PHOENIX-“Get back to selling your hotel and stop relying onsomeone else to do it,” said Jim Anhut, chief developmentofficer-the Americas, InterContinental Hotels Group, regarding theOnline Travel Alliance. He said it was important to use them as achannel in the marketplace, but to control them by controllinginventory that is allowed into the system. He noted it was alsoimportant to work the government side to stay competitive. JoelEisemann, EVP, owner and franchise services and select service& extended stay lodging development, Marriot International,Inc., concurred nothing that all the large brands have activeecommerce groups. The more important questions, Eisemann felt, werewho the online agencies pay taxes to for the revenue of selling aroom. It was jurisdictional issue that was still unresolved and alooming issue for hoteliers.

A panel heavy with developers gathered on Thursday morning todiscuss OTAs, managing brands, and cost-shaving, among otherpertinent topics of the moment. Jeff Weinstein, editor-in-chief ofHOTELs Magazine/Hotels Investment Outlook moderated the panel,which consisted of Anhut; Eisemann; Thorsten Kirschke, EVP and COO,Carlson Hotels-the Americas; Thomas R. Magnuson, CEO/principal,Magnuson Hotels; Joseph A. McInerney, president and CEO, AH&LA;and Paul Sacco, SVP, development-North America, Starwood Hotels& Resorts Worldwide, Inc.

OTAs were a prime subject of the panel, as McInerny noted thatthat a about 10 years ago, a large brand had looked into creatingits own online search engine to compete with the OTAs emergence,but it couldn’t compete and eventually sold its platform, whichthen turned into Pricline.com. Sacco said that if you keep focus onthe brand the customers will “key into it,” regardless of how theypurchase the room.