The cross-market review reveals the rising influence of direct bookings, diverse OTA usage and region-specific travel behavior globally.
STAAHA global leader in hotel distribution and booking technology, has released its Summary of popular global booking channels in 2025integrating insights from key regions including India, Southeast Asia, Australia, New Zealand, UK, Middle East and Sri Lanka. The survey results reflect the global accommodation industry’s strong recovery this year, increasing digital maturity and a clear shift towards a balanced distribution strategy.
In almost all markets, Booking.com stay ahead of the curve Online travel agency (OTA)Driven by its global reach, user trust, extensive loyalty program and continued investment in mobile-first experiences. Agoda, Expedia.com, ctrip.comand Regional players such as Traveloka and GoMMTalso delivered significant bookings, underscoring the strength of multi-channel distribution in an increasingly competitive environment.
A notable trend across continents is continued growth Book directand STAAH SwiftBook Always rank high among the top performing channels. Hotels around the world are actively reinforcing their direct strategies through improved website experiences, members-only incentives and brand-led guest engagement. This shift signals the desire of hoteliers around the world to improve revenue efficiency and build long-term guest relationships.
B2B and wholesale providers, e.g. Hotelbeds, MG Group, WebBedsand niche regional platforms also play a key role in markets that rely on group travel, packaged experiences and long-stay itineraries. Their rankings reflect the complexity and fragmentation of today’s global travel ecosystem.
Regionally, key themes emerged:
- India Demonstrating strong domestic OTA loyalty, led by GoMMT, direct bookings have also grown significantly.
- Southeast Asia Exhibiting mobile-driven behavior, Agoda, Booking.com and Traveloka excel in different travel segments.
- Australia and New Zealand Depicts the balanced demand among OTAs, wholesaleralternative accommodation platforms and direct channels.
- U.K. Large OTAs and niche lifestyle platforms have jointly shaped the booking process, showing strong maturity.
- middle East exhibit a high degree of segmentation Channel mixincluding culturally appropriate platforms such as Halalbooking and Eetglobal.
- Sri Lanka Benefiting from the recovery of inbound tourism supported by OTAs and wholesalers, the strength of direct sales channels has increased.
Taken together, these insights reveal a market where no single channel is universally dominant and where hotels increasingly rely on strategic integration distribution partners to cover different traveler types and booking journeys.
“Our 2025 global survey results highlight the importance of balance and flexibility. Different markets rely on different channels, but the strongest performers are those that view distribution as a strategic ecosystem rather than a single source of demand,” said Tarun ChokaniDirector of STAAH. “OTAs continue to provide much-needed coverage, B2B channels unlock specialty demand, and direct bookings provide long-term value. Hotels that effectively integrate all three will be at the forefront in 2025.”
Australia
India
Indonesia
Malaysia
middle East
New Zealand
the Philippines
Singapore
Sri Lanka
Thailand
U.K.
Vietnam
About STAAH Channel Insights Report
The annual STAAH rankings are derived from anonymous booking data processed through the STAAH distribution and direct channel platform. The report provides hoteliers with clear insights into regional booking behavior and channel performance to support smarter revenue strategies.
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