These hotel affiliate programs are a good fit for bloggers and influencers in the travel niche.
The revenue attributed to worldwide Travel & Tourism is anticipated to exceed U.S. $716 billion in 2022; revenue in the United States in 2022 is projected to be $175.4 billion.
Within the U.S. economy, the largest segment in Travel & Tourism sector is that of hotels. The specific travel sector is anticipated to be near U.S. $100 billion by the end of 2022.
While the pandemic created seismic shifts in demand for hotels, the Travel & Tourism marketplace has come roaring back with an expected market growth (year over year) in 2022 of 34% – translating to a market cap of nearly U.S. $30 billion.
Understanding Affiliate Marketing
Affiliate marketing is not a newfangled marketing strategy as it predates the Super Information Highway.
The internet, over the past decades, has increased the use and prominence of affiliate marketing because digital analytics (and internet cookies (small bits of info stored on a website)) have made it an increasingly effective sales and marketing strategy – and as a result, a billion-dollar industry has been born.
The affiliate marketing technique resembles a pay-for-performance type of marketing effort, in which independent websites/bloggers place hyperlinks to related products/services and earn ‘advertising fees’ for sales that are outsourced to affiliate marketing partners.
Essentially, the affiliate provides an opportunity for the brand to expand its base of potential clients and internet users by using review blogs (with internal links) or sending email blasts to an existing clientele base.
A brand (or affiliate network) tracking affiliate marketing program data can save the source of each lead and, ultimately, the outcome (the sale) using internal data analytics. If the outcome is a sale, the affiliate merchant receives an agreed-upon commission based on a pre-determined structure.
Affiliate Marketing is a Win-Win
Each participant in an affiliate marketing program gains an advantage.
A marketer using an affiliate program generates income when visitors through their website, click through to the e-commerce merchant’s website and make a purchase. This type of setup is beneficial for the affiliate company for the following reasons –
- The affiliate marketer does not have to take the time and effort to set up digital e-commerce functions.
- The affiliate marketer does not have to manage product or shipping costs.
- The affiliate marketer does not have to ship anything or provide a service other than that to the e-commerce merchant.
A merchant working with affiliates can minimize their advertising budget as these types of programs only pay when a sale is made. And there is also the potential that this new-found customer will come back directly to the merchant’s site in the future.
Available Hotel Affiliate Programs
1. Booking.com Affiliate Program
Commission % or Value –– Up to 40% (of booking commission) depending on sales numbers
Length Cookie Remains – 30 Days
Booking.com is a well-known, reputable brand that is headquartered in Amsterdam. Booking.com’s website is accessed by customers and affiliates across the globe. The Booking.com affiliate program sign-up process is simple, and confirmation is done almost instantly for most. The statistics for this world-renowned travel website are quite impressive –
- 1.5+ million room nights are reserved on a daily basis.
- 2.5+ million properties from which to choose.
- 29+ million potential hotel room bookings.
As one of the globe’s largest websites dedicated to travel, lodging, and tourism, Booking.com’s Hotel Affiliate Programis free and easy to use. Itoffers its 12,500 Member Affiliates the opportunity to connect their website’s customers/visitors to one of the world’s most-recognized online platforms for booking accommodations of all types across the world.
Booking.com’s partner online platform provides a dedicated team of multilingual support staff. In addition, an affiliate can track their digital action on the dashboard provided by Booking.com and control the marketing efforts using the customizable tools offered by Booking.com. These include, in part –
- Search Forms and Tools
- Widgets, And
- Deep-Link digital tools) that allows products/services to blend seamlessly with the affiliate’s content and style.
2. Avani Hotels & Resorts Affiliate Program
Commission % or Value – 3% of Sale
Length Cookie Remains – 30 Days
Avani Hotels, which is a part of the hospitality chain – Minor Hotels, offers an affiliate program for three dozen or so properties in more than 19 countries across the world. Launched in 2012, Avani is now one of the largest chains of hotels and resorts in the specific areas they service.
