Let's face it, the OTAs are not getting any smaller. Online travel agent (OTA) bookings have steadily increased at the expense of hotels, taking advantage of a thriving digital travel market to strengthen their position and impose conditions in exchange for increased exposure - including 15% -25% commissions. The resulting rise in distribution costs and the pressure on those rates are challenging hotel owners and managers to maintain profit levels. Understandably, hotels prefer direct bookings.