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Global: Hospitality technology company Operto has warned that third-party booking sites are using paid search advertising to divert guests already searching for accommodation brands away from their direct channels.
Operto identified approximately 1.1 million advertisements targeting searches for around 204,000 hotels during a 31-day study conducted between May and June 2026.
The company describes the advertisers as “predatory OTAs” because they bid on individual property names without holding a direct contractual relationship with the accommodation provider. Inventory is instead sourced through bed banks and affiliate networks.
Nine domains accounted for all the advertising activity identified, with GuestReservations.com responsible for close to half. Operto also reviewed 232 complaints made against the company through the Better Business Bureau, finding that 38 per cent came from guests who said they believed they had booked directly with the hotel.
Tim Major, CEO of Operto, said: “Hotels need to understand who is advertising against their brand, how much direct demand may be leaking through those channels, and what that is costing them.”
The findings are based on Operto’s analysis of the Google Ads Transparency Center between 22 May and 21 June 2026. The full report is available through Operto.
Highlights
- Operto identified 1.1 million third-party advertisements targeting hotel-branded searches.
- Approximately 204,000 hotels were affected during the study period.
- Nine domains accounted for the activity identified.
- The research highlights a potential risk to direct-booking strategies.
