The question comes up regularly when independent hotel owners talk about direct bookings. Should we have a loyalty programme? Should we give points? How do we compete with Marriott Bonvoy[…]
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Rate parity is one of the most debated concepts in independent hotel distribution — and one of the most misunderstood. Many hotel operators believe they are bound to offer identical[…]
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Managing room availability across multiple booking channels — your own website, Booking.com, Expedia, Google Hotel Ads, and potentially several others — without a channel manager means manual updates across every[…]
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Your booking engine is the point at which interest becomes revenue — or doesn’t. A guest who has spent ten minutes on your website, decided they want to stay, and[…]
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The instinct when a hotel needs more revenue is often to cut rates. Lower the price, fill more rooms, compensate with volume. It is a strategy that OTAs encourage —[…]
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Booking.com is the world’s largest online travel platform. For most independent hotels, it is also the single largest source of commission outgoings — and the distribution channel they feel most[…]
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Most independent hotel owners know that OTAs charge commission. Fewer know the full cost of what they are actually paying — and what it means for the long-term health of[…]
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OTA commission rates are not falling. Booking.com and Expedia continue to increase their share of hotel distribution, and independent properties without a deliberate direct booking strategy are paying more in[…]
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Every independent hotel owner knows the sting of the OTA commission invoice. Somewhere between 15 and 25 percent of every booking made through Booking.com, Expedia, or Hotels.com leaves your property[…]
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If you’re running an independent hotel, you already know the feeling. A guest checks out, leaves a glowing review, and somewhere in the background, Booking.com or Expedia quietly takes 18–22%[…]
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