Distribution
Metasearch
Also written: meta search
Metasearch in hospitality is a digital distribution channel that aggregates hotel rates and availability from various online travel agencies and direct booking engines, allowing consumers to compare prices in a single interface and click through to complete their reservation.
How it is used
Hoteliers use metasearch platforms like Google Hotel Ads, TripAdvisor, and Trivago to capture high-intent demand and shift market share from OTAs to direct channels. Operators manage metasearch through cost-per-click (CPC) or commission-based (CPS) bidding strategies within a central reservation system or meta-manager. Successful campaigns depend on strict rate parity; displaying a higher direct rate than an OTA on a metasearch engine drastically reduces conversion rates and wastes advertising spend.
Worked example
A hotel bids $1.50 CPC on Google Hotel Ads. Over a month, the campaign generates 1,000 clicks, costing $1,500. These clicks produce 30 direct bookings totaling $12,000 in room revenue. The resulting Return on Ad Spend (ROAS) is 800% ($12,000 / $1,500), yielding an effective distribution cost of 12.5%, which is lower than the typical 18% OTA commission.
Common mistake
Bidding aggressively on metasearch without ensuring direct rate parity causes prospective guests to click through to cheaper OTA listings instead, exhausting ad budgets without driving direct bookings.