The American Society of Travel Advisors has opened its Hotel Watch List to the public once again for a two-week period, giving travel advisors, suppliers, and industry stakeholders visibility into hotels reported for delayed or unpaid commission payments.
According to ASTA, the current list contains more than 40 unique properties spanning multiple countries and hotel segments, and about a third fall into lifestyle or higher categories.
The association says it has now helped recover more than $45,000 in unpaid commissions through its reporting and dispute-resolution efforts, as advisor members of ASTA reported the listed properties for failing to pay commissions at least 45 days after a client's completed hotel stay.
Before a property is added to the watch list, ASTA reportedly notifies the hotel and provides an opportunity to resolve the issue through its business-to-business dispute resolution process. Hotels that satisfactorily resolve the matter within 30 days are not included.
The list itself is composed entirely of hotels that are not current ASTA supplier members. The association notes that many properties operate under major global hotel brands but are independently owned or franchised, creating situations where the parent brand may be an ASTA member while the individual property is not.
In those cases, ASTA conceded that its ability to directly intervene is limited.
Nevertheless, the release reflects a broader effort by the association to increase supplier accountability and improve commission payment practices across the industry.
Over the past year, ASTA has expanded its reporting tools, increased visibility around payment disputes, and elevated commission reform as a key advocacy priority.
The publication of the watch list is intended not only to help advisors make informed business decisions, but also to encourage additional reporting of delayed or unpaid commissions.
The association has repeatedly emphasized that “inclusion on the list does not constitute a determination by ASTA regarding any wrongdoing.” Instead, it’s meant to serve as a centralized record of commission-related complaints submitted by members and is designed to increase transparency around unresolved payment disputes.
Advisors internationally should note that, while ASTA is headquartered in the United States, its membership is not exclusive to U.S.-based travel agencies. Both advisors and agencies from around the world can join the organization and utilize its reporting tools, giving the watch list a broader and more global scope than its name might suggest.
The publication comes as commission payment practices remain a growing point of focus across the travel industry.
Advisors, host agencies, consortia, and technology providers have all increased pressure on suppliers to improve payment visibility, reduce delays, and modernize commission workflows. So far, relatively few hotel organizations have publicly outlined how they plan to address the issue.
One notable exception is Leading Hotels of the World, which earlier this year named Hex its preferred commission platform, a move aimed at improving commission visibility and data quality across its network.
How conversations are currently taking shape within other major hotel groups remains to be seen. Mandarin Oriental declined to comment when previously asked about commission-payment challenges and potential solutions, and Relais & Chateaux was not able to comment by press time.
The Hotel Watch List Properties:
- Blue Tree Premium Alphaville (Barueri, Brazil)
- Boston Marriott Cambridge (Cambridge, MA)
- Boston Marriott Copley Place (Boston, MA)
- Cobblestone Suites At Oshkosh (Oshkosh, WI)
- Coco Reef Bermuda
- Comfort Inn and Suites Tavares North (Tavares, FL)
- Flamingo Las Vegas (Las Vegas, NV)
- Grand America Hotel (Salt Lake City, UT)
- Grand Hotel Angiolieri (Equense, Italy)
- Harrah's (Las Vegas, NV)
- Holiday Inn Club Vacations (Kissimmee, FL)
- Holiday Inn Windsor (Windsor, CA)
- Holiday Inn Windsor (Windsor, CA)
- Hotel Eiffel Turenne (Paris, France)
- Hotel Manzoni (Milan, Italy)
- Hotel Parq Central (Albuquerque, NM)
- Hotel Trundle (Columbia, SC)
- Inhabit Southwick Street, a Member of Design Hotels (London, UK)
- La Tour Hassan Palace (Rabat, Morocco)
- Les Maisons de Lea, Raddison Individuals (Honfleur, France)
- Lockport Inn (Lockport, New York)
- Mahekal Beach Resort & Hotel Las Palapas (Playa Del Carmen, Mexico)
- Marble Waters Hotel and Suites, Trademark by Wyndham (Jacksonville, Florida)
- Marriott Owings Mills Metro Centre (Owings Mills, MD)
- Mountain Modern Jackson Hole (Jackson, WY)
- Novotel (Constantine, Algeria)
- Pagoda Hotel (Honolulu, HI)
- Quality Suites Lansing West (Lansing, MI)
- Radisson Cincinnati Riverfront (Covington, KY)
- Red Sands Hotel & Spa (Torrey, UT)
- Rixos Premium Dubrovnik (Dubrovnik, Croatia)
- The Biltmore Mayfair Hotel (London, UK)
- The Captain Cook Hotel (Anchorage, Alaska)
- The Gabriel South Beach (Miami Beach, Florida)
- The Georgian Hotel (Santa Monica, CA)
- The High Line Hotel (New York, NY)
- The Merchant Hotel (Belfast, UK)
- The Piccolo (Paso Robles, CA)
- The Tower Hotel by Thistle (London, UK)
- TWA Hotel (New York, NY)
- Villaway (Sheridan, WY)
- VIP Inn Berna Hotel (Lisbon, Portugal)
The Hotel Watch List will remain publicly accessible for approximately two weeks before returning to member-only access on June 29th.
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