Edinburgh, UK [December 2025] — 80 DAYS, the global hospitality marketing agency, today announced a new strategic partnership with DirectBooker, the supplier-aligned AI aggregator for hotels, and DerbySoft, a world-leading connectivity platform, to deliver real-time hotel rates, availability, direct booking links and marketing content into AI search platforms, including ChatGPT, Claude and Gemini.
Using an ARI (Availability, Rates and Inventory) feed from DerbySoft, DirectBooker’s MCP (Model Context Protocol) server connection will allow hotels to surface direct booking links alongside accurate pricing and descriptive content at the top of the AI-powered travel planning funnel. Over time, 80 DAYS will supplement this feed with verified marketing content, including brand-approved descriptions, positioning and imagery that can be used to enrich AI-generated responses.
A beta release is planned for Q1 2026, subject to AI platform acceptance, with participating hotels gaining early access to what is expected to become one of the most significant distribution shifts the industry has seen in years.
This move comes as major OTAs, including Booking.com and Expedia, have already begun building proprietary travel-planning apps inside ChatGPT, further strengthening their position in AI-driven search. Designed specifically to support independent hotels and smaller groups, the new partnership aims to restore balance by ensuring travellers receive direct, bookable options when they ask an AI assistant where to stay.
Hotels wishing to secure early access to this new AI distribution channel can contact 80 DAYS now to find out more information and be added to our limited Q1 2026 beta programme.
A new foundation for direct booking in the AI era
“AI assistants are quickly becoming the starting point for trip planning and hotels need a way to participate meaningfully in that conversation,” said Sanjay Vakil, Co-founder & CEO of DirectBooker. “Our role is to aggregate direct rates, availability and marketing data from trusted partners like 80 DAYS and DerbySoft, then present this clearly to AI platforms. By doing this, we ensure hotels can compete fairly, with transparent pricing, direct booking paths and ownership of the guest relationship.”
Levelling the playing field for independent hotels
“This partnership creates a real opportunity to give independent hotels a meaningful presence in AI search results at a more cost-effective rate than third-party channels,” said Sam Weston, Head of AI & Marketing at 80 DAYS. ”It represents one of the most exciting steps forward for direct booking in over a decade.”
“As an industry, we’ve been preparing for the impact of AI on distribution, but now the shift is happening in real time,” added Mark Forrester, Chairman of 80 DAYS. “This partnership ensures independent hotels have a strategic route into AI platforms. It’s an important moment for the direct channel, and we’re delighted to help our clients get in at the ground level.”
Powering the connection layer
“DerbySoft is committed to supporting innovation that improves efficiency and performance for hotels,” said Giles Leather, Director of Business Development EMEA at DerbySoft.
“Working with DirectBooker and 80 DAYS enables us to deliver high-quality, real-time data to the emerging AI ecosystem, helping hotels reach travellers earlier, more effectively and more profitably.”
Building the infrastructure for AI-driven travel search
As AI assistants evolve into personalised travel concierges, the need for accurate, aggregated, supplier-trusted data becomes critical. This partnership positions independent hotels to be visible, and bookable, during the earliest stages of the search journey, long before travellers reach a traditional OTA or even a hotel’s own website.
Hotels wishing to secure early access to this new AI distribution channel can contact 80 DAYS now to find out more information and be added to our limited Q1 2026 beta programme.