I can see counterarguments... First, standardization & data sharing across a very decentralized industry is hard. How many industries have something like that?

I can see counterarguments... First, standardization & data sharing across a very decentralized industry is hard. How many industries have something like that? Second, messing around with price & doing complicated, on the fly pricing helps them cut a little extra margin (price differentiation). One price for a regular business customer. Another price for last minute online booking engines. A whopper of a price for the couple deciding to take a date from the bar to a room. This is a low margin industry, largely. These things matter. Third, they're afraid of commodification. Standardization & informational liquidity are the path to commodification. They like the idea of a travel agent recommendation, not a spreadsheet with a "book now" button.