I'm still struggling to see what Ethereum adds over a regular API connection to the hotel's actual reservation database, except requirement for new software to be written and mining costs (paid by whom?)
I mean, hotels are a great example of a system where there is a gatekeeper (the hotel), that gatekeeper wants to do stuff that blockchains aren't optimised for (rolling back transactions, keeping most of the data non-public and limiting who can access the shared bits at what rate) and doesn't want to do any of the stuff which blockchains are optimised for (trustless transactions, immutable permanent records). With hundreds of thousands of travel agencies already using distribution platforms that interface with existing reservations system and none writing smart contracts, I can't see any incentive for a hotel to insist on accepting bookings in the latter form. Making a purely internal blockchain database like TUI have done is an even weirder move.
The advantage that Ethereum adds is other existing DAPPS on Ethereum. For example, a hotel owner could put up a room for sale and buy insurance right away for the case it won't be rented out in the next 24 hours. Or the owner could ask a prediction market, "what price should I set for this room?" to maximize my revenue. It's kind of hard to explain, but the biggest selling point of Ethereum is an ecosystem of Dapps working together.
I mean, hotels are a great example of a system where there is a gatekeeper (the hotel), that gatekeeper wants to do stuff that blockchains aren't optimised for (rolling back transactions, keeping most of the data non-public and limiting who can access the shared bits at what rate) and doesn't want to do any of the stuff which blockchains are optimised for (trustless transactions, immutable permanent records). With hundreds of thousands of travel agencies already using distribution platforms that interface with existing reservations system and none writing smart contracts, I can't see any incentive for a hotel to insist on accepting bookings in the latter form. Making a purely internal blockchain database like TUI have done is an even weirder move.
(English version of the TUI interview http://www.tuigroup.com/en-en/homepage-news-specials/2017-05...)