked at trips between Los Angeles and Miami, Paris to Lisbon, and New York City to Los Angeles during testing. We also looked at lesser-known routes to see if they were also catered for appropriately.

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Jennifer has been freelancing for over 10 years. In the past, she's written about all things tech and gaming wise for outlets as varied as The Independent, Playboy, Eurogamer, and TechRadar. In her spare time, she spends far too much time watching films, attempting to train her pet guinea pigs, and mastering making the perfect burrito.  She's a full time freelancer, but a regular tech news contributor to Top Ten Reviews.

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What are online travel agencies? The ultimate guide to OTAs

Love them or not, online travel agencies (OTAs) play a critical role in every property’s distribution strategy. According to Expedia Group’s 2023 Path to Purchase report, OTAs captured 51% of online hotel & lodging bookings and possess the visibility and marketing power that most individual properties cannot achieve on their own. 

Working with OTAs isn’t just a matter of signing up and hoping for the best. To take advantage of the opportunities and avoid the pitfalls, you need to actively manage your listings, pricing, and inventory and take a strategic approach to online distribution. 

If done correctly, adopting the right OTAs as part of your distribution strategy can actually help drive direct bookings through the “billboard effect.” Building a comprehensive channel mix incorporating different types of OTAs will ensure you reach your target audience and secure a steady stream of reservations. 

See which OTAs dominate globally, regionally, and across property types based on Cloudbeds customer data and how properties like yours use OTAs as part of their distribution strategy. 

At Cloudbeds, we know the world of OTAs and distribution channels can be complex. We’ve created the Big Book of OTAs to help demystify this process and explain how to create a recipe for success when working with third-party distribution channels.  

What is an online travel agency (OTA)?

An online travel agency (OTA) is a website that acts as a search engine for travel. They connect providers across the travel industry to help travelers easily plan their trips. On OTA sites, travelers can often access package deals with accommodations, airfare, cruises, rental cars, and more.

On average, travelers view 141 pages of travel content in the 45 days before booking a trip, with OTAs making up 67 of those pages. Therefore, properties must be active on as many channels as possible to increase brand awareness and drive bookings — both OTA bookings and direct bookings (more on this later). With the increased popularity of OTAs around the world, hoteliers now have access to markets once unattainable.

How do OTAs work?

Online travel agencies emerged in the 1990s, using the internet’s extensive reach to aggregate global travel supply into a single place so consumers could book their own travel online. These self-service tools reshaped the hotel industry and booking experience with functionality that allowed the general public to easily plan their trips and reserve their airfare, accommodations, vacation packages, car rentals, and tours on their own rather than rely on a physical travel agent.

Sites such as Expedia.com, Booking.com, Airbnb, Orbitz, Hotels.com, and TripAdvisor are often consumers’ first stop when researching and booking their next trip. These apps offer a seamless user experience at all stages of the buying process: problem/need recognition, information search, evaluation of alternatives, purchase decision, and post-purchase behavior.

Properties of all types and sizes can connect to multiple OTAs through an integrated channel manager . A distribution system, like a channel manager, shares room inventory and rates from your property management system (PMS) to your booking engine and OTAs. Properties that use a channel manager can streamline hotel operations, increase hotel revenue via revenue management best practices , and increase occupancy across channels (all without the fear of overbookings). 

OTA business models

Hotels form partnerships with OTAs by basically outsourcing marketing to OTAs, who then make money through two business models: the merchant model (guest pays the OTA  in advance) and the commission model (guest pays the hotel at check-in or check-out). Most OTAs offer a blended model so that hotels can let guests choose which option they’d prefer. 

The merchant model

In this model, the online travel agency acts as the merchant of record and collects payments from guests at the time of booking. Once the guest has checked out, the OTA pays the hotel. Contracts exist between hotels and OTAs to provide a set number of rooms to the OTA at a favorable rate. The OTA then makes a profit off each room sold but must meet its contractual thresholds.

The agency (commission) model

In this model, the consumer books via the OTA but pays the hotel directly at the time of checkout. The hotel then pays the OTA a commission on the total value of the booking after checkout. There are no contracts, and rates are set by hotel management. 

The advertising model

This model has increased in popularity and exists on metasearch sites such as Google Hotel Ads, Tripadvisor, Trivago, and KAYAK. Metasearch engines work primarily on a cost-per-click basis where hotels can promote their rooms with links to their direct booking engine, and pay a fee based on the number of clicks they receive. Some of these sites, such as Google, also offer a cost-per-acquisition model (also known as “pay per stay”) where the property pays a percentage of the total reservation cost upon completion of the stay.

For hotels, it can be frustrating to watch distribution costs rise without getting more in return, but there are costs associated with direct bookings too. Demand doesn’t appear without at least some sort of distribution or marketing strategy in place, and those marketing campaigns, loyalty offers, special deals, and direct booking tools have a cost to the hotel. That’s why it’s important to use OTAs wisely and in conjunction with your own direct marketing strategy. 

Online travel agencies vs. online travel agents

Before the rise of OTAs, it was the role of a travel agent to book leisure and business travel. This is because travelers back then did not have access to hotel availability and rates the way we do today. While the internet has made it easier for travelers to book their own trips online, some segments like luxury, corporate, and group travelers still prefer to utilize a person, or online travel agent, to help plan and book a trip.

Travel agents are beneficial when planning complex trips such as a destination wedding, honeymoon, or corporate trip. They have the expertise and connections to find unique accommodations at better rates than most people can find themselves.

Travel agents such as Kuoni have a team of destination experts who work behind the scenes to curate tailor-made accommodations, experiences, and itineraries. Their in-person stores allow travelers to enjoy a glass of champagne while meeting with a travel expert to plan their dream vacation.

