Google Hotel and D2C — a new wave hits the hospitality industry
Hi, we're ONDA — the hospitality B2B platform driving digital transformation in Korea's accommodation industry.
Last September, we hosted a joint webinar with Google Hotel: "Google Hotel and D2C: A New Wave Hits the Hospitality Industry." Arindam Das (Head of Travel, Google Asia-Pacific), Kevin Oh (CEO, ONDA), and William Lee (Global Business Lead, ONDA) spoke. (* Full video is on our YouTube channel 'Yondadora')
We've been flooded with questions from hoteliers since. For those who missed it, here's the complete pre-submitted and live Q&A.
Q1. What sets Google Hotel apart from traditional OTAs?
Kevin: Traditional OTAs act as middlemen. But hotels want direct bookings — you want to recognize returning guests, comp them breakfast, build a relationship. That's hard through an OTA. Google's 'Free Booking Link' sends guests straight to your hotel website. It's a metasearch play — think HotelsCombined or AllStay in Korea. The model is hotel-centric, not platform-centric.
Q2. What's ONDA's vision for growth?
Kevin: From day one, we've aimed to be hoteliers' best partner. COVID accelerated digital adoption — it's no longer optional. We've equipped hotels with software, IoT hardware, and operational tools to run leaner. Moving forward, our mission stays the same: help you receive more guests, spend less, and operate flexibly. Expect more product launches in that direction. We appreciate your support.
Q3. Can I trust ONDA with operations and marketing long-term? Will your fees stay reasonable?
Kevin: Absolutely. We'll take a fair commission — we're a business — but our customers are hoteliers. If you don't survive, we don't survive. We're committed to building a healthy ecosystem together. Trust us on that.
Q4. I've never used a CMS. Will I struggle with your system?
William: Our interface is super intuitive. Even first-time users learn it in under a week. We have manuals, and we're translating Google Hotel's English docs into Korean ourselves — we'll distribute them to anyone who needs them.
Q5. Do I need a Google Ads account to use Google Hotel?
William: No, it's not required. Free Booking Links are, well, free. But we recommend reinvesting your saved OTA commission into Google Ads to drive more direct traffic. It's optional, but effective.
Q6. What's Google Hotel's competitive edge over other platforms?
Kevin: Our advice: list everywhere — Yanolja, Yeogi Eottae, Google, you name it. Maximize your reach. But here's the difference: Google reaches international travelers. When foreigners visit Seoul, Gapyeong, or Jeju, they open Google Maps. Yanolja and Yeogi Eottae serve domestic guests. Google Hotel gives you global visibility.
Q7. How do payments work on Google Hotel?
William: Google Hotel links to your hotel website. Payment happens there. If you use ONDA Pay (our PG), we settle funds to you later. If you prefer another payment gateway, we can integrate it — depends on cost. And here's the best part: if a guest pays cash or via bank transfer, there's no card processing fee at all.
Q8. Will Google move its servers to Korea to improve Google Maps here?
Kevin: I can't speak for Google, but look at their investment in Google Travel — flights, restaurants, activities. They're serious about the travel ecosystem. I expect Google Maps in Korea to improve — higher resolution, better UX. Google's market share is climbing. Both Google and Naver will keep upgrading to win users. Bet on the platforms investing in better service.
Q9. How do I rank higher in Google Hotel search results?
William: Google Hotel shows the lowest price first. Yes, OTAs also appear, but if you offer the best rate on your direct site, you'll win. There's a separate ad section for paid listings via Google Ads — those rank at the top. But here's the thing: by saving OTA commission, you can afford to discount your direct price and rank organically. We've tested this — it works. You don't need to stress over paid ads if your pricing is competitive.
Q10. Will you hold more webinars like this?
William: This was our first, and we plan to host more to educate and support Korea's accommodation industry. If you're curious about Google Ads, our in-house marketing team can consult with you directly. Reach out — we're here to help.
Q11. Is Google building a comprehensive travel platform?
Kevin: Yanolja, Yeogi Eottae, Naver — they're domestic. Everything's going digital: hotels, tickets, restaurants, even currency. Google is a global player with way more reach than Naver's 60–70% domestic share.
Post-COVID, when international travel picks up, the first thing visitors open in Korea will be Google Maps. They'll book accommodations, restaurants, and activities there. That future is coming soon. Prepare for it. Invest in it now.
"A cutting-edge webinar in the hotel industry — you can really feel how prepared ONDA is. Trustworthy and forward-thinking."
This feedback from an attendee means a lot. This was ONDA's first-ever online seminar. It started with "Should we just try this?" — then came speaker coordination with Google, venue changes (four times!), tech glitches during rehearsals with overseas speakers, and a lot of nail-biting during the live broadcast. Every step had a problem. Every problem got solved thanks to our team, our partners at Google, and a bit of grit.
Just like we got help launching this webinar, ONDA is here to help you. Our reason for existing is simple: to drive digital transformation in Korea's hospitality industry.