Direct booking

Why is it important to increase direct bookings in hotels?

Direct bookings are essential for improving hotel profitability, as they eliminate OTA commissions, which can range from 15–25% of the booking value.

Beyond margins, direct bookings allow hotels to build a closer and more personal relationship with guests, offering greater opportunities to build loyalty.

Managing the booking process directly also enables more effective communication, the collection of valuable marketing data, the ability to propose personalized offers, and better handling of modifications or special requests.

While a healthy mix of sales channels is important, increasing the share of direct bookings within the channel mix provides more control, stability, and commercial freedom.

How are direct bookings measured in hotels?

Direct bookings can be measured in absolute value (number of direct reservations received) or as a percentage of total bookings:

Direct Booking Percentage = (Direct Bookings / Total Bookings) × 100

Example: if in one month you receive 300 total bookings, of which 90 are from direct channels, the direct booking share will be:

(90 / 300) × 100 = 30%

Analyzing this figure over time, by segment, or by season allows hoteliers to assess the effectiveness of actions taken to promote direct sales, such as email campaigns, SEO, paid ads, or exclusive offers on the official website.