In the fast-paced world of hospitality, hotels can no longer rely solely on booking platforms to fill their rooms. commissions from OTAs like booking.com or Expedia can slice 15 to 30 percent off your revenue, and guests rarely form a direct connection with your brand through these channels. Understanding how to get more direct bookings isn’t just a nice-to-have—it’s essential for profitability and guest loyalty.
Consider the story of a boutique hotel in barcelona. before focusing on direct bookings, over 70% of its reservations came through OTAs. The hotel noticed that guests who booked directly were more likely to return, leave positive reviews, and spend on extras like spa treatments or dinners. The management team realized that the key was not only to attract visitors to their website but also to convince them to complete their reservations there.
Their journey began with the guest experience. they understood that modern travelers start with research, browsing photos, reading reviews, and comparing rates. The hotel revamped its website to be mobile-friendly, fast, and visually engaging, showcasing high-quality images of rooms, amenities, and nearby attractions. They didn’t just list features—they told stories, describing how it feels to wake up to a sunrise over the city or enjoy breakfast in a sunlit courtyard. By embedding clear, easy-to-use booking tools and highlighting exclusive perks for direct reservations, the hotel made the website a compelling choice for prospective guests.
📊 Why direct bookings matter
Direct bookings come with multiple advantages:
- Higher profitability: no OTA commissions means you keep more revenue.
- Direct relationship with guests: personalizing their experience encourages loyalty.
- Full control: you manage pricing, availability, and promotions without intermediaries.
A 2023 SiteMinder report shows that direct bookings accounted for 29% of all online hotel bookings, up from 20% in 2022 (phocuswire.com).
🧭 Understanding the guest journey
To increase direct bookings, it’s crucial to understand how potential guests search and make decisions:
- Initial search: most start with a Google search using terms like “hotels in [city]” or “best rates at [hotel].”
- Comparison: they then compare prices, read reviews, and examine photos.
- Decision: finally, they choose where to book, based on the information gathered.
Tools like Google Analytics and heatmaps help identify where visitors drop off and how to optimize the path to conversion.
🖥️ Optimizing your website for conversions
Your website should convert visitors into guests seamlessly:
- Mobile-friendly and fast: over 50% of bookings happen on mobile devices. a slow site increases abandonment.
- Clear booking process: an intuitive reservation engine boosts direct bookings.
- Engaging content: high-quality photos, detailed descriptions, and guest testimonials build trust.
A case study by O’Rourke Hospitality showed that redesigning a hotel website tripled booking engine conversions from 2.57% to 3%, resulting in significant revenue growth (orourkehospitality.com).
🎁 Exclusive incentives for direct bookings
Guests need a reason to book directly. consider offering:
- Exclusive perks: free breakfast, room upgrades, or special services.
- Flexible policies: free cancellations or no-change-fee options.
- Customized packages: local experiences, tours, or activity bundles.
These incentives not only encourage direct bookings but also promote repeat stays.
A 2023 study by phocuswire found that direct bookings accounted for 29% of online hotel bookings, up from 20% in 2022, signaling a growing awareness of the benefits of booking directly. hotels that successfully focus on direct channels are able to invest in personalized experiences, offer flexible cancellation policies, and create packages tailored to the traveler’s interests—all of which encourage guests to bypass OTAs.
Some of the most effective strategies for how to get more direct bookings include:
- exclusive perks and packages: offering breakfast, room upgrades, or local experiences that only appear when booking directly.
- user-friendly booking engines: making the process fast, intuitive, and mobile-ready.
- engaging storytelling content: showing what makes your hotel unique, from neighborhood guides to behind-the-scenes stories.
- seo and local search optimization: ensuring travelers find your hotel when searching for locations, events, or experiences.
For instance, a mid-sized hotel in madrid used a combination of engaging blog posts about local events and optimized Google Business listings. within six months, direct bookings rose by 40%, revenue per available room increased, and guests were spending more on-site.