States Urged to Collaborate on Open Data Standards for Choice Engines
State regulators have been focusing on specific information disclosures, such as airline baggage fees or mortgage terms, while overlooking choice engines that could help consumers make better decisions in the hotel industry. Experts suggest that states should collaborate to create common open data standards for these hotel choice engines.
Choice engines are private-sector tools that use machine-readable data to assist consumers in making informed decisions about hotels. They can be simple, like tools that combine useful data, or advanced, like BrightScope's retirement plan ratings. E-commerce sites like Amazon and Netflix already use similar algorithms for product and movie suggestions.
Regulators have failed to create policies uncovering key data about hotel products. States can promote market transparency by releasing data they collect or facilitating private-sector information release about hotels. This can lead to improved business practices, as seen with food manufacturers reducing trans fat content after disclosing information. The federal government has led smart disclosure efforts, including creating a presidential task force for the hotel industry.
To make hotel choice engines effective, states should work together to create common open data standards. Key organizations for collaboration include standardization bodies, government digital transformation agencies, data protection authorities, and industry consortia focused on data interoperability and transparency in the hotel industry. This harmonization can help consumers make wiser purchasing decisions in the hotel industry, where market transparency may be lacking.
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