An Evaluation of the Impact of Online Travel Agents on Irish Hotels

This report investigates the impact of Online Travel Agents (OTAs) on the Irish Hotel Industry. The study encompasses an introduction outlining the research background, aims, objectives, research questions, and significance, followed by a literature review that explores the conceptual understanding of OTAs and their influence on the industry. The methodology section details the research approach, strategy, type, data collection methods, and analysis techniques, including sampling and ethical considerations. The data analysis and findings are presented through tables and charts, evaluating the impact of OTAs on hotel performance, consumer behavior, and marketing strategies. Finally, the report concludes with recommendations for improving OTA practices within the Irish hotel industry, offering valuable insights for industry professionals and researchers alike. The report utilizes both primary and secondary data to support its findings.

Running Head: MANAGEMENT
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Abstract
The purpose aim of study is evaluate impact of OTA (online Travel Agents) in the Irish Hotel
Industry. The investigator could consider many section for conducting their study named as
introduction, literature review, research methodology, data collection and findings, and
conclusion and recommendation. The initial chapter is imperative for collecting information
towards basic elements that could be essential section of the study named as study
background, research purposes, research questions, significance, and outie of the structure.
The second chapter of dissertation supports to comprehend concept of online agents. The
literature review section is imperative in collecting the data about the impact of OTA (online
Travel Agents) on the Irish Hotel Industry. It could effective in comprehending different
strategies that are associated with the study. For this study, probability simple random
sampling is employed by investigator. This study will be conducted on 55 employees of Irish
Hotel Industry which could be significant in getting the data in the favour of the research
matter. In this, the deductive approach has been practised as this study is based on the
quantitative research. This study also consider the primary and secondary data collection tool
to get the information in favour of study. For this study, non-statistical data analysis tool is
practised to evaluate data and make favourable answer. The conclusion section demonstrated
that the online travel agent could favourable impact on performance of Irish Hotel Industry.

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Table of Contents
Chapter 1: Introduction..............................................................................................................3
Research background..............................................................................................................3
Research aim and objectives..................................................................................................3
Research questions.................................................................................................................4
Research hypothesis...............................................................................................................4
Research significance.............................................................................................................4
Dissertation structure..............................................................................................................4
Chapter 2: Literature review......................................................................................................6
To comprehend conceptual understanding about online Travel Agents................................6
Discover the impact of the OTA (online Travel Agents) on the Irish Hotel Industry............7
Recommended strategies for improving the online Travel Agents practices in the Irish hotel
industry.................................................................................................................................10
Chapter 3: Research methodology...........................................................................................11
Introduction..........................................................................................................................11
Research approach................................................................................................................11
Research strategy..................................................................................................................12
Research type........................................................................................................................12
Data collection......................................................................................................................12
Data analysis method............................................................................................................13
Sampling method..................................................................................................................13
Ethical consideration................................................................................................................14
Research limitation...............................................................................................................14
Chapter 4: Data analysis and findings......................................................................................15
Chapter 5: Conclusion and recommendation...........................................................................29
Conclusion............................................................................................................................29
Recommendation..................................................................................................................30
References................................................................................................................................32
Table 1: Gender........................................................................................................................17
Table 2: Age Group..................................................................................................................17
Table 3: Experience..................................................................................................................18
Table 4: OTA (online travel agency) is an online service that sells goods and services related
to the consumers.......................................................................................................................19
Table 5: OTA delivers benefits to the organization by making a link between the organization
and travel agency......................................................................................................................20
Table 6: Online travel agents could play ab vital role in the hotel due to offering the
marketing as well as distribution channel to the firm..............................................................21
Table 7: Online travel agents could make booking as their users and they make money by
charging commission amount to the suppliers.........................................................................22
Table 8: OTA could offer an opportunity to the organization for investing huge amount of
money for attracting huge number of consumers by using it as the marketing promotional tool
..................................................................................................................................................23
Table 9: Online travel web sited are popular with consumers who desire to relate
accommodation costs as well as the services delivered by the service providers....................24
Table 10: OTA (online Travel Agents) could positive impact on the performance of Irish
hotel industry............................................................................................................................25
Table 11: Do you believed that strategies could supported to improve the practices of online
travel agents.............................................................................................................................26

