Viator Chief Product Officer in the Hot Seat

It can be hard to get someone on the phone, we often hear operators say about online travel agencies (OTAs). So when I had the chance to get Viator’s Chief Product Officer Kristin Dorsett in the hot seat, I couldn’t pass it up. 

OTAs are the fastest-growing sales channel in experiences sector. The largest of the lot, Viator now accounts for a majority of Tripadvisor’s revenue. The company also announced today a new partnership with Priceline.com, where it will be selling tours and activities through the online travel agency. 

However, for many operators relying on Viator, there are as many challenges as there are opportunities. 

And that’s a relatively nice way of putting it: Dorsett, who’s no stranger to phone calls, got her start with Viator in 2016 in supplier support where she took “escalated calls” from operators. She recalls being told she was “stealing money from her baby’s mouth” by one irate operator. 

Overall, the number one question Viator gets from operators, Dorsett shared, is “how do I get more bookings with you?” 

In our conversation, we also discussed Dorsett’s journey from complaints line to CPO, the challenges she experienced as a rising female leader in travel tech (and her advice for other aspiring women in leadership), some of the common operator challenges with OTAs and Viator’s approach, changes in traveler booking habits and trending experience categories, and the outlook for 2025 and beyond.

Watch the full conversation here:

Learn More about OTAs & Distribution at Arival

Join us at an upcoming Arival event to hear from the leaders at the top of experience sector companies like Viator, learn the latest in travel tech and distribution, and get insights on the outlook for the experiences sector. We hope to see you there!

Also, Arival Insider Pro Access members can go deeper into distribution strategy and working with OTAs in the Arival Guide to OTAs & Digital Distributors.