The Ultimate Guide to Working with OTAs
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Online Travel Agencies are one of the most powerful distribution channels in the travel industry—capable of expanding your reach, filling more seats, and connecting you with travelers around the world. But choosing the right OTAs and managing them strategically isn’t always straightforward. This guide breaks down everything operators need to know to make OTAs work for their business, not against it.
Inside, you’ll learn how OTAs function, their benefits and drawbacks, what to look for when selecting partners, and how to avoid common pitfalls that impact margins and brand visibility. You’ll also get insights into top OTAs, how commissions really work, and how to strike the right balance in your distribution mix.
This guide gives you a clear framework to confidently leverage OTAs while still protecting your brand, your customer relationships, and your revenue.
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Frequently Asked Questions
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Zaui integrates with major payment gateways (e.g. Stripe) so you only pay standard credit-card processing rates (roughly 1.9%+$0.30/transaction) and we don’t mark them up. Only the published platform commission is added on bookings. You also have full control over who pays the commission, we let you decide whether to absorb booking fees or pass them on to customers. In short, you’ll only pay the transparent booking commission and normal gateway fees, nothing extra.
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Of course. Zaui’s plans are fully flexible. You can upgrade or downgrade at any time to match your needs, without penalties. You can move to a higher tier or back down easily, and your billing adjusts automatically.
No. Zaui does not charge its commission on offline/manual bookings. “No fees on offline bookings” You only pay the commission when a booking is processed online through our system. Manual reservations (or bookings from partner channels we set up for you) incur no extra platform fee. (30% or less)
All of Zaui’s core features are included in your plan at no extra charge. We believe in value and transparency: Zaui provides over 15 advanced features (Google Things to do, reporting tools, marketing tools, reports, etc.) at no additional cost. Many competitors charge extra or require higher plans for the same features, but with Zaui you get the full suite of tools in one package. Any optional add-ons (if any) will always be clearly listed and optional there are no surprise paid upgrades for standard features.
Each Zaui plan is designed for clarity and fairness, following industry best practices. You can trust that our pricing is transparent and flexible, with the support you need built in.
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