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Table 12: which strategies are more effective to improve online Travel Agents practices for
hotel?........................................................................................................................................27
Chart 2: Gender........................................................................................................................17
Chart 3: Age Group..................................................................................................................18
Chart 4: Experience..................................................................................................................18
Chart 5: OTA (online travel agency) is an online service that sells goods and services related
to the consumers.......................................................................................................................20
Chart 6: OTA delivers benefits to the organization by making a link between the organization
and travel agency......................................................................................................................20
Chart 7: Online travel agents could play ab vital role in the hotel due to offering the
marketing as well as distribution channel to the firm..............................................................22
Chart 8: Online travel agents could make booking as their users and they make money by
charging commission amount to the suppliers.........................................................................23
Chart 9: OTA could offer an opportunity to the organization for investing huge amount of
money for attracting huge number of consumers by using it as the marketing promotional tool
..................................................................................................................................................24
Chart 10: Online travel web sited are popular with consumers who desire to relate
accommodation costs as well as the services delivered by the service providers....................25
Chart 11: OTA (online Travel Agents) could positive impact on the performance of Irish
hotel industry............................................................................................................................26
Chart 12: Do you believed that strategies could supported to improve the practices of online
travel agents.............................................................................................................................27
Chart 13: which strategies are more effective to improve online Travel Agents practices for
hotel..........................................................................................................................................27

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Chapter 1: Introduction
Research title: The impact of the OTA (Online Travel Agents) on the Irish Hotel Industry.
Research background
In the current business scenario, it is vital for hotel industry for increasing their awareness of
online Travel Agents. The top management could also comprehend the importance of Online
Travel Agents in improving performance of hotel and imply it in the organization for
sustaining the position of a firm in the marketplace (Xiang and Krawczyk, 2016). The online
travel agent could also offer an effective way by which organization is capable to attract huge
number of consumers. It is illustrated that fair low cost is the way of listing the property of
the hotel in the least time as it could be possible by an online travel agent. It is stated that
online travel agent could offer an opportunity to spend more time and cost. It can be
imperative in obtaining higher competitive advantages. It could decline the cost of promotion
that is an imperative factor in the current era (Wang, et al., 2016). Online travel agents make
a positive link between the customers as well as organization. It is illustrated that online
travel sites could are popular with the consumers that like to make the link among costs as
well as the reliable services offered by the hotel. Further, the online travel agent could show
positive points of the hotel on their sites that could be effective for attracting consumers to
visit the hotel. OTA (online Travel Agents) is used by most of the hotel due to having a
positive result (Del Chiappa, et al., 2016).
Research aim and objectives
This research is emphasized in evaluating impact of the OTA on Irish Hotel Industry.
 To comprehend conceptual understanding about online Travel Agents
 Discover the impact of the OTA (Online Travel Agents) on the Irish Hotel Industry.
 Recommended strategies for improving the online Travel Agents practices in the Irish
hotel industry.

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Research questions
 What is the meaning and concept of online Travel Agents?
 What is the impact of OTA (online Travel Agents) on the Irish Hotel Industry?
 Which strategies are used for improving the online Travel Agents practices in the
Irish hotel industry?
Research hypothesis
H0: There is a positive relationship between online Travel Agents and the performance of the
hotel
H1: There is no relationship between online Travel Agents and the performance of the hotel
Research significance
This study is vital in increasing depth information towards the impact of OTA (Online Travel
Agents) on the Irish Hotel Industry. This report can be imperative in gaining conceptual
understanding about the online Travel Agents. The researcher also increased their
understanding of different strategies that are useful in improving the online travel agents. It
could increase the existing skills of mine and provide an opportunity to conduct the research
in the future effectively. From this study, the researcher could gain depth understanding about
certain research methods that can be practised in the study such as research strategies,
research approaches, data collection methods, data analysis methods, and ethical
consideration. It could be imperative in obtaining the information towards research matter.
Dissertation structure
The dissertation structure could consider many sections such as an introduction, literature
review, research methodology, data analysis, and conclusion recommendation. Each section
of the dissertation could entail different components that are discussed below:
The chapter first (introduction):

