ISO 9468:2025
(Main)Tourism and related services — Online travel agency (OTA) — Guidelines for online accommodation booking platform services
Tourism and related services — Online travel agency (OTA) — Guidelines for online accommodation booking platform services
This document provides guidance on the operation of an effective online accommodation booking platform to meet the needs of accommodation service providers and users. This document is applicable to online accommodation booking platform operators, accommodation service providers and users.
Tourisme et services connexes — Agences de voyages en ligne — Lignes directrices pour les services de plates-formes de réservation d'hébergement en ligne
General Information
Standards Content (Sample)
International
Standard
ISO 9468
First edition
Tourism and related services —
2025-02
Online travel agency (OTA)
— Guidelines for online
accommodation booking platform
services
Tourisme et services connexes — Agences de voyages en ligne
— Lignes directrices pour les services de plates-formes de
réservation d'hébergement en ligne
Reference number
© ISO 2025
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ii
Contents Page
Foreword .iv
Introduction .v
1 Scope . 1
2 Normative references . 1
3 Terms and definitions . 1
4 General principles . 2
5 Responsibility . 2
5.1 Online accommodation booking platform operator .2
5.2 Accommodation service provider .3
6 Service provisions . 4
6.1 Information service .4
6.1.1 General .4
6.1.2 Information display .4
6.1.3 Search and browse information .5
6.2 Order service .5
6.3 Payment service .6
6.4 Amendment and cancellation service .7
6.5 Review service .7
6.6 Customer service .7
6.7 Dispute resolution .8
6.7.1 General situation .8
6.7.2 Special situation .8
6.8 Promotion service .8
6.9 Member services .9
6.10 Emergency service .9
6.11 Other ancillary services .9
7 Service guarantees . 9
7.1 Information and financial security .9
7.1.1 Information security . .9
7.1.2 Financial security .9
7.2 Privacy protection .10
7.3 Information verification .10
8 Service quality improvement .10
8.1 Quality control .10
8.2 Review management .11
8.3 Continuous improvement . .11
Annex A (informative) Checklist for key accessibility features .13
Bibliography .15
iii
Foreword
ISO (the International Organization for Standardization) is a worldwide federation of national standards
bodies (ISO member bodies). The work of preparing International Standards is normally carried out through
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with the International Electrotechnical Commission (IEC) on all matters of electrotechnical standardization.
The procedures used to develop this document and those intended for its further maintenance are described
in the ISO/IEC Directives, Part 1. In particular, the different approval criteria needed for the different types
of ISO document should be noted. This document was drafted in accordance with the editorial rules of the
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This document was prepared by Technical Committee ISO/TC 228, Tourism and related services.
Any feedback or questions on this document should be directed to the user’s national standards body. A
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iv
Introduction
With the increasing penetration of the internet and growth in the number of smart handheld device users, as
well as the growing demand for convenient tourism, the global online accommodation booking market has
continually expanded and the number of the online accommodation booking platforms has grown during
the past decade. Based on statistics, it is predicted that the compound annual growth rate (CAGR) from 2021
to 2026 will exceed 10 %.
While the online accommodation booking service industry continues to grow at an increasing rate, it is also
facing many problems, resulting in failure to provide the promised services, which causes a large number of
consumer disputes. Common problems include, for example, no room on arrival, impossibility to change or
cancel a reservation, serious inconsistencies between the service description and the actual service, and the
leaking of sensitive, private and financial data of the users.
It is necessary to create a global standard providing guidance on the online accommodation booking
industry to promote the development of this industry around the world.
This document aims to:
— provide advice and guidance on online accommodation booking platform services;
— protect the rights and interests of users, providers and platform operators, by establishing a mutual
trust mechanism among these stakeholders;
— promote the orderly and sustainable development of the online accommodation booking service industry;
— enrich existing standards and promote further standardized activities in the field of online travel agency.
v
International Standard ISO 9468:2025(en)
Tourism and related services — Online travel agency (OTA)
— Guidelines for online accommodation booking platform
services
1 Scope
This document provides guidance on the operation of an effective online accommodation booking platform
to meet the needs of accommodation service providers and users.
This document is applicable to online accommodation booking platform operators, accommodation service
providers and users.
2 Normative references
The following documents are referred to in the text in such a way that some or all of their content constitutes
requirements of this document. For dated references, only the edition cited applies. For undated references,
the latest edition of the referenced document (including any amendments) applies.
ISO 18513, Tourism services — Hotels and other types of tourism accommodation — Vocabulary
3 Terms and definitions
For the purposes of this document, the terms and definitions given in ISO 18513 and the following apply.
ISO and IEC maintain terminology databases for use in standardization at the following addresses:
— ISO Online browsing platform: available at https:// www .iso .org/ obp
— IEC Electropedia: available at https:// www .electropedia .org/
3.1
online travel agency
OTA
person or legal entity that operates a platform that offers online intermediary service between travel service
providers and users (3.6), providing search, comparison and transacti
...
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