If you run a holiday cottage, B&B, or small hotel, you almost certainly use at least one Online Travel Agency — Airbnb, Booking.com, or both. And there's a good reason for that: OTAs provide visibility and a steady stream of bookings, particularly for newer properties or those without an established audience.
But there's a cost to that convenience that many accommodation owners don't fully reckon with until they sit down and do the maths. Commission rates of 15–25% don't sound catastrophic until you run the numbers across a full year.
That's between £3,750 and £6,250 on just £25,000 of annual revenue — before you've paid for cleaning, utilities, maintenance, or your own time. For many small accommodation businesses, that commission figure is the difference between a sustainable business and one that's working very hard to stand still.
Why OTAs are still worth using
This isn't an argument for abandoning OTAs. They offer genuine value: massive audiences, built-in trust signals, payment processing, and review systems that guests already know and trust. For a new property, they're often the fastest route to early occupancy.
The problem isn't using OTAs. It's depending on them entirely — and never building the infrastructure that lets a returning guest, or a warm referral, book directly with you instead.
The direct booking advantage
When a guest books directly, several things happen:
- You keep the full nightly rate. No commission deducted. The economics of the same booking are fundamentally different.
- You own the guest relationship. You have their contact details. You can send them an offer for next year. You can ask for a review. You can build loyalty.
- You control the conversation. You can offer a slightly lower rate than the OTA (covering their commission and still making more) or offer added value — a welcome hamper, a late checkout, a local guide — that creates genuine differentiation.
- You're building a channel, not renting one. Every direct booking strengthens your own platform rather than enriching someone else's.
What a direct booking website actually needs
Many accommodation owners have a website. Far fewer have a website that actively converts. There's a significant difference — and it usually comes down to a handful of specific elements.
Photography that earns the booking. Not functional snaps of an empty room. Photography that communicates the experience — the light at golden hour, the garden in summer, the fireplace in winter. Guests are buying a feeling, not a room specification.
A booking engine that actually works on mobile. If your booking calendar is frustrating to use on a phone, guests will give up and book on Airbnb instead — paying you less and the platform a cut. Mobile-first booking is non-negotiable.
Content that tells the story the platforms can't. OTA listings are uniform by design. Your own website can tell the history of the property, explain what makes it special, highlight the walks from the door, the local pub, the birdlife in the garden. This content both builds desire and improves your search engine visibility.
A clear incentive to book direct. Whether it's a modest discount, flexible cancellation, or a personal touch like a welcome call from the owner, guests need a reason to go off-platform. Give them one.
Realistic expectations
Building a direct booking channel takes time. You won't eliminate OTA dependence in a season. But even shifting 20–30% of bookings to direct within a year materially changes the economics of the business — and that number tends to grow each year as your audience builds.
We've helped several accommodation clients build direct booking websites — including properties that now generate the majority of their revenue without platform involvement. The investment pays back faster than most owners expect, typically within the first full season.
If you'd like to understand what a direct booking strategy might look like for your property specifically, we're happy to have that conversation. It costs nothing and comes with no obligation.