Can I offer a lower price on my site than on Booking?

Rate parity usually prevents a lower public price, but you can offer direct perks: late check-out, an included extra, a better cancellation policy, or a members/registered discount.

Hospitality · Channel strategy

Direct bookings vs OTAs: how to cut Booking and Airbnb commissions

Q: Should I close Booking and Airbnb to sell direct?

No. OTAs give you reach and visibility. The profitable strategy is to coexist: keep the platforms and move repeat and referral guests to the direct channel, where you pay no commission.

Q: How much commission do OTAs charge?

Typically 15% to 20% per booking, and it can rise with visibility programs. Every direct booking you win saves that full percentage.

By Plexglobe·Jul 22, 2026·7 min read

Quick answer: OTAs take 15–20% per booking. Don't close them — they give you reach — but balance the channel: capture repeat and referral guests to direct. With a website that has a booking engine and a couple of automations, moving 20–40% of your bookings to the direct channel is realistic within a few months.

What OTAs actually cost you

The commission is invisible because it never hits your account, but it's there. A stay billing €60,000/year via OTAs at 18% leaves ~€10,800/year in commissions. Recovering just a third to direct is ~€3,600/year — well above the cost of a website with a booking engine.

The most expensive booking isn't the one that never comes: it's the one that was already yours and you paid commission on.

What NOT to do

Closing Booking and Airbnb overnight to "save the commission" usually backfires: you lose the storefront that brings new guests. The goal isn't to abandon OTAs, it's to stop paying commission on bookings that were already yours.

The 5 levers to win direct bookings

Website with a booking engine and online payment: frictionless, with live availability. It's the base — without it, there's no direct channel. How much it costs.
A direct perk (without breaking parity): late check-out, welcome bottle, better cancellation, or a "member" price for those who register.
Google Business Profile: with a direct-booking link. Many guests search you by name after seeing you on an OTA — make sure they find your site, not another platform.
Post-stay contact: email or WhatsApp asking for the next direct booking with a small incentive. Cheap and very profitable with people who already know you.
Reviews: they weigh in Google and now in AI answers too. Always ask, and reply.

A realistic 90-day plan

Month 1: website with a booking engine + Google Business Profile with a direct link + channel manager synced with the OTAs.
Month 2: automate confirmations, reminders and review requests. Define your direct perk.
Month 3: campaign to your past-guest list and measure the % of direct bookings. Adjust.

It's exactly the approach we applied at Villa Oliva Nova and in the proposal for Cterra Tanzania. See the work.

FAQ

Should I close Booking and Airbnb to sell direct?

No. OTAs give reach. Coexist with them and move repeat or referral guests to direct — that's where you pay no commission.

How much commission do OTAs charge?

Typically 15–20% per booking, and it rises with visibility programs. Every direct booking saves that whole percentage.

Can I price lower on my website?

Parity usually prevents a lower public price, but you can add direct perks: included extras, better cancellation, or a discount for registered guests.

How much are you losing in commissions today?

We help you set up the direct channel and measure how much you recover.

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Indicative market figures for context; your case may vary.