Avani Hotels & Resorts seek to deliver a balanced experience to each guest – between privacy & service as well as design & function. Online reviews of Avani Hotels note a resort with a staff dedicated to customer satisfaction.
Avani Hotels & Resorts offer stylish accommodations and are located in some of the globe’s most exotic locations – geographical locations across Asia, Australia, Europe, the Middle East, and Africa, which is a vacation that practically sells itself.
Apply at the ShareASale Network
3. N.H. Hotel Group Affiliate Program
Commission % or Value – 10 – 12 % Per Sale for Lodging Accommodations ONLY
Length Cookie Remains – 30 Days
The affiliate marketing programs offered by the N.H. Hotel Group provides access to bookings in a portfolio of some of the best hotels and resorts. The N. H. Hotel Group operates 350 hotels/resorts across 28 countries in American and European locations. The hotels include some of the most innovative locations for business or holidays in the world’s most popular and in-demand locations.
Affiliate members of the N.H. Hotel Group must be at least 18 years old and GDPR compliant, and are provided with many tools, including –
- Digital tools and links, with hotel product descriptions available in seven languages.
- Mini search engines with dynamic banners.
- An affiliate platform to track activity, sales, and income.
- A dedicated team of professionals to help implement and supplement campaign efforts.
Note the N.H. Hotel Group offers incentive programs to its affiliate members, automated sales validation, and a promotional commission during the first three months of 12% rather than the standard 10% commission.
4. Oberoi Hotels Affiliate Program
Commission % or Value – 4 % of Sale
Length Cookie Remains – 30 Days
The Oberoi Group, founded in the mid-1930s, is an award-winning chain of luxury hotels that is headquartered in India. Oberoi Hotel offers its affiliate partners the opportunity to link to sales-generating hotel bookings located in 32 locations across Egypt, Dubai, India, Indonesia, Morroco, Saudi Arabia, and Mauritius.
Travel and Leisuremagazine voted Oberoi Hotels and Resorts, a smaller chain with grand properties, the best international hotel brand for the second year in a row. In addition, Conde Naste Traveler’s choice awards from its readers have ranked Oberoi Hotels among the ten best on Earth.
Oberoi Hotels offers superb service but tends to have pricey accommodations that typically exceed industry standards, which translates to noteworthy commissions for sales. Despite their small size, these boutique hotels employ more than 13,000 employees in their hotels and cruising ventures.
Apply at AWIN
5. Hostelworld Affiliate Program
Commission % or Value – Per Sale – Depends on Membership Type
Length Cookie Remains – 30 Days
Hostelworld is among the finest hostel booking sites that offer its affiliates sophisticated, flexible, and powerful technology for use in a huge variety of properties, from guesthouses, B-n-B’s, and budget hotels, plus hostels.
Hostels offer an option for those travelers on a budget. Prices vary but tend to be less pricey and offer less luxury than the average traveler would opt for. For those who are willing to trade luxury for a better price, hostels offer great possibilities.
Hostelworld’s diverse inventory of properties and multilingual capacity offers sales opportunities to a wide audience of worldwide travelers – young and old.
Many of the available 36,000+ properties (in 179 countries) offered to affiliates through Hostelworld are family-owned & operated. As such, they offer safe havens and destinations for like-minded travelers. Because hostels are suitable for all types of travelers, this affiliate program appeals to a wide audience.
Plus, Hostelworld offers a dedicated team that offers full tutorial support to its affiliates, self-billing options, and detailed performance reporting, among others.
6. Accor Hotel Affiliate Program
Commission % or Value – Up to 10%, plus incentives
Length Cookie Remains – 30 Days
Accor Hotels owns nearly two dozen of the hotel industry’s most popular and well-known brands. Accor Hotels range from luxury to economy bookings, and everything in between. The progressive and sophisticated tools (Widgets, API Access, Text links, etc.) are offered by one of the best travel affili7. The programs connect to more than 4,000 hotels across 95 international locations.
