Hotel distribution has seen very few true disruptions. But when they happen, they permanently reshape how hotels are chosen and booked. In 1997, the industry gradually shifted from travel-agent bookings to online reservations. Websites became central, OTAs emerged, and digital visibility became a critical issue for hotels. This transition took several years, but it irreversibly changed the rules of the game. Nearly thirty years later, a new milestone is emerging: 2026. We are now entering a transition just as structural—the gradual move from internet bookings to bookings driven by AI…

By Tony Loeb, cofounder of 10 minutes hotels Fifteen years ago, hoteliers didn’t see OTAs coming. Not because they were naive, but because the shift was gradual. By the time the warning signs were obvious, a big chunk of control was already gone. Something similar is unfolding right now. But this time, it’s not about distribution. It’s about how your hotel is described, understood and recommended by artificial intelligence. To dig into this, I recently sat down on the 10 minutes hotels podcast with Nicki Graham, Chief Marketing Officer at Cendyn, and Apollos Gause,…