D2C challenges: The travel industry
At a glance
- Aggregators and digital platforms have significantly damaged tour operator profit margins by becoming the preferred vacation booking channel in recent years.
- D2C strategy requires far more than a website: it demands integrated customer journeys, web traffic acquisition, price competitiveness, and organizational restructuring.
- Roland Berger identifies ten building blocks for D2C excellence, from dynamic websites and CRM to multichannel integration and strategic partnerships.
- Many tour operator executives express D2C ambitions, but only a small minority have implemented the necessary operational and strategic changes required for success.
- A four-step approach—self-assessment, strategic definition, operating model design, and roadmap commitment—enables travel companies to reclaim control from aggregators.
What the report covers
This study by Roland Berger examines direct-to-consumer distribution in the travel industry as a case study for consumer product companies adapting to digitalization. Published in April 2024, the report analyses how aggregators and online travel agents have disrupted traditional tour operators' business models, identifies ten core building blocks for D2C excellence, and outlines a four-step implementation framework. It addresses tour operators, travel companies, and industry stakeholders seeking to regain market independence.
Key findings
Consumer purchasing behavior has fundamentally shifted towards digital channels. Travelers now increasingly book vacations via digital platforms, aggregators, and price comparison websites rather than through legacy intermediaries or traditional travel agents. This shift has pushed D2C distribution to the top of business strategy agendas across the travel sector.
Aggregators have inflicted substantial damage to tour operator profitability. In recent years, aggregators have become the preferred channel for vacation purchases, severely impacting profit and loss statements of traditional tour operators. Concurrently, online travel agents have expanded into travel packages, eroding the core business of legacy tour operators.
D2C implementation requires comprehensive organizational commitment. The report stresses that D2C extends far beyond establishing a website. It demands connecting customer journey touchpoints, competing for web traffic, ensuring price competitiveness, and implementing customer retention management systems—with many executives having ambitions but only a minority taking necessary operational steps.
Ten structural building blocks underpin D2C excellence. These include: shared internal understanding, a powerful web address, dynamic websites, effective customer retention management (CRM), multichannel integration combining retail and e-commerce, storytelling and social media capability, strong marketing budgets during ramp-up, strategic partnerships, organizational adaptation, and intelligent KPI systems.
Customer relationships must be reframed as long-term connections. The report emphasizes that CRM strategies should include continuous consumer account expansion, AI-based segmentation, preference understanding, and loyalty programs—viewing customer relationships as multi-year or ongoing connections rather than one-time transactions.
Key numbers
| Metric | Value |
|---|---|
| Tour operator executives with D2C ambitions versus implementation | Many express ambitions; only a small minority have taken necessary steps |
Figures as published in the source; forecasts and survey results are labelled as such in the note.
Why it matters
DMOs & destinations
DMOs must recognize that travelers increasingly bypass traditional intermediaries and directly access digital platforms. Understanding D2C dynamics helps DMOs develop strategies to partner effectively with tour operators pursuing direct sales, ensure destination visibility on aggregators, and create compelling storytelling that drives direct bookings to their regions.
Hotels & hospitality
Hotels face direct competition as aggregators and tour operators reduce commissions through D2C models. Hospitality operators should strengthen their own D2C capabilities, develop robust CRM and loyalty programmes, and consider strategic partnerships with tour operators pursuing direct distribution to maintain market share and pricing power.
Travel tech & distribution
Distribution platforms must adapt as travel companies implement D2C strategies. Technology providers should offer dynamic website solutions, AI-based customer segmentation tools, omnichannel integration capabilities, and intelligent KPI systems. Companies that enable tour operators to connect customer touchpoints and compete with aggregators will capture significant market opportunity.
Methodology and limits
This brief is based on the publicly available summary and article excerpt provided by Roland Berger on their website. The full report methodology—including sample size, primary research method (survey, interviews, or analysis), and statistical basis—is not detailed in the accessible portion. The findings reflect Roland Berger's consulting analysis of travel industry distribution trends and strategic frameworks developed by the firm's experts. Figures cited regarding aggregator impact and executive D2C adoption are qualitative observations rather than quantified statistics.
Official source
The report is © Roland Berger. This brief is an original editorial summary by TourismIntel — it quotes only figures published in the source and never reproduces the document.
Check the official statistics on Pulse
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