Accor also offers a mobile version of their hotel affiliate program, with details available online and promotional tools updates each month. Both versions are provided at no cost to hotel affiliate marketing members
Accor’s commission for affiliate members is based on the total booking amount and not per night stay. Accor Hotels offer two types of platforms based on the affiliate’s expertise and market relevance. With an average conversion rate that exceeds 5% and an average order value of U.S. $205, the average potential commission is U.S. $15.10.
Learn More
7. Expedia Group Affiliate Progra
Commission % or Value – 3% net transaction value in the United States – differs elsewhere
Length Cookie Remains – 7 Days in the united states – differs elsewhere
Expedia Inc., which began as a division of Microsoft in 1996, operates a metasearch travel engine and is a world leader in terms of online travel booking sites in the world.
The hotel affiliate program from Expedia, which is among the best well-known brand options in the travel industry includes an inventory of hotel options in more than 200 countries. The program also offers commissions on additional services – travel, car rentals, and flight ticket options. Expedia includes these brands –
- Expedia
- Hotels.com
- Travelocity
- Vrbo
- Orbitz
- Ebookers
Expedia can often negotiate the best prices because of the sheer size of the company, which means as a hotel affiliate marketer, you can offer some of the best prices for hotel rooms that are available.
Note that the commission structure for Expedia’s hotel affiliate marketing program is below average, but the traffic and brand recognition often make up for the lower commission scale.
8. Choice Hotels Affiliate Program
Commission % or Value – 2% to 6% of the booking value
Length Cookie Remains – 7 Days
Choice Hotels’ affiliate marketing program is a great option to transfer your connection with an audience into a sales-generating opportunity. With more than 7,000 properties located in 40 countries/territories across the world, Choice Hotels represents more than 1/3 million hotel listings.
Their eleven brands include Clarion, Comfort Suites, Quality Inn, Suburban Extended Stay, Cambria, and Ascend Hotel Collection, to name a few. The customer loyalty program now includes more than 40 million members.
Choice Hotels offers the lowest price guarantee, which offers an ideal selling point and three national promotional events annually. If the customer finds a better deal, they receive a gift card valued at $50.
Choice Hotels’ is powered by C.J. Affiliate and offers a variety of digital tools and reports to keep track of traffic and earnings.
Apply at CJ.com
9. Tripadvisor Affiliate Program
Commission % or Value – Minimum 50% on TripAdvisor’s commission from booking partners.
Length Cookie Remains – 14 days
TripAdvisor, Inc. is a well-known online travel company based in Needham, Massachusetts, that was established in 2000. In December 2020, Trip Advisor had more than 90 million visits and ranked among the top apps for travel in January 2021.
Tripadvisor’s hotel affiliate program offers a variety of digital and marketing tools (widgets, badges, deep links, buttons, logos, etc.) and can be used in combination with other sponsored affiliates.
Affiliates can choose one of Tripadvisor’s partners – Commission Junction (C.J. Affiliate) or AWIN and the one you choose will determine how you are paid. Either affiliate partner offers a variety of reporting in terms of traffic and commissions that are accessible 24/7.
The unique aspect of these hotel affiliate marketing programs is that a commission is paid even without a booked stay.
10. Agoda Affiliate Program
Commission % or Value – 3% to 7%, commission increases as sales volume increases
Length Cookie Remains – Varies
Agoda Partners is a multi-national company with an international reach that is among the larger players in the online world of hotel booking and hotel listings. Agoda’s affiliate network offers partners a large inventory packed properties across the world, but primarily across Asia.
The popularity of Agoda’s program for hotel affiliate marketers in Asia has to do with its certain exclusive properties that are only available through its affiliate program or at a much higher cost through others.
There are more than 2 million different hotel listings offered in a multitude of languages, supported by a team of professionals. These potential sales are easily accessed by Agoda’s free digital tools, even simple to use for non-techies.
Agoda does require that an affiliate have their own website or be a certified travel agent. The different tiers of commission payouts from Agoda are incentivized, which encourages affiliates to earn more with more sales.
11. Marriott Affiliate Program
Commission % or Value – 4% – 6% on hotel stays – also referrals for Marriott vacation rental packages
Length Cookie Remains – 7 Days
Marriott Hotels is a hotel giant with more than thirty brands across more than 130 countries across the globe.