Travel agents usually have a portfolio of properties they recommend to travelers and take a commission fee, similar to OTAs. Strong relationships with travel agents can help properties drive more bookings in alternative segments than the OTA market.

Difference between OTAs and metasearch

With so many online booking channels available today, it can be challenging to understand the difference between certain channels.

Metasearch websites like Skyscanner act as aggregators and display hotel information and room rates from a variety of online channels, including OTAs like Agoda, Trip.com, Travelocity, or Priceline.com and a hotel’s website. It enables travelers to compare all of their hotel booking options in real time across the web so that they can book the best deal.

OTAs provide room rates and booking capabilities for only one channel — their own. Meanwhile, metasearch sites can display up to twenty or more results.

Properties can invest in hotel marketing efforts through metasearch engines. Metasearch sites rank listings and it pays off to be near the top. Paying to have your listing higher in the ranks to drive more direct bookings can drive serious results. 

Is Google an OTA?

Google is often a traveler’s first stop when looking for a hotel room. In recent years, Google has changed the hospitality industry with its products. Google offers Google Hotel Search, which acts as a hotel metasearch platform. When a traveler enters a property’s name into Google, it will show all of the rates and listing information from across the web.

Google also has free booking links , a game-changer for independent hotels as they can list their direct rates and links to their own website within the Google Hotel Search box. This option encourages potential guests to book direct.

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Top 10 Biggest Online Travel Booking Systems in 2024(Updated)

Home » Blog » Top 10 Biggest Online Travel Booking Systems in 2024(Updated)

So, are you looking forward to the top 10 Biggest Online Travel Booking Systems in the world?

Today we are going to discuss the top and biggest online travel booking systems, but before we dive into the in-depth article, I was curious if you are thinking of creating a travel and tour booking website within minutes, without any hassle of coding and hiring highly paid developers.

Well, if yes then you can download WP Travel to launch your travel booking website instantly.

However, to access all the premium features to create a travel booking website, you can get WP Travel Pro to reap all the benefits of the premium plan. This might interest you : Compare WP Travel Free vs WP Travel Pro

Little things can matter when you are about to launch your travel agency business , like using the tour management software that allows you to create a travel website within minutes versus spending money on hiring highly paid developers and consuming weeks.

You can explore and test the best travel agency themes and templates  to find the one that perfectly aligns with your website. This way, you can ensure your website suits your needs and preferences seamlessly.

Planning a trip can be a tedious and daunting task. There are always problems finding good accommodations and flights but with an online booking system.

Useful article : How to Create a Travel Booking Site with WordPress in 2024?

Table of contents

What is an online travel booking system, what are the main features of an online travel booking system, 1. wp travel, 3. booking.com, 5. google flights, 7. trip.com, 8. skyscanner, 10. tripadvisor.

The end-user experience is seamless for organizing travel. We can now do the majority of bookings online, which allows for a more comprehensive analysis by comparing prices and reviewing more personalized options.

Most online travel agencies provide various options and features on their websites.

Amidst the plethora of online travel booking systems available, selecting the right one has become a crucial aspect of travel planning.

From start to finish, these platforms are our go-to travel companions, helping us book flights, find accommodations, discover local experiences, and organize transportation.

We have deliberately highlighted the top 10 online travel booking systems based on their user-friendly interface, reliability, and exceptional customer support.

An online travel booking system is a digital platform that allows users to book a variety of travel-related services through the internet. This system is accessed via a website or mobile application , making it easy and efficient for people to plan trips by providing a variety of options and tools.

This system significantly simplifies the travel planning process by producing travel services and information in one place, making it accessible to users from anywhere at any time.

You might be interested : The step by step solutions to launch your tour company

The main features of an online travel booking system are that it provides a comprehensive and user-friendly experience for planning and booking various aspects of travel. These features typically include:

• Online Payment
• Flight Reservations
• Hotel Bookings
• Car Rentals
• Travel Packages
• Customization and Personalization
• Payment Processing
• Customer Support
• Customer Feedback
• Itinerary Management

Top 10 Biggest Online Travel Booking Systems in 2024

If you want to grow your travel business revenue to the level of an Acme with incredible results, then look no further than the WP Travel  Plugin.

It’s a free and powerful WordPress travel and tour booking plugin that is also available in the Pro version ( WP Travel Pro), offering premium features and add-ons to create your travel and tour booking website within minutes.

The best part of choosing WP Travel as an Online Booking System Software are:

• No coding is required, so it is completely easy to install and set up instantly
• You do not need to hire any highly paid web developers to set up your travel and tour website
• You do not need to hire any highly paid app developer to track activities, trips, etc., because it allows the travel agency owners a dedicated WP Travel APP with a personalized dashboard showing every record.

You do not need to hire any web developers or programmers to set up your travel websites using the WP Travel plugin.

Expedia is one of the most prominent figures in the travel booking industry worldwide. With a large chain of travel service providers, it offers competitive pricing and reliability.

Having been in the travel business for more than two decades, Expedia has established itself as a reliable booking system.

Some key features that Expedia provides through their website and mobile app include:

1. Flight Booking: Expedia allows users to book flights to various destinations around the globe. It offers filtered results based on different prices and user preferences.

2. Hotel Reservation: Expedia offers a plethora of hotel booking options, ranging from budget-friendly to luxury hotels. With hotel chains worldwide, travelers can find accommodations suitable to their price, location, and review preferences .

3. Packages: Expedia provides various packages that include flights and hotels in a cost-effective way, a feature favored by many travelers.

4. Loyalty Program: Expedia offers a loyalty program where users can collect points that can be redeemed as discounts for future bookings.

You may like this: How to Increase Traffic to Your Travel Site?

