Naturally, it was only a matter of time before businesses took to this new and more exciting platform to operate and trade. Of them, one of the primary internet-based business models that ruffled the feathers of the offline world were Online Travel Agencies or OTA’s. A few familiar examples of OTA’s include expedia.com and booking.com that provide tools which facilitate real-time bookings of hotels, airlines and other travel necessities which eliminates the need to do so through an offline travel agent. Whilst some of these websites offer a combination of services, Trivago specialises solely on hotels.

Why do such websites exist? So that customers may be able to easily access information with regards to available inventory such as rooms, and other applicable facts like pricing, amenities offered and affordability. Based on this, they can make informed decisions with regards to booking and whether they are happy to make the necessary payments to go ahead with it. OTA’s are incredibly useful in providing comparisons between several different accommodation options at any given point, which is one of the reasons why they have risen to popularity.

However, in order for OTA’s to display such extensive information and enable bookings to be made, they need a substantial amount of data pertaining to the hotels’ inventory. In other words, without knowing what is out there, the OTA will not be able to transfer suitable knowledge to the end user. An OTA can typically access this data through three main methods:

This is when hotels are given the option of listing their availabilities directly on the OTA’s website. By doing so, the OTA is able to drive increased traffic and if a transaction is made on the OTA’s website, it makes a commission. It is quite a straightforward and commonly used strategy, known as the ‘agency model’.

In this option, OTA’s purchase a bulk of inventory from hotels which they receive a wholesale rate for. This is in turn sold on their website which is what you would see on sites like Agoda for instance, and is referred to as the ‘merchant model’.

This includes merging with a Global Distribution System (GDS) which are handled by the hotels directly that helps not only efficiently manage their inventory, but also appropriately distribute their availabilities on suitable digital channels.

One of the key things to remember, is that online travel bookings cannot be made, unless the hotels’ inventory is revealed online. And it is precisely this that OTA’s have mastered over the years.

If you were to illustrate the hierarchy using the pyramid method, meta-search engines like Trivago would be positioned on top. OTA’s fall below them. Through the systematic and orchestrated use of what are known as web crawlers, meta-search engines comb through the inventory that has already been unlocked by the OTA’s. Not only that, they scour every digital channel, so that customers may be able to in turn book a hotel of their choice for a competitive rate.

Trivago amasses all relevant pricing information for a particular inventory by thumbing through hotel websites and other search engines as well, so it may compare the variations. These comparisons are then presented to visitors, who will have the convenience of browsing through a host of results and making a final booking based on the channel that offers them best value for money. Finally, Trivago will claim its due commissions from the OTA’s which is how it generates its revenue.

Did you know that apart from digging into hotel websites, OTA websites and other search engines, meta-search engines can also refer to other met-search engines for information? Over time, Trivago has expanded from being able to crawl through 158 websites for information, to over 356 to-date. In other words, if you were to undertake this feat yourself, you would have to scan through the same number individually, which is an impractical task. And that is where Trivago’s superior search engine capabilities come in handy.

When adding a hotel on Trivago, the more detailed the information is, the better. If you are a hotel manager or owner, then you need to look at things like rooms, amenities, discounted offers, promotions and other facilities that are offered.

Registering a hotel on Trivago is not only quite simple, but also free. With the option of being able to select more than one property as well, you have a great deal of flexibility. When you have added your hotel to the database, the team will take a period of one week to assess and approve it. The Trivago team is vigilant, and will ensure that all important details have been provided, so that you will be able to enjoy maximum potential.

Impressively, there are over 120 million users who visit Trivago every month in search of the perfect accommodation. If you want to tap into even a fraction of this wide pool, you must keep your hotel’s information updated. You will be able to access their special ‘Hotel Manager’ feature once your profile is approved, to whip it into shape. Aside from all the textual facts being in order, look through your images as well to check for quality, particularly picture resolution. Only add those of the highest quality, and take down anything that is mediocre.

Once you have filled out all of the necessary information, your profile will be proof-read and confirmed for accuracy. Furthermore, if you wish your customers to book directly on your website through your profile, you can do so with Trivago Direct Connect. Guaranteed, the best hotels for the best price everytime.