The affiliate network program offered by Marriott is offered at no cost (and can be done quickly) and includes reasonably-priced budget accommodation properties as well as those that include luxury loyalty programs for hotels like the Ritz Carlton, the Autograph Collection of Hotels, and St. Regis.
The available accommodations online offered by Marriott’s booking system are mostly in North America and western parts of Europe. Participating in this hotel affiliate program receives marketing tools (compelling offers, promotional codes, affiliate links, data feeds, specials/deals, product catalog, widgets, and a newsletter.
The affiliate interface for Marriott is through Partnerize, with payments remitted to affiliates bi-weekly after the affiliate’s minimum threshold has been met.
12. Red Roof Affiliate Program
Commission % or Value – 3% on completed stay, plus referrals of 1% for gift card purchases
Length Cookie Remains – 7 Days
Red Roof Inns offers an affiliate marketing program for more than 660 properties located nationwide as well as internationally (Japan and Brazil). Note that Red Roof’s program has no application or yearly fees. Their reasonably-priced budget accommodation properties offer quality and economy.
Red Roof’s hotel affiliate program is also popular because it is a pet-friendly hotel – where pets stay at no cost. Commission Junction (C.J. affiliate) is the neutral party that has partnered with Red Roof to assist in managing the affiliate marketing program.
Red Roof’s affiliate marketing program provides its members banner ads, text links, discounts, and coupons, plus a monthly newsletter with promotions and exclusive incentives for those reaching elite performance levels. The program for affiliate marketers from Red Roof requires affiliate applicants to meet a variety of program requirements.
Apply at CJ.com
13. Travelpayouts Affiliate Program
Commission % or Value – Varies
Length Cookie Remains – 30 days
Travelpayouts is considered among the largest of the globe’s largest affiliate networks (consisting of more than 100 different affiliate programs) in terms of seamless travel and booking accommodations.
These brands include well-known company names and smaller, lesser-known unique travel, touring, insurance, taxi, bike, and rental car content creators or brands. Commissions, which vary by program and affiliate, are generated from multiple programs and paid once per month.
This affiliate program from Travelpayouts, which has no cost to join, is available to any size affiliate member and includes advanced, multilingual (60 languages are supported), and customizable free marketing tools. These no-cost advertisement tools include hotel maps, widgets, search forms, and tools, white labels, landings, an API, and Plugins – plus ongoing webinars for members.
14. Hilton Hotel Affiliate Program
Commission % or Value – 4% of the hotel booking value
Length Cookie Remains – Not Available
Hilton is synonymous with a reputable hotel and travel brand where customers come to expect both exceptional service and personalized service. Hilton Worldwide Holdings is the parent company that was founded in 1919 and is now headquartered in Virginia.
Hilton is connected to more than 6,100 properties and more than ¾ million rooms/timeshare options (2020). These various locations are found across sixteen brands in 100+ countries – many of which are located in main European capitals and other popular destinations. In other words, Hilton’s affiliate program for marketers has something for each customer at every price-point level.
The affiliate travel program from Hilton Hotels is simple to use and offers a number of premium reporting, promotional codes, and advanced tracking tools that allow website and affiliate link customization.
This type of marketing program, which generally attracts customers interested in luxury hotel rooms, pairs well with other similar affiliate programs.
15. Sirenis Hotels & Resorts Affiliate Program
Commission % or Value – 6% per sale
Length Cookie Remains – 30 days
The Sirenis Hotels & Resorts affiliate program has been in the hotel and travel business for more than three decades. This hotel and resort company offers affiliate access to hotel rooms (and complete vacation packages) in Span, Mexico, Cuba, the Dominican Republic, and Columbia.
Sirenis, as a hotel brand, is known for its ability to plan exciting and engaging trips to these locations, with exceptional service provided.
The Sirenis Hotels & Resorts affiliate program offers program members one of the most impressive commission percentages that can be generated through an affiliate link.
