Connectivity is no longer just a technical issue for hotels. A global study published by Expedia Group shows that the most connected establishments report better business performance, fewer manual tasks, and greater control over their rates and availability.
The most striking figure isn't an 87% revenue gap, as the study doesn't frame it that way. The real signal is more precise: 81% of fully connected accommodations report that connectivity has improved their occupancy rate, average daily rate, or RevPAR. In France, this proportion reaches 85%. For hoteliers, the message is clear: connectivity is becoming a performance driver, not just an IT tool.
Summary
Why connectivity is becoming strategic for hotels
Hotel distribution has become much more complex. Today, an establishment must manage its direct sales, OTAs, revenue management tools, PMS, channel managers, booking engines, and sometimes GDS or metasearch engines.
Without robust connectivity, these tools remain fragmented. Teams have to re-enter information, check availability, correct price discrepancies, and monitor bookings. With full connectivity, systems communicate better with each other, and data flows faster.
The Expedia Group study, conducted with 1,500 senior hotel executives in six markets, compares three levels of adoption: full connectivity, basic connectivity, and no connectivity. The results show that the performance gap is not only between connected and unconnected hotels, but primarily between full and partial connectivity.
The figure that should give hoteliers pause for thought
According to Expedia Group, 81% of fully connected accommodations report an improvement in their occupancy rate, ADR, or RevPAR. In contrast, only 52% of properties using basic connectivity report the same effect.
In other words, full connectivity doesn't just provide operational convenience. It's associated with a better perception of business performance. Expedia Group also reports that 83% of fully connected accommodations believe better connectivity improves their bottom line, compared to 55% for properties with basic connectivity and 26% for those without.
In France, the study highlights another important point: 85% of fully connected establishments report an improvement in their performance indicators, compared to 57% for those with basic connectivity.
Data to visualize: connectivity, revenue, and automation
The Expedia Group study results clearly compare the effects of connectivity on revenue, productivity, availability control, and barriers to adoption. This is where the interactive data table can be integrated to help readers visualize the differences between fully connected, partially connected, and unconnected properties.
The Impact of Connectivity
📈 1. Impact on Profitability (RevPAR, ADR, Occupancy)
Performance improvement observed depending on the level of software equipment at the institution:
⚡ 2. Productivity and Time Saving
🇫🇷 87% in France
🇫🇷 57% in France
of non-connected users perform OTA tasks manually.
🛡️ 3. Data Control
Confidence in updating rates & availability in less than 15 minutes:
⚠️ The risks of the “Manual”
Increased risks observed in non-connected accommodations:
- +14% more likely to face overbookings caused by inconsistencies in availability.
- +9% more likely to deal with bookings not transmitted or delayed in their PMS / front office system.
🚧 4. The main obstacles to adoption
Less manual work, less friction
Productivity is the other major finding of the study. Expedia Group reports that 81% of managers of fully connected accommodations say that using a connectivity provider has reduced friction points and manual work. In France, this figure reaches 87%.
Conversely, approximately 74% of non-connected establishments report still performing online travel agency-related tasks partially or entirely manually.
This point is essential for tourism professionals. In a hotel, the time spent correcting availability, checking reservations or reconciling information between several tools is time that is not spent on welcoming guests, sales, revenue management or the customer experience.
Connectivity also reduces operational risks
The issue of control remains one of the most frequent obstacles for hoteliers. However, the study shows that connected establishments actually report greater confidence in updating their data.
According to Expedia Group, 95% of fully connected accommodations are confident that changes to rates and availability are reflected across all channels within 15 minutes. This figure drops to 90% for accommodations with basic connectivity and to 80% for non-connected properties.
Non-connected establishments are also more exposed to certain incidents. The study indicates that they are more likely to experience overbookings due to inconsistencies in availability, or bookings that are not transmitted or are delayed in their PMS or front office system.
Why are some hotels still hesitating?
Despite these results, the adoption of full connectivity remains hampered by several concerns. Expedia Group reports that 32% of senior hotel executives cite the fear of losing control over pricing or inventory as the primary obstacle.
A lack of technical resources also influences the decision. The study specifies that 25% of respondents cite a lack of internal IT resources or technical expertise. Another revealing finding: 24% of hoteliers do not yet see sufficient benefits from connectivity.
These obstacles demonstrate that the issue is not solely technological; it is also cultural. For some hoteliers, connectivity is still perceived as a loss of control. For the most advanced establishments, however, it becomes a way to regain control over distribution.
Expedia Group is pushing towards standalone distribution
Following this study, Expedia Group is highlighting a three-phase project focused on autonomous distribution. Autonomous integration is designed to enable accommodations to become operational more quickly. Autonomous management aims to simplify daily operations through software. Autonomous optimization is then intended to improve performance through promotional levers and the partner network.
Chris Hodges, Vice President of Global Connectivity & Partner Solutions at Expedia Group, summarizes the challenge in the press release: “With the proliferation of booking channels, travel distribution is becoming increasingly complex. Hoteliers using connectivity providers and API functionalities can automate their workflows, streamline their operations, reduce the workload of their teams, and improve their profitability.”.
This quote perfectly illustrates the repositioning of the subject. Connectivity is no longer just a matter of connecting tools. It is becoming a business infrastructure for selling better, faster, and with fewer errors.
What this study changes for tourism professionals
For independent hotels, chains, franchisees and mid-sized groups, the study poses a direct question: how much does insufficient connectivity really cost?
The cost is not limited to a software invoice. It can translate into availability errors, pricing discrepancies, wasted time, incorrectly transmitted bookings, reduced commercial responsiveness, and a diminished ability to manage sales channels.
According to the trade press, distribution automation and systems integration are becoming priorities for hotel operators who want to protect their margins in a more competitive environment. Data published by Expedia Group provides quantifiable evidence of this trend.
A warning for hotels that are still too manual
The study's message is quite clear: basic connectivity is no longer always enough. The highest-performing institutions are those that go further in integrating their tools, automating tasks, and synchronizing data.
For hoteliers, the question is no longer whether to be connected. The real question is what level of connectivity the establishment actually operates at, and whether that level is still adequate for today's distribution demands.
In a market where every point of RevPAR counts, connectivity is becoming a top management issue. It impacts revenue, teams, sales control, and operational quality. That's precisely why this Expedia Group study deserves close attention.
Editorial update
This article is based on the Expedia Group study published on June 23, 2026, and its partner article on the connectivity gap between hotels. The percentages cited are from a study conducted by Censuswide from March 26 to April 7, 2026, among 1,500 senior hotel executives in the United States, Canada, Mexico, France, Italy, and South Korea.
Sources
https://developers.expediagroup.com/supply/lodging/updates
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