RateGain: AI Search Threatens Hotel Direct Bookings; New Report Out

RateGain Travel Technologies Limited released "The APMEA Direct Booking Friction Report 2026," revealing that hotels are losing direct revenue due to digital experience friction, not demand or pricing. Key findings include 42% of hotels being invisible on Page 1 search, 63% listing higher rates on their own sites, and 72% failing 3-second load benchmarks. The report warns that AI search could push hotel websites out of the booking journey, emphasizing the urgency for hotels to adopt unified platforms to address these systematic gaps and avoid becoming invisible. Regional variations were noted, with Singapore and Thailand performing best.