With an average order at Sirenis Hotels of about $1,000, this translates to a $60 customer hotel booking referral fee. The affiliate program offers unique tools and advertisement help, which includes multilingual options for international marketing campaigns.
16. Priceline Affiliate Program
Commission % or Value – 3% to 5% per completed sale
Length Cookie Remains – 30 days
Priceline.com was founded in 1997 as a name-your-own-pricetype of travel discount website. In the past 25 years, Priceline has grown to include a number of online brands that facilitate travel services.
Priceline offers a variety of advanced digital marketing and reporting tools, including an API connection (which allows for management and bookings in one digital location) and an interactive eCommerce template.
Priceline is a member of the globe’s biggest online travel company, which is Booking Holdings – a public company traded on the NASDAQ exchange.
Priceline’s commissions, which vary depending on the service sold by the affiliate, generated through its affiliate program include discounted rates for hotel rooms, rental cars, and airline flight tickets, plus trip protection insurance for consumers interested in this service.
Additionally, there are promotions and coupons available for Priceline’s inventory which extends across 170 nations and about 700,000 hotel room options.
Priceline is one of the biggest sites offering this comparison service and provides clients with a lot of potential savings from 700,00 hotels across 170 nations.
17. Hotels.com Affiliate Program
Commission % or Value – 4% on completed stay, plus referrals of 1% for gift card purchases
Length Cookie Remains – 7 Days
Hotels.com, which was founded in the early 1990s in Dallas, Texas. It now operates as an independent company and a subsidiary of Expedia Group as of 2001.
This hotel affiliate program maintains more than seven-dozen localized websites (in 25+ different languages) that offer hotels, airline reservations, car rental options, unique activities, and vacations of all prices and locations. There is no cost to join the Hotels.com affiliate marketing program.
The Hotels.com marketing program, like similar affiliate programs, offers its member affiliates an opportunity to generate income from travelers across the world. Hotels.com offers deep affiliate links, search tools, and widgets, as well as customizable banners through its self-service affiliate technology options.
18. InterContinental Hotel Group Partner Connect Program
Commission % or Value – 3%
Length Cookie Remains – 14 Days
The InterContinental Hotel Group’s (IHG) award-winning, no-cost affiliate program is one of the more robust online travel affiliate programs. The IHG has access to booking more than 880,000 hotel rooms (in 6,000+ hotels) across 100 countries.
These hotel booking options include 17 brands – such as Holiday Inn, Avid, Candlewood Suites, Regent, Hotel Indigo, and Crowne Plaza, to name a few.
The IHG has an above-average booking value of $265, and the tremendous marketing opportunities offered to affiliate marketers make the Intercontinental Hotel Group’s program profitable, despite their lower applied commission rates.
The InterContinental Hotel Group partners with PartnerConnect, which assists affiliate members with the products, services, and tools to drive traffic (and income) through affiliate websites. Commissions are paid monthly but begin 60 days after the affiliate’s closed sale.
19. Anantara Online Affiliate Program
Commission % or Value – Up to 3% of a complete sale
Length Cookie Remains – 30 Days
Anantara Hotels, Resorts & Spas is a luxury hotel chain that provides properties that allow visitors to engulf in the beauty and culture of various locations.
The parent company is Minor Group, a preeminent hotel management group headquartered in Asia. The hotel affiliate program offered by Anantara includes a range of hotel rooms and vacation options that include locations in Asia, the Middle East, Europe, the Indian Ocean, and Africa.
The marketing program for affiliates is offered at no cost, which makes it a great option if you have an audience who wants to book remarkable trips to extraordinary locations – all in a matter of a few minutes.
Anantara’s affiliate marketing program, which offers a variety of digital tools (voucher codes, text links, banners, special offers, etc.), is managed by Affilired, a third-party company that offers a variety of affiliate network options from which to choose – for example, Trade Tracker, etc. Note, that Anantara Hotels has set forth certain restrictions for its affiliate members.
