01/Glossary · Hotels
OTA — Online Travel Agency
Platforms like Booking, Airbnb, and Expedia that distribute hotel reservations in exchange for a per-night commission.
02/Full definition
An OTA (Online Travel Agency) is a mass distribution channel: your hotel publishes availability and the platform exposes it to millions of travelers, charging 14–22% per reservation. The main ones in Costa Rica are Booking (15–18%), Airbnb (14–16%), and Expedia (18–22%). OTAs are irreplaceable for reaching international traffic, but diversifying with a direct channel is what keeps a hotel's margins healthy.
03/In Costa Rica context
Costa Rican hotels typically receive 50–70% of reservations via OTA. If your hotel makes USD 80,000/year and 60% comes from OTA, you're paying USD 7,000–9,000/year in commissions. A well-built direct channel (own reservation system + channel manager) can recover 20–40% of those reservations as direct and eliminate the commission.
04/Related reading on the site
05/Related terms
06/Frequently asked questions
Frequently asked questions
What is Booking's real commission in Costa Rica?▾
Between 15 and 18% per reservation, depending on the guest's country and the program your hotel is in. If you join "Genius" or "Preferred Partner" programs, the commission rises 2–5 points in exchange for better visibility.
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