5. Car Rental: Expedia also provides car rental services, offering a range of cars at different price points.

6. Cruise: For those interested in traveling by cruise, Expedia provides cruise booking options, allowing users to choose from different cruise lines, destinations, and itineraries.

Extra Features:

Expedia has a special feature on its platform where users can list their properties, such as hotels and private residences, for rental or booking services. The platform is renowned for its good customer service and quick responses.

In 2024, Booking.com stands out as a time-tested and reliable tour booking system with over two decades of experience in the industry.

Booking.com is widely known as a hotel booking engine. With a comprehensive range of features, travelers can effortlessly book flights, secure hotel reservations,

And rent cars to simplify their journey planning. One standout feature that sets Booking.com apart is its convenient airport taxi booking service, which provides hassle-free transportation options.

Moreover, frequent users can take advantage of the loyalty program called “Genius,” which offers exclusive discounts and rewards.

You may like this: How to Choose a Payment Gateway for Travel Agency?

Renowned for its extensive selection of hotel chains, Booking.com ensures travelers find the perfect accommodations for every destination.

What’s more, their website boasts a highly user-friendly interface, making it a top choice for travelers seeking convenience and efficiency in their booking experience .

Airbnb is a popular online travel booking system that specializes in renting out homes, apartments, and other accommodations.

Founded in 2008 by Brian Chesky, Nathan Blecharczyk, and Joe Gebbia, Airbnb has become one of the most popular travel booking platforms in the world.

Airbnb is an online marketplace that connects people who want to rent out their homes with people who are looking for accommodations in specific locations.

Guests can choose from a wide range of properties, from cheap to expensive, spanning over 190 countries in the world.

One of the things that makes Airbnb so popular is that it offers local accommodations rather than traditional hotels.

Guests can stay in local homes and interact with locals, getting a feel for the local culture.

Airbnb also offers a variety of unique properties that you won’t find anywhere else, such as treehouses, castles, and even igloos.

Guests can filter their search by price , location, number of bedrooms, and other criteria. This flexibility allows guests to find the perfect accommodation for their needs.

For example, if you’re traveling with a group of friends, you can easily find a large apartment or house that can accommodate everyone.

You may like this: How to Promote Your Travel Business

While Airbnb has been praised for its convenience and affordability, it has also been criticized for its impact on the housing market.

Some argue that Airbnb has led to an increase in housing prices in some areas as landlords convert their properties into short-term rentals.

However, Airbnb also provides a valuable service to travelers, and it is likely to continue to grow in popularity in the years to come.

Whether you’re looking for a unique and affordable place to stay or you want to experience the local culture, Airbnb is a great option for travelers.

With its wide variety of properties and flexible search criteria, Airbnb is sure to have the perfect accommodation for you.

Google Flights is an online flight booking system that facilitates the purchase of airline tickets through third-party suppliers, such as tour agencies and airlines.

It was launched in 2011 by Google as part of Google Travel.

Google Flights allows users to search for flights by origin, destination, date, and airline.

You may like this: A Comprehensive Guide on How to become a Successful Travel Blogger

It also provides information on prices, layovers, and other factors. Google Flights is a popular tool for searching for a variety of flights, from cheap to expensive.

However, it does not have access to flights from all airlines.

What makes Google Flights a popular flight booking system is its seamless user-friendly interface . It is integrated with Google Maps to show navigation on the Google Flights interface, which enables users to search for cheap flights according to location.

With the integration of Google accounts, accessing the interface is more convenient. The most convenient part is that this platform supports currency support systems as well.

Vrbo (previously known as HomeAway), which stands for “Vacation Rentals by Owner,” is a vacation rental listing website that allows users to rent homes, apartments, or vacation properties from private owners, similar to Airbnb.

Founded in 2005, it has become one of the world’s most renowned travel booking systems for vacation rentals.

You may also like: Content Marketing Strategies for the Travel Industry: From Planning to Execution

Vrbo is an excellent option for travelers seeking authentic and affordable accommodations beyond traditional hotels.

It offers a wide range of apartments, homes, villas, condos, and cottages. With properties located on all continents, travelers have the flexibility to explore various destinations using this system.

Security is a top concern for travelers, and Vrbo addresses this by featuring verified ID properties that adhere to strict guidelines. For those in search of vacation rentals, Vrbo is an ideal choice.

Trip.com is one of the leading online travel agencies in the world, based in China, offering a wide range of travel services to customers all over the globe.

Trip.com provides services such as hotel reservations, flight bookings, tours, and activities.

Additionally, they offer products like travel insurance and visa assistance through their online booking software. Overall, it is a go-to solution for travelers.

You may also like : 5 Ways to Increase Your Travel Business with Technology

With over 200 million users and processing about 1 billion transactions, Trip.com has established itself as a strong and reliable travel booking system in 2024.

Its competitive prices, user-friendly interface, and availability in different languages have contributed to its leading role in the travel booking industry.

Skyscanner is a travel search engine that empowers users to compare and search for flights, hotels, and car rentals.

It has become one of the most famous travel booking systems worldwide, attracting approximately 100 million users per month.

Founded in 2001, Skyscanner has established a global presence with offices in 20 countries and its headquarters located in Scotland, Edinburgh.

As a metasearch engine, Skyscanner aggregates flights and other travel products from various websites, providing users with the convenience of sorting through personalized recommendations.

You may also like: SEO Checklist For Travel Sites

This unique feature sets it apart from traditional booking platforms.

Skyscanner offers a diverse range of features, including price alerts, price tracking, and price guidance .

These user-friendly functionalities enhance the booking experience and make SkyScanner an ideal solution for travelers seeking the best deals on travel products.

