By Jeff Higley
In the News
HDC: Hoteliers, OTAs battle in distribution debate
image-block-outer-wrapper
layout-caption-below
design-layout-inline
"
data-test="image-block-inline-outer-wrapper"
>
sqs-block-image-figure
intrinsic
"
style="max-width:726px;"
>
class="image-block-wrapper"
data-animation-role="image"
data-animation-override
>
>
NASHVILLE, Tennessee—The conversation that concluded the first day at the Hotel Data Conference was always civil, but there was a tinge of feistiness when the topic turned to the topic of online travel agencies.
Panelists participated in mock-debate style during the “Red, white and brew debate: Dissecting distribution decisions and dilemmas” session, and the two hoteliers on stage— Bharat Patel, chairman and CEO of Sun Development & Management Corporation; and Doug Browne, president of Peabody Hotels & Resorts—were asked to specify their distribution booking mix and cost. Both executives hedged on exact figures, but agreed their companies paid too much to the OTAs.
