New independent research with GetYourGuide shows that’s not the case. In fact, OTAs can actually help boost your visibility and strengthen direct channels over time. 

Read the GetYourGuide research paper to get the full picture. 

What is the Billboard Effect and how can it help you?

The Billboard Effect concept is simple — when travelers discover your business on a platform like GetYourGuide, many of them later return to book directly through your own site. For years, this effect was observed in hospitality, and now it has been measured in the tours and activities space as well.

Travelers are booking online more than ever and GetYourGuide’s research shows the average traveler now uses 12 digital touchpoints when researching a trip, from search engines and social media to OTAs and review sites. 

Being visible on OTAs places your business in front of these travelers at crucial points of the decision-making process. Even if they don’t book immediately, the exposure makes it more likely they’ll remember your brand and return to book directly.

What the research uncovered

To test the Billboard Effect, GetYourGuide partnered with FareHarbor, Bokun, and Ventrata to track 238 experience providers across 8 categories over 24 months. The study compared performance before and after joining the platform. 

The findings were clear:

• 36% overall revenue growth in the first year after joining
• 14% increase in direct booking revenue and 18% more direct ticket sales
• 63% OTA booking revenue growth and 43% more OTA ticket sales

It’s important to note that direct bookings increased alongside OTA sales,  proving that OTAs complement, rather than compete with, your existing channels.

Businesses at different stages saw unique advantages:

• Smaller businesses making less than $100k per year: Companies aiming to grow quickly experienced 138% growth in total revenue and 59% growth in ticket sales after joining.
• Established businesses making more than $100k per year: Companies looking  to expand their reach recorded a 15% increase in direct bookings through enhanced brand discovery.

The takeaway? Whether you’re looking to grow faster or reinforce your market position, OTAs can provide measurable value.

How to use OTAs to your advantage

So, what does this mean for your distribution strategy? Think of OTAs as part of your balanced channel mix — one that helps you attract more travelers, strengthen your brand presence, and build resilience over time.

The research highlights a few reasons why this approach works:

• Visibility helps drive bookings: Even when travelers don’t book on an OTA, the exposure matters. GetYourGuide’s study found that 95% of impressions don’t convert right away — meaning most people discover you on an OTA but often book later, sometimes directly.
• Customers looking on OTAs are spending more: Revenue from OTAs grew faster than ticket volume (63% vs. 43%), suggesting these channels bring in customers who spend more.
• Balancing your channel mix brings long-term resilience: Just like an investment portfolio, diversifying your distribution across channels reduces risk and builds a stronger foundation for the future.

In short, the commission you pay on an OTA can be seen as a marketing expense — but one you only incur when a booking happens. It’s performance-based exposure that drives both OTA and direct sales.

See the full report

The data is clear: OTAs like GetYourGuide don’t take away from your direct bookings — they can help increase them. Whether you’re a business eager to grow quickly or a company looking to reinforce your market position, OTAs act as powerful visibility tools across the booking journey.

See the full research paper to explore the findings and see how you can put the OTAs to work for your business.