from the San Diego Business Journal, September 19, 2011:

Robert Rauch, who heads the locally based consulting firm R.A. Rauch & Associates Inc. and operates two Hilton-branded hotels in San Diego, said local hoteliers now see just over half of all bookings made through online channels.

The bulk of reservations are still made through hotels’ own Web sites, he said. However, the travel-focused booking and review sites are pivotal to the initial consumer research process, especially when travelers are not familiar with the destination.

Depending on the individual arrangements they have negotiated, Rauch said hoteliers generally pay an amount ranging from 18 to 30 percent of booked rates to the major booking sites.

Beyond the boost they provide during recessionary periods, he said an ongoing presence on the booking sites can significantly heighten the profile of local tourism markets as well as individual properties.

“There are some people in the business who look at the online travel sites as the bad guy, but I’m not one of them,” Rauch said.