Many travelers are convinced to find the cheapest deals on online portals. However, this is often not the case: Booking directly through a preferred accommodation channel has many benefits for both sides.

Save costs and win customers with direct bookings

Booking portals are indispensable in this day and age. The vast majority of travelers rely on the offers of platforms such as HRS, Expedia, Booking.com or HolidayCheck in their planning. The advantages of these sites are obvious: they are easy to use and provide a comprehensive overview of the majority of accommodation that meets the searchers‘ criteria. Only in exceptional cases, customers make the effort to pick out the home page of their own hotel or even pick up the phone. As a result, smaller hoteliers in particular are quickly becoming dangerously dependent on the operators of the online portals. Because these portals offer their service, of course, not for free.

The flip side of innovation

The platforms charge a commission for every night booked via on their site: this is contractually agreed. Usually, the commission depends on various factors and is in many regions about 14 to 25 percent of the room rate. Not infrequently, the commission is significantly above this value and can be in exceptional cases even up to 50 percent.
Nevertheless, not a few hoteliers find themselves with these conditions, since they ultimately benefit from the higher visibility. The attitude of the booking portals becomes critical only if they interfere with the actual hotel business and influence the allocation of the rooms and rate parity. In many contracts, accommodation providers undertake not to offer a room at a cheaper price than advertised on the platform. Operators are seeking to further strengthen their power position and reduce the number of unpopular direct bookings. The hotels have no choice, because for the custom

er it does not matter if a commission reduces the profits of the accommodation. A guest expects the same services in both cases.

The enormous benefits of direct bookings

Direct bookings should therefore undoubtedly be the main focus of any hotel, holiday apartm

ent or pension. The saved costs of the middleman can also be passed on to the customers who benefit directly from their choice. Experience has shown that exclusive benefits in the form of small bonuses are already enough to convince interested travelers to book on their own homepage. Discounts on internal additional services such as the sauna area or simply the opportunity to get the room with the best view are conceivable here. Larger hotels like to give direct bookers a room upgrade should something be available at the time. Often tourists are satisfied with a free WiFi access or breakfast included, bottle of water or national cookie.

A booking without additional distribution partners creates a bond between guest and accommodation. It creates the right environment for loyalty and is beneficial for both parties, the hoteliers can be through the direct contact more responsive to the wishes of their visitors. With great satisfaction, a direct booker quickly becomes a regular customer.
To build your own web presence as a hotel, which also has a working booking mask, also called booking engine, ultimately proves to be extremely profitable. A Channel Manager helps under the arms and does most of the intermediate steps automatically.