As hotels plan for a more competitive 2026, many are still focused on shifting business from OTAs to direct channels. But according to Noelani Schroy, VP of Global Territory Sales at Onyx, one of the most profitable—and often overlooked—opportunities lies in the travel agency and GDS ecosystem. In a conversation with Hotel Management executive editor Esther Hertzfeld, Schroy explains why this “middle space” has become a high-value sweet spot for hotels looking to strengthen channel mix, improve ADR, and reduce cancellations.
Travel agency and GDS bookings consistently deliver higher-spending guests, longer stays, and the lowest cancellation rates across channels. Even better, hotels can boost visibility without massive OTA-style commission costs. Simple adjustments—such as small commission increases or improving “speed to payment” performance—can quickly elevate a property in the eyes of travel advisors who rely on timely commissions as their paycheck.
Schroy outlines practical 90-day steps hotels can take across sales, marketing, revenue, and distribution to grow agency share, from benchmarking payment performance to targeting agents for off-peak demand. She emphasizes that retaining repeat agency business is far more cost-effective than constantly acquiring new business.
For hotels seeking a smarter, more stable 2026 revenue strategy, the agency and GDS channel offers untapped potential waiting to be activated.