Research UpdateAnalyst: Phocuswright ResearchThe verdict is in: Hotel loyalty rates are paying off – at least for some of the largest chains with robust loyalty programs. It's been roughly two years since many U.S. chains started offering lower rates to loyalty members, circumventing rate parity rules with OTAs. According to a new Phocuswright travel research report, U.S. Hotel & Lodging 2018: Key Developments, hotels are now catching up to OTAs in terms of online distribution. Meanwhile, after years of double-digit growth in OTA sales, gains will fall to single digits in 2019 and beyond.