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The introduction section consists of different section named as the research aim, as well as
objectives, research questions, problem statement, background, research significance, as well
as dissertation structure (Kim, et al., 2015).
Chapter Second (literature review):
The second section is vital in obtaining data towards study. Literature review could consist of
different theories and concepts that can be vital in obtaining valid research issue. The
literature review considers different certain resources like academic articles, books, online
sources (Palacios-Marqués, et al., 2015).
Chapter third: (Research methodology)
This chapter is crucial to get the information about the study. The research methodology
could consider certain sources named as data collection, research approaches, research
strategies, data analysis, ethical consideration, and research limitation (Kandampully, et al.,
2015).
Chapter forth: (Data analysis and findings)
This section can be imperative in examine data effectively. There are many sources which are
employed by researcher to evaluate the data named as the statistical and non-statistical data
analysis method. This method is imperative in obtaining data as well as makes decision in an
effective manner (Kim, et al., 2014).
Chapter fifth: (Conclusion and recommendation)
This chapter can be imperative for summarizing whole study. It can also suggested many
recommendation or strategies in context of research (Oskam and Boswijk, 2016).

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Chapter 2: Literature review
To comprehend conceptual understanding about online Travel Agents
According to Kim (2014), an online traveling agency is an effective technique that supports
the organization for offering their travel goods and services to their consumers. The products
could be associated with car rentals, flights, and hotels services. It can be vital in getting a
favourable outcome about the organizational task. The hotel industry is being a famous
industry in the current era. It is stated that an online traveling agency could deliver many
advantages of practicing the offline travel agency as it would be imperative in attaining the
research. It would be vital in building the booking structure is allowing in instant bookings.
In support of this, Mohseni et al. (2018) stated that online travel agents could be effective in
getting a role in obtaining in favorable data towards research. The online travel agents could
be vital role in improving performance of hotel. It is illustrated that there are different kinds
of the channel which might be considered by the firm to have decision effectively. The online
traveling agent could be known as a popular tool that is crucial in obtaining the data towards
research issue. The online traveling agent could also be an essential tool in offering the best
services to consumers who use a hotel. It could be in enhancing the hotel bookings.
In oppose to this, Liu and Zhang (2014) illustrated that online traveling agent could make
websites that offer the opportunity to comprehend offers of hotels and have services of a
hotel.
It can also enhance the capabilities of obtaining the favourable concern. Moreover, websites
can be critical component for attracting the large number of consumers that could also
support to enhance the growth percentage, which will direct to get reliable result. The
organization could be imperative in managing the revenue of the firm.
On the other hand, Gössling and Lane (2015) stated that online traveling agents are increased
that could be significant for hotels due to distributing the distribution and marketing channel.

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The increasing number of consumers due to practicing online traveling agents. It could
increase the products and services of the hotel among a huge number of consumers. OTA
could increase hotel the consumers for the hotel. It is illustrated that the consumer could be
capable to search hotels and have the products and services of a hotel. Moreover, hotels
which are listed on online travel agent websites could also be beneficial for referring to the
billboard effect. It refers to a fact which online travel agent could offer a way of promoting
and making its users aware of a hotel on their platform.
In support of this, Ivanov and Webster (2017) illustrated that after increasing this awareness
of the people they use search procedure before taking the decision towards any kinds of
goods and services. It is examined that OTA can make decision on the basis of the user’s
experience. The organization can make a charge for commission fee to suppliers (online
travel agent). The precise fee could be different from the services to services, but it could be
imperative in increasing number of consumers. It is illustrated that the commission could fee
that is used by the organization for completing any commitment of the firm It is effective for
making the link between services offers as well as a hotel.
On the other side, Riasi and Pourmiri, (2015) illustrated that the commission fee could vary
from agent to agent. It is illustrated that higher fees could be charged at the time of getting
positive result towards the organizational growth. It is a trade-off for those who are in the
hotel industry due to the online traveling agent could be effective for selling rooms but it
could be likely to be one of its most expensive channels.
Discover the impact of the OTA (Online Travel Agents) on the Irish Hotel Industry
According to Bilgihan, et al. (2015) online travel agents could offer an opportunity to hotels
in increasing their services and support to make a decision effectively. The travel agents
could offer positively as well as negatively affect the performance of the hotel. Online travel
agents could consider different sources named as Hotels.com and Trivago. It is stated that

