The way guests research and book hotels has shifted significantly, and if your distribution strategy hasn't kept pace, it's worth paying attention.
Based on SiteMinder's Changing Traveller Report 2026, drawing on insights from almost 12,000 travellers across 14 countries, three major behavioural changes are reshaping the booking landscape this year.
OTAs are now the starting point, not just the destination. For the first time, more travellers begin their hotel search on platforms like Booking.com (26%) than on Google or other search engines (21%). This means your OTA presence is no longer just a booking channel, it's your first impression. Current photography, complete property information, and competitive positioning are no longer optional.
Guests are upgrading. 58% of travellers are now choosing Superior or luxury rooms over Standard, a four-percentage-point increase on last year. Room category has become as important a decision factor as location or brand. If your inventory and pricing still skews heavily toward standard rooms, it may be worth reviewing whether that reflects where demand actually sits in 2026.
A growing share are moving from OTAs to direct booking. 18% of travellers who start their search on an OTA ultimately book directly with the property, up 3.3 percentage points. These guests have already chosen you; they're looking for a reason to bypass the intermediary. Clear direct booking advantages, whether flexible cancellation, loyalty benefits, or the ability to communicate directly with your team, can make the difference.
AI is also reshaping expectations, with eight in ten travellers now wanting AI assistance during the booking journey, primarily for price monitoring and financial protection rather than itinerary planning.
Taken together, these shifts point to one clear priority: meeting guests where they already are, and making every touchpoint, OTA listing, hotel website, and direct booking flow, work harder.
Read the full SiteMinder Changing Traveller Report 2026: https://www.siteminder.com/r/latest-trends-in-hotel-industry/