The platform’s commitment to providing comprehensive and reliable travel information has solidified its reputation as a go-to resource for travel planning.

and its continuous growth in user base attests to its widespread popularity among travelers worldwide.

Momondo is a popular travel search engine and travel fare aggregator, enabling users to compare flights, hotels, and other travel products from various websites.

As a travel fare aggregator, Momondo functions by collecting vast data from different airlines, websites, hotels, and car rental services, presenting users with a diverse range of options to choose from.

This comprehensive approach to travel planning appeals to millions of users each month, as it provides transparency, convenience, and opportunities for savings.

The transparency offered by Momondo is particularly appreciated by users, as it displays the breakdown of costs, including taxes and fees, for each flight option.

This level of openness allows travelers to make informed decisions and avoid any hidden charges.

You may also like: 10 SEO Secrets To Successful Travel Blogging

Moreover, the convenience of having multiple travel options in one place makes Momondo a go-to platform for travelers seeking efficient and

time-saving solutions. Whether users are looking for budget-friendly flights, comfortable hotels, or convenient car rentals, Momondo’s aggregation of choices simplifies the planning process.

One of Momondo’s standout features is its availability in multiple languages , catering to a global audience and making the platform even more user-friendly.

This accessibility helps travelers from different regions feel comfortable using the platform and finding travel deals tailored to their preferences.

In summary, Momondo’s success can be attributed to its transparent approach, convenient travel aggregation,

and multilingual support, making it a favored choice for travelers seeking the best travel deals and seamless travel planning experiences.

Tripadvisor is a website where you can find reviews and other travel information about hotels, flights, and destinations.

It has evolved from a review platform to a comprehensive travel booking system.

One of the best things about Tripadvisor is its user-generated photos and reviews.

You can see real photos and read real experiences from other travelers, which can help you make informed decisions about your travel plans.

Tripadvisor also lets you book hotels and flights directly on its website. This makes it easy to find accommodations and flights that fit your preferences and budget.

You may also like: 11 Best Online Tools That Travel Bloggers Need

Another cool feature of Tripadvisor is its price alert. You can set alerts for specific hotels or flights, and you’ll be notified when prices change.

This can help you find the best deals and save money on your travel.

Tripadvisor is a popular website with over 450 million visitors each month. Travelers trust Tripadvisor because it’s a reliable source of information and has a wide range of features.

Tripadvisor is a great way to plan your trips, find the best accommodations, and discover hidden gems at various destinations. It’s easy to use and has a lot of useful features.

Agoda is an online travel booking system specializing in providing accommodations to travelers. It’s one of the leading travel booking websites, with over 28 million hotels and 700 airlines in its database.

With a wide range of options, travelers have the freedom to choose accommodations according to their preferences.

Apart from hotels and flights, Agoda also offers combined tour packages and various other travel-related products.

The platform provides a review section that helps users make informed decisions about their accommodations.

You may also like: Six Benefits of an online Booking system Using Travel Plugin in WordPress

Agoda’s customer service is available 24/7 to assist users with any inquiries or issues they may encounter during their booking process or travel experience.

Additionally, the platform offers price alerts, notifying users when prices drop or special deals become available.

Overall, Agoda strives to offer a seamless and user-friendly booking experience, making it a popular choice for travelers seeking quality accommodations and travel options.

In the dynamic world of travel booking, the top 10 online platforms in 2024 have revolutionized our global exploration.

From Expedia’s extensive services to Airbnb’s local experiences and Google Flights’ powerful search engine, each platform offers unique advantages.

Booking.com’s user-friendly interface and Trip.com’s global appeal elevate the travel experience, while Agoda’s vast accommodations and Momondo’s transparency provide boundless options.

Embrace the future of travel with these exceptional online booking systems, redefining how we plan and embark on our journeys.

If you liked this article, then subscribing to our  YouTube Channel  for WordPress video tutorials would be the cherry on top.

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Further, if you have any queries, please submit them to our  Contact page .

Get  WP Travel Pro  and start creating your travel and tour booking website within minutes without any hassle of coding.

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Yam Bahadur Chhetri is a content writer and vivid contributor to the WordPress community and a WordPress enthusiast with an experience of 7+ years in the relative field. He also loves to develop WordPress Themes, Plugins, and custom WordPress development for clients.

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Online travel market - statistics & facts

How big is the online travel market, what are the leading online travel agencies (otas), what travel products do consumers book online, key insights.

Detailed statistics

Online travel market size worldwide 2017-2028

Distribution of sales channels in the travel and tourism market worldwide 2018-2028

Most popular travel and tourism websites worldwide 2024

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Current statistics on this topic.

Online Travel Market

Market cap of leading online travel companies worldwide 2023

Related topics

Online travel trends.

• Artificial intelligence (AI) use in travel and tourism
• Mobile travel trends
• Digitalization of the travel industry
• Impact of technology on travel and tourism

Online travel companies

• Booking Holdings Inc.
• Expedia Group, Inc.

Trip.com Group

Tripadvisor, travel and tourism worldwide.

• Tourism worldwide
• Travel agency industry
• Hotel industry worldwide
• Cruise industry worldwide

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Industry overview.

