Battle of the tech giants, Airbnb versus Expedia and Booking.com

It is a favourite pastime in the hotel industry to lament the often extortionate fees and commission levied by the OTAs on hoteliers, but most concede that they are a necessary evil, improving occupancy rates even if average room rates take a hit. Technology moves so fast it is hard to know how or when the dynamics might shift, but Airbnb’s latest announcement is worth digesting. The home-letting platform has penned an open letter to boutique hotel and B&B owners in an attempt to bring more of them onto its platform.