20. Derby Hotels Collection Affiliate Program
Commission % or Value – Up to 4%
Length Cookie Remains – 30 Days
The Derby Hotels Group is a boutique collection of 21 properties located in some main European capitals – from London to Paris and Barcelona. Derby Hotels was founded in the late 1960s and has grown to become one of Spain’s most elegant and prestigious hotel companies. Each of Derby Hotels is unique and offers its own personality to each visitor.
The affiliate program offered by Derby Hotels is offered at no cost. The properties tend to be restored or recovered properties that promote the area or city’s cultural heritage. The 1,200 hotel rooms offered throughout the world’s most busy metropolitan areas are among the most luxurious, with an average order size that exceeds $885.
Apply at ShareASale
21. Raffles Hotels & Resorts Affiliate Program
Commission % or Value – 5% on a completed sale
Length Cookie Remains – 30 Days
Raffles is a true luxury brand and has been voted among the world’s best hotel brands. Raffles Hotels and Resorts offers the finest in guest satisfaction and delight, with its first hotel opened in the 1880s in Singapore.
This affiliate hotel program from Raffles (a member of the FRHI Hotels program) is free and simple to enroll in to become a marketing partner with a premier international hotel & resort brand. Affiliates, who can begin reaping the rewards as soon as they have a completed stay, are brand ambassadors who can use various links, banners, and logos to websites and blogs.
Those who are already a publisher on Commission Junction can simply apply online. Raffles, via FRHI Hotels, will notify the affiliate when approved. Earned Commissions are reconciled and paid on a monthly basis.
24. Tripaneer Affiliate Program
Commission % or Value – varies depending on the number of finalized hotel bookings
Length Cookie Remains – 14 Days
Tripaneer is a unique online affiliate marketing program as it focuses primarily on experiential travel and retreats, among others. Tripaneer’s affiliate members can earn commission selling themed holidays across the globe, which may include –
- Surfing Camps
- Yoga, Meditation, & Mindfulness Retreats
- Culinary Vacations
- Epic & Adventurous Safaris
- Martial Arts Adventures
- Motorcycle Tours, to name a few.
The more hotels booked, the higher the percentage of commission earned by the affiliate marketer. Commissions, which are based on a percentage of Tripaneer’s booking fees, are paid monthly.
The commission structure ranges from 35% to 50%, depending on the volume produced by the affiliate marketer. Affiliates have access to more than 17,000 travel experiences, plus customizable banners, links, and widgets to drive traffic to the eCommerce site.
25. Fairmont Hotels & Resorts Affiliate Program
Commission % or Value – 5% for a complete hotel stay
Length Cookie Remains – 30 Days
Fairmont Hotels & Resorts is a Canadian-based chain of international luxury hotels. Fairmont Hotels was founded in 2001 and headquartered in Toronto, with Accor as its parent company.
While Fairmont owns a total of seventy properties – some of the most exotic locations, they have a strong presence in Canada. Countries, where Fairmont operates and manages bookings, include Canada, the United States, China, Switzerland, Monaco, Egypt, the United Kingdom, and Bermuda – with plans for additional hotels and resorts in Vietnam and Qatar.
Affiliates of Fairmont Hotel’s program become brand ambassadors. Becoming a partner to an international resort brand is simple and offered at no cost. Affiliates who promote the more luxurious brands within the Fairmont Hotel and Resort line (Raffles, Fairmont & Swissotel) have an opportunity to earn higher commissions on tracked booked rooms at these properties.
24. Best Western Hotels & Resorts Affiliate Program
Commission % or Value – 3% for completed hotel stay
Length Cookie Remains – 30 Days
Best Western International was founded in Arizona in 1946. The brand includes more than 4,700 hotels located across the globe in more than 100 countries and territories. Become an affiliate marketing partner with Best Western as the process is simple and requires no fees or minimum sales.
Best Western, as a partner with Commission Junction, offers a variety of digital marketing tools and reporting options to help maximize traffic and increase earned income.
The Bottom Line
Affiliate marketing has become mainstream in the world of business and advertising. Fortunately, this niche type of marketing offers entrepreneurial types the opportunity to connect current customers with new ways to book hotels and other vacation packages, while earning a commission for doing so.