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Revenue of the global travel and tourism market from 2019 to 2028, by segment (in billion U.S. dollars)

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Revenue of the travel apps industry worldwide 2017-2027

Revenue of the travel apps market worldwide from 2017 to 2027 (in billion U.S. dollars)

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Estimated enterprise value to revenue (EV/Revenue) ratio in the online travel market worldwide as of April 2024, by segment

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Estimated enterprise value to EBITDA (EV/EBITDA) ratio in the online travel market worldwide as of April 2024, by segment

Online bookings

• Premium Statistic Travel product online bookings in the U.S. 2024
• Premium Statistic Travel product online bookings in Canada 2024
• Premium Statistic Travel product online bookings in the UK 2024
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Travel product online bookings in the U.S. 2024

Travel product online bookings in the U.S. as of March 2024

Travel product online bookings in Canada 2024

Travel product online bookings in Canada as of March 2024

Travel product online bookings in the UK 2024

Travel product online bookings in the UK as of March 2024

Travel product online bookings in China 2024

Travel product online bookings in China as of March 2024

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Travel product online bookings in India as of March 2024

Importance to book a trip fully online among travelers worldwide 2023, by generation

Share of travelers who think it is important to be able to book their trip entirely online worldwide as of July 2023, by generation

Market leaders

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• Basic Statistic Market cap of leading online travel companies worldwide 2023
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Leading online travel agencies (OTAs) worldwide from 2019 to 2023, by revenue (in million U.S. dollars)

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Number of aggregated downloads of leading online travel agency apps worldwide 2023

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Most visited travel and tourism websites worldwide as of April 2024 (in million visits)

Booking Holdings

• Basic Statistic Revenue of Booking Holdings worldwide 2007-2023
• Premium Statistic Number of bookings through Booking Holdings worldwide 2010-2023, by segment
• Premium Statistic Operating income of Booking Holdings worldwide 2007-2023
• Premium Statistic Net income of Booking Holdings worldwide 2007-2023

Revenue of Booking Holdings worldwide 2007-2023

Revenue of Booking Holdings worldwide from 2007 to 2023 (in billion U.S. dollars)

Number of bookings through Booking Holdings worldwide 2010-2023, by segment

Number of bookings through Booking Holdings worldwide from 2010 to 2023, by business segment (in millions)

Operating income of Booking Holdings worldwide 2007-2023

Operating income of Booking Holdings worldwide from 2007 to 2023 (in billion U.S. dollars)

Net income of Booking Holdings worldwide 2007-2023

Net income of Booking Holdings worldwide from 2007 to 2023 (in billion U.S. dollars)

Expedia Group

• Premium Statistic Revenue of Expedia Group, Inc. worldwide 2007-2023
• Premium Statistic Revenue of Expedia Group, Inc. worldwide 2017-2023, by business model
• Premium Statistic Operating income of Expedia Group, Inc. worldwide 2007-2023
• Premium Statistic Net income of Expedia Group, Inc. worldwide 2007-2023

Revenue of Expedia Group, Inc. worldwide 2007-2023

Revenue of Expedia Group, Inc. worldwide from 2007 to 2023 (in billion U.S. dollars)

Revenue of Expedia Group, Inc. worldwide 2017-2023, by business model

Revenue of Expedia Group, Inc. worldwide from 2017 to 2023, by business model (in million U.S. dollars)

Operating income of Expedia Group, Inc. worldwide 2007-2023

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Net income of Expedia Group, Inc. worldwide 2007-2023

Net income of Expedia Group, Inc. worldwide from 2007 to 2023 (in million U.S. dollars)

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• Premium Statistic Airbnb operations income worldwide 2017-2023
• Premium Statistic Airbnb net income worldwide 2017-2023

Airbnb revenue worldwide 2017-2023

Revenue of Airbnb worldwide from 2017 to 2023 (in billion U.S. dollars)

Airbnb revenue worldwide 2019-2023, by region

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Airbnb operations income worldwide 2017-2023

Income from operations of Airbnb worldwide from 2017 to 2023 (in million U.S. dollars)

Airbnb net income worldwide 2017-2023

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• Premium Statistic Total revenue of Trip.com Group 2013-2023
• Premium Statistic Revenue of Trip.com 2013-2023, by product
• Premium Statistic Revenue of Trip.com 2017-2023, by region
• Premium Statistic Net income of Trip.com 2013-2023

Total revenue of Trip.com Group 2013-2023

Total revenue of Trip.com Group Ltd. in China from 2013 to 2023 (in billion yuan)

Revenue of Trip.com 2013-2023, by product

Revenue of Trip.com Group Ltd. from 2013 to 2023, by product (in million yuan)

Revenue of Trip.com 2017-2023, by region

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Net income of Trip.com 2013-2023

Net profit of Trip.com Group Ltd. from 2013 to 2023 (in million yuan)

• Premium Statistic Revenue of Tripadvisor worldwide 2008-2023
• Premium Statistic Revenue of Tripadvisor worldwide 2017-2023, by business segment
• Premium Statistic Revenue of Tripadvisor worldwide 2012-2023, by region
• Premium Statistic Operating income of Tripadvisor worldwide 2008-2023
• Premium Statistic Net income of Tripadvisor worldwide 2008-2023

Revenue of Tripadvisor worldwide 2008-2023

Revenue of Tripadvisor, Inc. worldwide from 2008 to 2023 (in million U.S. dollars)

Revenue of Tripadvisor worldwide 2017-2023, by business segment

Revenue of Tripadvisor, Inc. worldwide from 2017 to 2023, by business segment (in million U.S. dollars)

Revenue of Tripadvisor worldwide 2012-2023, by region

Revenue of Tripadvisor, Inc. worldwide from 2012 to 2023, by region (in million U.S. dollars)

Operating income of Tripadvisor worldwide 2008-2023

Operating income of Tripadvisor, Inc. worldwide from 2008 to 2023 (in million U.S. dollars)

Net income of Tripadvisor worldwide 2008-2023

Net income of Tripadvisor, Inc. worldwide from 2008 to 2023 (in million U.S. dollars)

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Watch CBS News

Passports can now be renewed online. Here's how to apply.

By Khristopher J. Brooks

Edited By Anne Marie Lee

June 13, 2024 / 11:24 AM EDT / CBS News

U.S. travelers can now renew their passport online under a pilot program the U.S. Department of State launched on Thursday. 

