How Metadesk helped three Inntopia customers drive $730,000 in direct bookings through metasearch.

Almost a year ago we announced an exciting integration with Metadesk, a powerful platform that allows resorts and hotels to more easily distribute their inventory through metasearch providers. Our VP of Marketing, Gregg Blanchard recently sat down with Metadesk’s Product Director, Kenyon Cotton, to get an update on how things are going, the state of metasearch, and some metrics from the first resorts who have taken advantage of this integration.
–

Gregg: For those who aren’t familiar with metasearch, give us a 30-second version of that channel.

Kenyon: Metasearch sites are various travel and hospitality search engines that aggregate rates from multiple channels so users, your potential guests, can rate shop without having to check multiple sights manually. Google Hotel Ads is the largest metasearch provider by volume, but Tripadvisor, Bing, Kayak, Trivago, and many other lesser-known sites are also considered metasearch providers.

Gregg: Why does now feel like such an important time for resorts to be thinking about how metasearch fits into their strategy?

Kenyon: Metasearch is the best way to compete with OTAs and increase direct bookings and profitability. Because metasearch offers various rates by channels, plus typically showcases promo data, optimizing your metasearch listing and advertising strategy can help your property compete with huge name brands like Expedia and Hotels.com. Also, as properties are battling with rising operational costs in 2025, driving direct reservations will improve profitability.

Gregg: Are there any misconceptions out there about metasearch? Anything myths or ideas floating around that are worth addressing?

Kenyon: So many! I think the biggest is that because metasearch requires a tech connection, and that you’re publishing live rates and inventory, that’s all there is to it. But in fact, there are a number of ways to apply advertising strategy and even tailor your metasearch campaigns to support your various need periods and high occupancy dates.

Gregg: Speaking of that tech connection, Inntopia allows resorts to sell more than just lodging. Was this a slightly different integration that you’re used to?

Kenyon: Due to the nature of a booking process that includes vacation experiences, it took some engineering and development to retrieve availability and rate information in a usable format for Google Hotel Ads and other channels. In close collaboration with the Inntopia development team, we were able to establish these connections to offer new acquisition channels to Inntopia customers.

Gregg: It’s been about a year since we launched this integration. Any stats or insights you can share about the first properties and resorts that came on board and the results they’re seeing?

Kenyon: In December of 2023, three ski resort properties utilizing the Inntopia successfully established a connection to metasearch and an entirely new acquisition channel. Year-to-date they’ve generated approximately 285 bookings and $730,500 in revenue combined. If those had been booked through an OTA instead of direct, at the industry-standard OTA commission rate of 18%, those resorts would have paid around $132,000 in commissions while missing out on the benefits of direct reservations.

Gregg: Where is metasearch headed as a channel the next couple of years? Anything resorts need to watch out for?

Kenyon: Recently reps from Google presented various ways they’re folding trip planning provided by AI into their hotel search products. In the (near) future, I think travel planning will be more communicative and interactive with AI providing the heavy lifting in terms of planning. Looking through that lens, I can envision a potential guest asking something like “Ok that hotel is perfect, where should I make my reservation?” or “Make the reservation for me.” At that moment we hope the hotel has the best direct booking policies, best cancellation policies, and member benefits. And definitely the best price.

Gregg: Interesting. With that in mind, what does the next couple of years look like for Metadesk and your technology?

Kenyon: We’re really focused on education and improving the ways we pass along our price parity and price accuracy audit data to our customers. In 2025, we’re launching a new portal with some novel ways to view metasearch reporting data and easily digestible resource materials to help our customers maximize revenue production through metasearch. We like to think we look at metasearch differently and our new reporting products will help our customers see metasearch the way we do.

Gregg: Any last words or reasons resorts should consider metasearch?

Kenyon: Metasearch is your best tool for increasing direct revenue. Paying a lower commission percentage, increasing profitability, having a direct relationship with your guests, and ensuring you own your first-party data are all reasons to focus on strategies to increase direct revenue. Big OTA might be spending billions in an effort to capture your guests, but a smart metasearch strategy can level the playing field.

For more information about Metadesk visit:
https://landing.metadesk.pro/inntopia-metadesk