Direct bookings vs OTA commission: what a hotel really earns
Booking sites bring guests, but they charge for it. Here is the math, and what you can do about it.
The math, with assumptions
Commissions differ per contract and country, and they change. As an illustration, take a commission of 15% on a stay worth 3,000,000 IDR: the booking site keeps 450,000 IDR, so you receive 2,550,000 IDR. A direct booking of the same stay with the same price keeps the full 3,000,000 IDR (minus payment fees if any).
If a property sells 100 nights per month at 1,000,000 IDR and moves 10 of those nights from a booking site to direct bookings, that is 10 nights × 150,000 IDR = 1,500,000 IDR more per month, with the same guests and the same rooms.
How to win more direct bookings
- Make booking easy. A fast page that works on a phone, in the guest’s language.
- Add your link everywhere. Google Business Profile, Instagram, WhatsApp replies and your email signature.
- Give a reason to book direct. Free breakfast, a late check-out or a small discount for direct guests (check your channel contracts, because some require rate parity).
- Keep guests. Past guests book again, and they do not need a booking site to find you.
Common questions
Can I stop using booking sites?
Most small hotels cannot, because the sites bring reach. The practical goal is a healthy mix: use channels to find new guests and direct bookings to keep them.
Does Sojodesk take a commission?
No. Sojodesk is a flat monthly price per property. There is no commission on your direct bookings.
See Sojodesk with your own rooms
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