The State Department's new online system will allow U.S. passport holders to start a renewal application for a short window of time every day, closing once the system has reached a designated number of new applications, officials said in a statement . The agency is preparing a full launch of the renewal system at some point after testing, but didn't provide an exact date. 

If successful, an online renewal system could shorten the sometimes monthslong process travelers experience when trying to update their passport. 

"During the next several months, we plan to continue to limit the number of applications accepted each day so we can monitor the system's performance in real time," the department said. "If you are unable to start your application, try again on another day."

Processing passports has become a growing problem for the State Department ever since COVID-19 travel restrictions were lifted, with the agency bombarded with an overwhelming number of applications  each week. The passport application backlog grew so heavy last year that federal lawmakers from California, Colorado and Oklahoma introduced separate proposals to the Senate to speed up the application process. 

Republican Sen. James Lankford of Oklahoma  proposed legislation  that would improve the online tracking of passport applications and allow the State Department to hire more staff. Democratic Reps. Adam Schiff and Ted Lieu of California introduced the  PASSPORT Act  to streamline the passport application and renewal process.

The number of Americans holding valid U.S. passports has grown at roughly 10% faster than the population over the past three decades, said Jay Zagorsky, an economist at Boston University. Just 5% of Americans had a passport in 1990, according to the State Department. That number grew to 48% in December.

The State Department issued a record setting 24 million passports in 2023. Wait times for passport applications and renewals  returned to their normal 6-8 week time frame in December , the State Department  said . 

Renewing your passport online involves a six-step process:

• Create a free MyTravelGov online account. 
• After the account is created, log in and start a renewal application by clicking on the "Renew Your Passport" button.
• On the form that appears, fill in all the boxes with the information currently printed on your passport.
• Enter your plans to travel internationally if your departure is within the next eight weeks.
• Upload a jpeg photo of yourself. No selfies. 
• Pay the passport renewal fee and digitally sign the application.

Visit the State Department's online renewal website for more details. 

Khristopher J. Brooks is a reporter for CBS MoneyWatch. He previously worked as a reporter for the Omaha World-Herald, Newsday and the Florida Times-Union. His reporting primarily focuses on the U.S. housing market, the business of sports and bankruptcy.

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Japan to launch online travel authorization system for visitors

On Friday, the government announced a plan to implement an online system for travel authorization of visa-exempt visitors.

The new system will have foreign visitors who are exempted from obtaining short-stay visas declare online their information such as the purpose of their stay before entering Japan.

The system's introduction aims to prevent illegal stays. The Immigration Services Agency will decide on details of the scheme by referring to the U.S. Electronic System for Travel Authorization, or ESTA, which the United States operates partly in an effort to prevent terrorism.

The Japanese government initially compiled the comprehensive package in 2018 and has revised it annually since then.

The latest revision involved the addition of 218 measures, including supporting foreigners' Japanese language ability development. This is with an eye on the planned launch of a new on-the-job skill development program in the country that will replace the current foreign technical intern scheme.

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Renewing US Passports Is Now Possible Online, but Only for a Lucky Few

You'll need to log in to the MyTravelGov website at a specific time during a very small window for applications.

Each day at 1 p.m. ET, the US State Department starts accepting a limited number of passport renewal applications.

In June 2024, the US State Department is making it easier for citizens to get their passports by opening six new passport agencies across the country and relaunching a beta version of its online passport renewal system . Renewing your passport online could save you a lot of time, but you'll need to be on the ball to make it happen.

There are a limited number of slots for US passport holders to renew online each day. The window for passport renewal applications opens each day at 1 p.m. ET and closes when it reaches an unspecified number. During the first week of the new beta test, CNET found that the application window closed in mere minutes.

MyTravelGov  -- the website for the US State Department's Bureau of Consular Affairs -- first introduced online passport renewals back in 2022, and had multiple open windows for the pilot program before it shut down in March last year. For this beta release, a certain number of applicants can apply each day during a "limited midday eastern time window."

Learn everything you need to know about the new online US passport renewals, including who is eligible and how you can apply. For more travel tips, check out  how to plan your travel with AI ,  how to perfectly pack your carry-on luggage and how to avoid airline baggage fees .

A limited number of people can apply for US passport renewals each day.

How does the new US online passport renewal system work?

Most US citizens currently renew their passports  by printing and filling out form DS-82 , then mailing that form with a new passport photo and a renewal fee in the form of a check or money order. The online passport renewal system instead uses a website form and a payment system that allows credit cards, debit cards or online ACH transfers. 

Renewing your passport online doesn't mean that you'll receive it any sooner than usual, though. The State Department is sticking to its " routine service " for passport renewals, whether they're online or by mail. That means you'll receive your new passport in six to eight weeks, no matter how you apply. If you need your passport sooner than that, you'll need to apply by mail and pay $60 more for expedited service .

Who is eligible to renew their US passport online?

The most important qualifying factors for renewing your passport online are:

• You are at least 25 years old.
• You live in the US (state or territory).
• Your current passport is or was valid for 10 years.
• Your current passport must be at least 9 years old and have been issued within the last 15 years (2009-2015).
• You still have your existing passport, and it's not mutilated or damaged.

Along with the main eligibility requirements, the State Department provides a list of further restrictions for online renewal:

• You can only renew regular passports online, not "special issuance" passports (like diplomatic, official or service passports).
• You cannot change your name, gender, place of birth or date of birth from your previous passport.
• You must be able to pay for online renewal using a credit card, a debit card or ACH transfer.
• You must be able to upload a new passport photo.
• You cannot travel internationally for eight weeks after submitting your online renewal application.

That last restriction is important because your existing passport, if still valid, will be immediately canceled as soon as your online renewal application is accepted.

