Medialog launches OTAC to turn rejected hotel requests into direct bookings

Medialog has launched OTAC, a collaborative distribution tool for independent hotels that routes guests from sold-out or unavailable properties to nearby partners instead of sending them to an OTA. The platform starts with Medialog PMS users in Île-de-France and other major tourist regions and aims to keep more booking value inside hotel networks.

Why it matters: - OTAC gives independent hotels a way to keep a guest in their own network when a property cannot accept a booking. - The model aims to reduce reliance on large online travel agencies and keep more commission revenue inside the hotel ecosystem. - The system also lets front-desk teams respond faster to guests who need an immediate alternative.

What happened: - Medialog launched OTAC, a new collaborative distribution solution for independent hotels. - The platform lets a hotel that cannot honor a request redirect the guest to another available hotel nearby. - OTAC starts with properties using the Medialog PMS, especially in Île-de-France and major tourist regions. - Medialog said the service is designed to expand gradually to other regions and other PMS systems.

The details: - OTAC uses availability already stored in the hotel PMS. - The setup avoids double entry and removes the need for a separate tool to maintain. - Reception staff can search nearby available hotels, view results in a list or on a map, and transmit the reservation to a partner hotel. - Guests can also be redirected automatically from the booking engine to a partner hotel. - The guest gets a fast alternative without starting a new search or calling other hotels. - The receiving hotel pays a total commission capped at 10%, with no extra subscription fee. - That commission covers the hotel that passed along the booking and the technology layers that made the reservation possible. - The referring hotel receives 1% to 3% depending on the channel used. - Medialog says the cost is two to three times lower than the commission levels usually seen on major distribution platforms. - Each transmission is paid individually, so a hotel does not need to send as many bookings as it receives to benefit from the system. - The platform is available at OTAC. - Medialog has operated since 1988 in hospitality and restaurant software. - The company added payment integration to its PMS and POS products in 2022. - Medialog says luxury hospitality accounts for 35% of its clients. - Medialog also points to its service quality and product quality as part of its position in the market. - The company’s broader business also includes a LinkedIn presence at Medialog on LinkedIn.

Between the lines: - OTAC is as much a revenue-sharing model as a booking tool. - The structure changes who gets paid when a hotel cannot keep a booking, shifting value from external intermediaries toward partner hotels. - The design also creates an incentive for hotels to collaborate without requiring free referrals. - For smaller independents, the model could create a shared distribution layer that works more like a local network than a global marketplace.

What's next: - Medialog plans to extend OTAC beyond the initial Medialog PMS base. - The company expects broader geographic coverage and support for additional PMS platforms over time. - The early rollout will test whether hotels adopt the referral-and-commission model at scale.