A hotel metasearch engine doesn't sell rooms itself; it compares prices for the same property across the channels that do — the OTAs and, when connected, the hotel's own direct rate — and sends the traveller to wherever they choose to book. Google Hotels, Trivago, Kayak, and TripAdvisor's price comparison are the best-known.
Metasearch sits at the bottom of the booking funnel, where a guest has chosen the property and is deciding where to book it. A direct rate shown here — at parity or with a book-direct edge — competes head to head with the OTAs for that final click.
Why it matters for direct booking
Metasearch is one of the clearest places a direct channel can win the booking, because the comparison is explicit. Connecting and competing there is a later-stage move; the foundation is first having a fast, bookable official site for the rate to point to.