If you don't meet the eligibility requirements for renewing your passport online, you'll need to renew by mail or in person at a passport agency .

If I'm eligible, how do I renew my US passport online?

Right now, MyTravelGov is accepting a certain number of online passport renewals each day (including weekends) around midday ET. Several news publications, however, including the Thrifty Traveler , are reporting the window will open each day right at 1 p.m. ET.

Before you can apply for an online passport renewal, you'll need to create a MyTravelGov account, if you don't already have one. Visit the MyTravelGov website , click on the blue Sign In  button in the top-right corner, then click Create an account . This will begin the process of creating an account with login.gov , the US federal government's authentication system.

You'll then need to enter an email address and your choice of language -- login.gov is available in English, Spanish and French. After submitting your email address, you'll need to verify it by clicking on a link in an email message from login.gov, after which you'll choose a password and preferred form of multifactor authentication.

You'll then need to provide personal information for the account, at minimum your first and last name. Once you're finished, you should be able to access the online passport renewal page . Hit the blue Start button at the bottom of the page to begin the application.

If the online passport renewal application window is not open, you'll receive a message that you'll need to return and try again tomorrow. If you're lucky enough to begin the application, you'll need the following items:

• Your existing US passport.
• A digital passport photo.
• Credit card, debit card or your bank's routing and account numbers for ACH transfer.

In the first part of the application, you'll enter information about your current passport, your legal name and whether you want a passport book, passport card or both. Next you'll update your digital passport photo , and then finally your payment information.

MyTravelGov will send you two email verifications after you submit your renewal application -- the first will confirm your pending payment; the second will confirm that the payment has been received. One week after you apply, you can sign up for email updates about your passport using the State Department's online passport status system . You should expect to receive your new passport in the mail within six to eight weeks.

You can renew whichever US passport format you currently hold.

What about renewing US passport cards online?

Passport cards are objects that look much like US driver's licenses and can be kept in your wallet. They allow for travel from the US by land or sea to Canada, Mexico or Caribbean countries. They are not valid for any international travel by air.

You can renew both passport books and cards online. Basically, you can renew whichever US passport document that you currently hold. If you have an old passport book and passport card, you can renew both at the same time. If you have one or the other, you can only renew that specific document.

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The 15 best travel management software in 2024

• Great for booking corporate travel
• Tools that are a must for handling the tracking and reporting of expenses. 
• Extra tools that help ensure your overall travel experience for you and your team is as smooth as possible.

15 top travel management software to streamline your business trips

Business travel management booking tools, 1. travelperk.

• Extensive travel inventory: find the best travel options for your business, including air travel, rail tickets, car rentals, and more
• Flexible trips : receive an 80% refund for canceled travel when booking with FlexiPerk
• Carbon offsetting : offset your travel’s carbon emissions with TravelPerk’s GreenPerk—managed by our dedicated Sustainability Team
• G2 rating: 4.6 / 5, based on 1,533 reviews
• Capterra rating: 4.8 / 5, based on 402 reviews

See how to save money on business travel

2. flightfox.

• Miles and upgrades: maximize your loyalty benefits with each trip and transaction
• One-click amendments: no more back and forth with hotels or airlines—Flightfox handles all changes and cancellations
• G2 rating: 4 / 5, based on 3 reviews
• Capterra rating: no ratings available

3. Airbnb for Work

• Airbnb experiences: help your team connect with interesting experiences when traveling for business
• Travel dashboard: contact employees while they travel and eliminate expense reports with the Airbnb for Work dashboard
• G2 rating: no ratings available

Top tools for managing travel expenses

• Accounting data: set up cost centers, categories, and VAT in Payhawk.
• Digitized bookkeeping: leverage a powerful OCR with machine learning that learns from your input to automate manual data entry.
• G2 rating: 4.5 / 5, based on 216 reviews
• Capterra rating: 4.6 / 5, based on 115 reviews

5. Spendesk

• 7-in-1 spend management solution: company cards, expenses, invoices, accounting, approvals, budgets, and spending reports in one simplified stack
• Spending reports: accurate and timely spending reports in a single interface
• G2 rating: 4.7 / 5, based on 3,94 reviews
• Capterra rating: 4.8 / 5, based on 215 reviews

• Branded cards: personalize your company cards with your branding. Top up cards with precise spending allowances for 100% policy compliance
• Receipt collection: instant receipt collection via deep integrations with Gmail, Lyft, or Amazon Business, and easy employee coding via SMS or email
• G2 rating: 4.8 / 5, based on 1,894 reviews
• Capterra rating: 4.9 / 5, based on 178 reviews

• Actionable insights: full transparency and comprehensive spend insights in real-time
• Individual process flows: set up your own approval flows and enforce internal policies, as well as local tax laws and regulations
• G2 rating: 4.5 / 5, based on 4 reviews
• Capterra rating: 4.5 / 5, based on 39 reviews

• Expense approval notifications: get a push notification to give initial approval or reject the employee reimbursement request with a note
• Automatically categorize transactions: set card, merchant, budget, and user rules to categorize transactions
• G2 rating: 4.5 / 5, based on 1,151 reviews
• Capterra rating: 4.7 / 5, based on 409 reviews

9. Expensya

• Secure data: an entirely paperless process that responds perfectly to security and compliance issues
• Self-learning tech: the OCR receipt capture tool learns as you upload more and more receipts to ensure accurate data management
• G2 rating: 4.6 / 5, based on 110 reviews
• Capterra rating: 4.3 / 5, based on 417 reviews

10. Circula

• Employee benefits: strengthen your employer branding with modern and tax-optimized employee benefits—such as a lunch benefit, internet benefit, or relaxation benefit
• G2 rating: 4.5 / 5, based on 448 reviews
• Capterra rating: 4.7 / 5, based on 376 reviews

Remember: for whatever travel management software and expense management software you choose, make sure they can integrate with your existing tech stack.