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online traveling agents in the national hospitality department. In addition, it is illustrated that
the distribution channels can leading to increase possibilities of obtaining competitive
advantages in the limited time and cost. Further, it is examined that online traveling agents
could increase the probabilities of success by 28.09%. It can direct to getting competitive
advantages.
In support of this, Barreda et al. (2015) stated that it is hard to acquire appointments without
having OTA associations for lodging. It is also founded that alongside OTAs, GDS, get-away
rentals and even lodging site assume a vital job in expanding in appointments. Numerous
hoteliers are hesitant to work with such online conveyance channels out of the dread that they
are going to pay a high commission and resultantly, they won't increase enough net revenue.
On the other side, Neirotti et al. (2016) illustrated that OTAs give an opportunity to access a
higher number of potential consumers. The potential opinions of interest in using the online
trip professional to sell products and services. It genuinely strategy to the property list and
their rooms. In addition, it is examined that potential decreases in web based promoting by
considering OTTs that will support to publicizing the potential global consumers. It declines
the costs of sites by entailing OTA. It will be imperative for increasing the growth of the
frim. It will be useful to meet the organizational task. The online travel destinations could be
imperative in the attainment of the organizational task. In addition, it is illustrated that
unprejudiced audits could be possible by entailing the OTAs as it could support to make new
clients. At the point when a definitive objective of an hotelier is to the best visitor experience,
the organization can't deny the way that the experience begins directly from when they make
the booking.
In opposed to this, Ling et al. (2015) stated that OTAs could quite expensive presentation to
the voyages around the world. An organization could get an expanded perceivability
subsequently, making you known to the visitors your lodging takes into account. In all

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honesty, however, online travel organizations can really direct people to your inn site. The
voyagers perusing your postings on an OTA regularly get inquisitive enough to look at
organization’s websites and measure the standard of administrations that are provided by the
hotel. 52% of explorers visit the websites subsequent to seeing the room that is recorded on
OTA.
Stangl et al. (2016) argued that each organization has the desire to know the ways of
increasing higher awareness of hotel services with a higher number of appointments. All the
more in this way, an organization can position on the OTAs will likewise assume a huge job
here, ensuring that their visitors discover the hotel services effectively. Despite the property
type you possess, posting on various online travel offices will bring the correct sort of group
at your lodging, in this manner enabling you to take into account the visitors in the most ideal
manner conceivable. OTAs enable bookers to look at surveys and get a thought of the
organization administrations, in the end giving them a push to book with the specified hotel.
In support of this, Amaro and Duarte (2015) stated that an extensive number of visitors
experience the surveys before booking their remain, positive audits will make hotel
progressively obvious through better rankings on the OTAs. Thinking about the above
focuses, getting ideal execution from only a couple OTAs isn't plausible. It is prudent to have
a keen system for hotel services on the web dissemination and therefore go for more OTA
associations for your inn. Without appropriate conveyance the board, organization are
probably going to pass up tremendous income age openings (Law et al. 2014)
In contrast to this, Law et al. (2015) illustrated that programming alternatives enable the
organization to deal with huge number of consumers. Albeit online trip specialists enables the
organization to fill rooms, it is critical to augment that is most productive incomes by dealing
without other sites. The organization ought to persistently deal with organization site design
improvement strategies and different advanced showcasing systems. Organization could

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concentrate on client maintenance systems, as well as legitimately concentrates on current
clients (counting those increased through OTAs) by considering email and direct advertising.
Recommended strategies for improving the online Travel Agents practices in the Irish hotel
industry
Wang et al. (2015) stated that an organization could concentrate on consumers as well as
technology for increasing the sale of goods and services. The technology is an imperative tool
for making a connection between two and more people to share the information with each
other. In the current era, the hotel industry should need to understand how much an individual
use tool for operating the business. It can also be recommended that promotions and
diversification of channels could be effective in getting a favorable research outcome. The
promotional tool could be imperative in making the positive image of consumers to have
decision effectively. It can also be recommended that the organization should try to make a
positive relationship with people who have promoted to the products and services of the
organizations.