The Economic Impact of Online Travel Agencies in Europe 2019 – 2021
OTAs generate additional travel demand for accommodations in Europe boosting GDP and job creation. In particular independent accommodations benefit from OTAs by accruing a larger share of bookings than the market average. OTAs support more equitable development across Europe by orienting consumers towards rural areas. Consumers in Europe also benefit from OTAs through more affordable rates offered to travellers.
This study below quantifies the incremental impact of online travel agencies (OTAs) on the tourism industry and broader economy of Europe. The number of travellers organising travel through OTAs increased steadily from 2012 to 2019 to 1.2 billion nights which represented almost 1 in 3 nights booked in Europe – a proportion of these nights, and associated economic benefits would not have happened without the trusted information, transparency and choice provided by OTAs. All travel bookings fell sharply during the pandemic, including some shifts in OTA use resulting in a lower impact on the tourism market and the broader economy in 2020 and 2021. OTAs still play an important role in matching evolving consumer demand with available supply.
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About the team
Our consulting team at Tourism Economics are the world’s leading analysts of the global tourism and travel sector. They combine their expert insight with our state-of-the-art economic models and tools to answer the crucial questions facing our clients. Lead consultants on the project were:
Matthew Dass
Associate Director, Tourism Economics
