RateGain Launches 2026 Report Warning AI Search Could Detach Hotels from Booking Journey
RateGain Travel Technologies Limited, a global provider of AI-powered SaaS solutions for the travel and hospitality industry, released The Direct Booking Friction Report 2026. The report serves as a comprehensive audit, revealing that many hotels across the APMEA region are not losing direct revenue due to poor demand or weak pricing, but rather because of friction within their own digital guest experience.The audit maps, for the first time, specific areas where hotels across the Asia Pacific, Middle East, and Africa are losing direct bookings even before a guest reaches the checkout stage. These friction points cover visibility, pricing consistency, the booking experience, and overall guest trust.
Key Areas of Digital Friction
The report identifies four critical stages in the direct booking journey where systemic issues are causing guest abandonment:| Friction Point | Finding | Impact Statistic |
|---|---|---|
| Visibility (Before journey begins) | Nearly half of the market is invisible to high-intent travelers on unbranded search queries. | 42% of hotels do not appear on Page 1. |
| Pricing (Comparison stage) | Hotels are losing guests to third-party platforms because they list higher rates on their own website. | 63% of properties list higher rates than OTAs. |
| Experience (Booking stage) | Slow loading speeds and complex booking flows cause abandonment. | 72% of hotel websites fail the 3-second load benchmark; average mobile load times reach 4.1 seconds. Guests face an average of 4 clicks to confirm a reservation (global benchmark is 3). |
| Trust (Commitment stage) | Lack of transparency regarding costs and security anxiety are major triggers for abandonment. | 44% of hotels withhold taxes and fees until the final payment screen; 1 in 3 properties expose guests to a URL or domain disconnect between their website and booking engine. |
Ashish Sikka, Business Head - UNO Platforms, RateGain, stated that the direct booking journey has become overly fragmented across search, pricing, booking engine, and guest experience. He warned that the moment is urgent because AI search is changing visibility rules faster than most hotels realize. Brands that move to unified platforms to fix these systematic gaps are reportedly seeing up to 5X growth in direct revenue within 90 days, while hotels with disconnected systems risk becoming invisible before the booking journey starts.
Regional Differences and Benchmark Findings
The report also highlighted significant variations in digital maturity and performance across APMEA markets. Singapore and Thailand were noted for setting the regional benchmark, demonstrating average load times of 2.9 seconds and the strongest direct price parity discipline. Conversely, the Maldives recorded the highest friction scores across speed, pricing opacity, and OTA bundle dominance.Methodology
The Direct Booking Friction Report 2026 evaluated booking journeys by analyzing 65 hotel properties across India, the Middle East, Southeast Asia, and the Maldives. The study benchmarked five core elements of the direct booking journey: visibility, pricing parity, website performance, booking flow efficiency, and checkout transparency.RateGain Travel Technologies Limited remains a global provider of AI-powered SaaS solutions for travel and hospitality, supporting over 13,000 customers and 700 partners across more than 160 countries.
RATEGAIN Stock Price Movement
Shares of Rategain Travel Technologies Limited are edging higher to ₹733.45 as of 11:10 AM today, gaining 0.62% in live trading. The stock is showing strong conviction, backed by a high volume of 128,918 shares traded so far.Disclaimer: Due care and diligence have been taken in compiling and presenting news and market-related content. However, errors or omissions may arise despite such efforts.
The information provided is for general informational purposes only and does not constitute investment advice, a recommendation, or an offer to buy or sell any securities. Readers are advised to rely on their own assessment and judgment and consult appropriate financial advisers, if required, before taking any investment-related decisions.
Any views, opinions, or statements expressed, where applicable, are those of the respective analysts or experts and do not reflect the views of this website. The website has no association with such viewpoints and does not assume any responsibility for them.
Last edited by a moderator: