Recent Release | 27 Oct 2022

The Economic Impact of Online Travel Agencies in United States and Canada 2019 – 2021

Tourism Consulting Team

Tourism Economics

In addition to generating significant economic impacts in terms of GDP and jobs, OTAs benefit the accommodation markets in both the United States and Canada (North America) through downward effects on rates and by expanding the number of room nights available to consumers.

This study conducted by Tourism Economics for Booking.com quantifies the incremental impact of online travel agencies on the tourism industries and broader economies of the United States and Canada. The number of travellers organizing travel through online travel agencies (OTAs) increased steadily from 2012 to 2019 to 724 million nights, which represented almost 1 in 4 nights booked in North America – a proportion of these nights and associated economic benefits would not have happened without the trusted information, transparency and choice provided by OTAs.

All travel bookings fell sharply during the pandemic, including some shifts in OTA use resulting in a lower impact on the tourism market and the broader economy in 2020 and 2021. OTAs still play an important role in matching evolving consumer demand with available supply.

Watch here to find out more about The Economic Impact of Online Travel Agencies in the US.

About the team

Our consulting team at Tourism Economics are the world’s leading analysts of the global tourism and travel sector. They combine their expert insight with our state-of-the-art economic models and tools to answer the crucial questions facing our clients. Lead consultants on the project were:

Matthew Dass

Associate Director, Tourism Economics

You might be interested in

Airplane Landing
Inbound Travel to US in Steep Decline

Research Briefing The Economic Impact of Online Travel Agencies in United States and Canada 2019 – 2021 March 2025 data reveals the US is poised to experience a significant decline in inbound travel this year, pushing the full recovery of international arrivals to 2029.

Find Out More
Trump and Travel Header | American Flags
US Rolls Up Welcome Mat for International Travel

Research Briefing The Economic Impact of Online Travel Agencies in United States and Canada 2019 – 2021 Trump tariffs set to raise effective rate above 1930s levels.

Find Out More
Global travel outlook remains strong despite headwinds

Research Briefing The Economic Impact of Online Travel Agencies in United States and Canada 2019 – 2021 The latest global travel service highlights key trends and uncertainties.

Find Out More
Resilient global tourism outlook despite downturn in sentiment

Research Briefing The Economic Impact of Online Travel Agencies in United States and Canada 2019 – 2021 Nearly two-thirds of tourism experts developed a negative view of the economy in recent months.

Find Out More