Bonus tools and add-ons for smoother business travel, 11. rocketrip.

• Reporting dashboard: report on real-time savings, booking, and behavioral data alongside customizable spend alerts and traveler safety information
• Dedicated support: get high-quality support from Rocketrip’s support team
• G2 rating: 4.3 / 5, based on 10 reviews
• Capterra rating: no reviews available

• Generate savings: with data-backed price assurance, reshopping, and continuous provider sourcing
• Sync your services: improve productivity by automating workflows and automatically sharing your travel data.
• G2 rating: 4.3 / 5, based on 2 reviews

13. CapTrav

• Aggregate travel data: from bookings made through multiple sources, such as travel management companies (TMCs), online travel agents (OTAs), online booking tools, supplier websites, or more

14. PackPoint

• Add trip details: for personalized packing suggestions and lists

15. App in the Air

• Manage trips: get a real-time view into business travelers' booking details
• Set up a travel policy: to ensure business travelers can access key information on the go

Business Travel Booking solution That Travelers Love

What is travel management software, features to look for in your travel management software.

• Ease of booking for administrators
• Self-booking for travelers
• Free, 24/7 traveler support
• Massive travel inventory
• Automatic travel policy compliance with customizable policies and approval workflows
• Future-ready tool to will scale and adapt with your business
• Consolidated invoicing
• Travel spend reporting

Have you found the perfect-fit travel management software for your business?

Make business travel simpler. Forever.

• See our platform in action . Trusted by thousands of companies worldwide, TravelPerk makes business travel simpler to manage with more flexibility, full control of spending with easy reporting, and options to offset your carbon footprint.
• Find hundreds of resources on all things business travel, from tips on traveling more sustainably, to advice on setting up a business travel policy, and managing your expenses. Our latest e-books and blog posts have you covered.
• Never miss another update. Stay in touch with us on social for the latest product releases, upcoming events, and articles fresh off the press.

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Online passport renewal is now available for some applicants. Here's how it works.

• The State Department is running a trial for online passport renewals.
• Online renewals will be available to a limited number of applicants each day for now.
• To qualify for online passport renewals, applicants must meet certain criteria.

You may not need to go to the post office to renew your passport anymore.

The State Department is running a trial for online passport renewals and says it plans to fully open the system for online renewals in the coming months.

Online renewals will be available to a limited number of applicants each day for now, and those applications will only be accepted during Eastern time zone midday hours.

“We plan to continue to limit the number of applications accepted each day so we can monitor the system’s performance in real time,” a statement from the State Department said. “This beta release during which we are limiting the daily applications is an important and standard part of the software development process.”

To qualify for online passport renewals, applicants must: 

• Have an existing U.S. passport that was issued no more than 15 years prior to the new application date. It must still be in the applicant’s possession, and not previously reported lost or stolen.
• Not be changing their name, gender, date of birth or place of birth for the new passport.
• Be applying for a regular tourist passport.
• Live in a U.S. state or territory.
• Be able to pay the renewal fee using a credit or debit card online.
• Be able to upload a digital photo.

The State Department will not offer expediting for online passport renewals during the system trial period, so it requires applicants to certify that they have no international travel plans for at least eight weeks from the application date.

Cruising Altitude: See Europe as the Europeans do this summer with these pro tips

The fee for online passport renewal is the same as renewal by mail – $130. The State Department advises applicants that their existing passport will be canceled as their renewal application is processed. New passports will still be delivered by mail after the application is approved.

Zach Wichter is a travel reporter for USA TODAY based in New York. You can reach him at [email protected].

The Key Points at the top of this article were created with the assistance of Artificial Intelligence (AI) and reviewed by a journalist before publication. No other parts of the article were generated using AI. Learn more .

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Electronic travel authorization

This is the Government of Canada’s official web page to apply for an electronic travel authorization (eTA) to fly to, or transit through, a Canadian airport. It only costs CAN$7 . Find out what it is and how to apply online.

The Government of Canada will perform updates to its online system from 11:30 pm to 6:30 am ET on June 10, 2024 . The eTA application form will not be available at that time. We apologize for the inconvenience. To apply for an eTA, please return after 6:30 am ET on June 10 .

The eTA system is currently down. We are working to resolve the issue. Thank you for your patience.

The eTA system is experiencing delays. We are working to resolve this issue. Thank you for your patience.

As of 11:30 p.m. ET on February 29, 2024,

• you need to meet new requirements to be eligible for an eTA
• if you had an eTA before 11:30 p.m. ET on February 29, 2024, it has been cancelled unless you also have a valid work or study permit
• if you have an eTA application in progress at the time, you need to apply for a new eTA or for a visitor visa
• before you travel to Canada, you need to apply for a new eTA if you’re eligible
• if you’re no longer eligible for an eTA, you need to apply for a visitor visa to travel to Canada

Learn more about the new requirements .

Most requested

• Find out what you need to travel to Canada
• I’m visiting the US and want to visit Canada. Do I need an eTA?

Apply online for an eTA

To apply, you must have a valid passport, a credit or a debit card and an email address, and you must answer a few questions in the online application.

What to do after you apply

What to expect if we need more details from you, and things to keep in mind after you receive an eTA

Dual Canadian citizens need a Canadian passport

How to apply for a passport, and why you need a passport and not an eTA for travel to or through Canada

Check your eTA status

Get online updates on pending applications as well as information on the status of your current eTA

Flying to Canada?

Find out how easy it is to apply online. Learn how to get your eTA before you book your flight to Canada.

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