OTA guest data: what your hotel can actually control

Reservations from Booking.com or other OTAs arrive with the information needed to manage the stay. However, hotels do not always have control over the contact details actually transmitted to their PMS.

As of September 28, 2026, Booking.com no longer includes traveler phone numbers in reservation feeds sent to PMS, channel managers, and other connected systems. The number remains accessible via the Booking.com Extranet, but it no longer automatically syncs with hotel software.

This development raises a very practical question: how can you directly retrieve useful contact details for an OTA guest and integrate them into the pre-stay journey ?

GetWelcom online check-in makes it possible to create this point of contact before arrival, without relying solely on the information provided by the booking platform.

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Data transmission varies by OTA

When a traveler books through an OTA, the hotel receives the information provided by the platform and its integration with the PMS.

Depending on the channel used, some contact details may be replaced by a relay address or may not be transmitted to the connected system at all. Rules can also change, as Booking.com recently demonstrated with phone numbers.

Since September 28, 2026, new Booking.com reservation feeds no longer contain the traveler's phone number. This change also applies to modifications and cancellations received after that date. Other reservation data and their processing remain unchanged.

Booking.com recommends that properties check the number in the Extranet when needed. Details of this change are available in the official Booking.com documentation.

For hotel teams, this reliance on OTA data can complicate certain tasks, such as preparing for an arrival, contacting a traveler directly, or triggering automated communications from the PMS.

However, hotels can collect certain information directly from the guest before they arrive.

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Online check-in creates a direct collection point

A few days before their stay, travelers can receive an invitation to complete their online check-in.

With GetWelcom, the form is pre-filled with the information already available. Guests can then complete the necessary fields upon arrival, such as their direct email address and phone number.

For Booking.com reservations, the form can be sent via email or through the OTA's messaging system, depending on your configuration. The information provided is saved in GetWelcom and can be synced back to your PMS, depending on the integration used.

Check-in thus becomes more than just an administrative formality. It allows the hotel to get to know the guest better before they arrive, while reducing the need for manual lookups in extranets.

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78% of OTA email addresses recovered via check-in

Figures published by GetWelcom show that establishments using its check-in process recover an average of 78% of OTA email addresses. They also indicate that 80% of check-ins are completed before arrival.

When a relay address has been provided by the platform, the guest can enter their personal email address directly into the form.

The hotel then has useful contact information to prepare for the stay, send practical details, and facilitate communication before arrival.

Collecting an email address to manage a stay does not, however, automatically authorize its use for marketing campaigns. Establishments must distinguish between communications necessary for the reservation and promotional messages.

To use this data for marketing purposes, the hotel must apply the appropriate legal basis, inform the guest, and obtain their consent when required. Our article on digital check-in and GDPR explains this distinction in more detail.

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The Guest App continues the relationship during the stay

Once check-in is complete, the GetWelcom Guest App can take over to support the guest before and during their stay.

The guest can find practical information about the establishment, opening hours, available services, the Room Directory and various ways to contact the team. The Guest App can be accessed via a link sent before arrival or through a QR code located in the hotel.

For guests booking through an OTA, this process allows them to quickly connect with the hotel's own digital environment.

Travelers can receive their check-in invitation, complete their contact details, and then access hotel information and services all within a single experience.

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Data centralized in GetWelcom and the PMS

Additional data provides little value if it remains isolated in a form.

GetWelcom centralizes information collected during the guest journey and connects to the PMS used by properties. Depending on the available connector, the contact details provided by the traveler can also update their profile in the PMS.

Teams then have access to more comprehensive information without the need for multiple exports, searching through extranets, or manual re-entry.

The level of synchronization, however, depends on the PMS and the integration used. Before setting up automation, it is therefore necessary to verify which fields can be read or updated for each property.

The GetWelcom CRM then makes it possible to centralize information and interactions that took place before, during, and after the stay. Campaigns can be segmented based on the data and criteria actually available in the guest database.

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A relationship that can continue after departure

An OTA booking is often the first point of contact between a traveler and the property. The platform generates the booking, but the experience at the hotel can then create a direct relationship.

When contact details have been collected transparently and the applicable framework is respected, the hotel can continue this relationship after the stay.

It can, for example, send a thank-you message, collect guest feedback or offer the option to receive the latest news from the property.

The goal is not simply to "capture an OTA email." It is about building a clear journey in which the traveler understands why their information is being requested and how it will be used.

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Summary: what the hotel can actually control

An OTA decides what information it transmits in its own feeds. However, the hotel can organize its direct touchpoints throughout the guest journey.

Online check-in allows the hotel to collect useful contact details before arrival. The Guest App then provides access to the property's information and services. Finally, GetWelcom, the PMS, and the CRM centralize the data available to the teams.

This organization helps the hotel better prepare for stays, limit manual searches, and maintain a more complete guest database.

It also reduces the operational impact of changes made by platforms, such as the removal of phone numbers from Booking.com feeds.

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Complete your OTA guest data with GetWelcom

The GetWelcom online check-in allows travelers from Booking.com and other OTAs to provide their contact details directly before they arrive.

Information is centralized in GetWelcom and can be synchronized with your PMS, depending on the available integration. The Guest App then allows you to maintain the relationship throughout their stay.

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