The Open Distribution Alliance (ODA) is quite unique and differs substantially from affiliate programmes from distributors such as Hotel Club and Wotif. 

If you are a wholesaler or agent, the differences are:

• ODA addresses niche markets (eg an association and its members). With ODA you can choose to link with only those suppliers that match your market. With affiliates, you sell all the distributor’s suppliers or none at all.
   
• With affiliates, your business terms are dictated by the distributor. With ODA, you negotiate your own terms direct with your suppliers. In essence, ODA helps you cut out the middleman.
   
• With ODA, you can choose whether you control the booking or your supplier when the booking is created. With affiliate schemes, the distributor controls the booking.
   
• Most affiliates only provide accommodation. ODA provides other major product types such as rental cars and tours/activities.
   
• With affiliates, your distributor can also be your competitor.

If you are a supplier, the differences are:

• ODA, being a membership scheme, allows suppliers to book each other's rooms, cars or activities – without charge.


• With ODA, you only update one system with allocation and rates for the entire sales network. With affiliates, you must manually update each of your distributor’s own system


• The ODA sales network operates by sharing allocation. Affiliate distributors require a fixed inventory from you. 


• ODA gives you control over the business terms with each of your individual sales partners. With affiliates, the business terms are dictated by them.