Online travel agencies (OTAs) and metasearch providers (metas) both aggregate holiday rental listings across multiple sources and distribute them to users through travel booking websites. While OTAs and metas don't directly own or manage physical listings, they make the inventory, rates and availability searchable and bookable online.
OTAs act as the Merchant of Record on all transactions that take place on their websites, providing booking and reservation management support to guests before, during and after their stays.
Metas refer reservation queries to the Merchant of Record for the booking transaction. In some cases, the meta may act as the Merchant of Record for stays booked directly on the meta's own site.
The benefits of becoming a holiday rentals on Google partner
Hundreds of millions of travellers around the world search for holiday rentals and other lodging on Google every day. As a Google holiday rentals partner, you'll:
- Expand your reach: Easily engage with more customers.
- Widen distribution channels: Display your aggregated holiday rental listings on Google Search, Maps, Assistant and other services on both desktop and mobile devices.
- Promote your listings at no cost: Becoming a Google holiday rentals partner is free, with no advertising spend required.
- Gain performance insights: Learn more about listing performance and user interactions, and apply data insights to boost bookings.
- Broaden your audience: Share holiday rentals with Google to reach new travellers who are interested in lodging options beyond hotels.
- Own your customer relationships: Support your customers throughout the transaction and maintain customer relationship touchpoints.
OTA and meta benefits
| Support your suppliers | Expand your reach | Differentiate your offering |
| Enable your holiday rental inventory partners to connect with new and returning users. | Reach millions of users who utilise Google services to research travel. | Highlight the benefits of booking with your OTA or meta service. |
Learn more about why users book holiday rentals through Google
Getting started
The integration process typically takes 8 to 12 weeks once we've received your property list, but some partners have taken as little as 4 weeks to complete their integration and go live on Google.
- Review the steps required to integrate holiday rental inventory, rates and availability with Google.
- Complete the holiday rentals interest form and a holiday rentals specialist from Google will be in touch.