The online booking world is expected to increase in the next ten years with Online Travel Agents (OTAs) becoming the fastest growing distribution channel according to PhoCusWright.

Award winning ‘Tourism e-kit’ provides the tourism industry with a free online educational guide, covering the basics of online marketing.

The useful resource is currently in its eighth edition and its latest release takes a closer look into topics like Online Travel Agents, the National Broadband Network (NBN) and Groupon.

Australian Tourism Data Warehouse chief executive officer Liz Ward said that it is “critically important” suppliers posses their own direct booking capability on their websites.

Ms Ward added that it is vital for suppliers to think about other distribution channels like OTAs as part of their online distribution strategy.

“The two new tutorials (39A and 39B) about Online Travel Agents explain the differences between OTAs and other online distributors, how to work with them and who the key players are,” Ms Ward said.

“It’s challenging for suppliers to find the knowledge all in the one place about online marketing, the various OTAs and their business models.

“The Tourism e-kit delivers that in one free, easily accessible resource for the Australian industry.”

The Tourism e-kit covers more than 50 tutorials and videos and can be downloaded by the Australian tourism industry for free at www.atdw.com.au/tourism_e_kit.asp.