Tribalogic5 reasons to target direct bookings for your holiday rental business in 2026 It may seem obvious that direct bookings are much more valuable than ones via a Marketing Channel (also known as an Online Travel Agent - OTA), however it is not always clear why. Save money on OTA commission fees The most obvious benefit of direct bookings is keeping more revenue in your pocket. OTAs eg Airbnb, typically charge between 15% and 20% commission per booking. For a £1,000 stay, that's £150-£200 you're handing over. In 2026 Airbnb commission changed to 15.5% (higher in some locations). Your acquisition costs for direct bookings (including running your own holiday rental website, payment processing, and marketing) can be significantly lower over time, especially when you factor in repeat guests who already know your brand. Own the guest relationship and encourage repeat bookings When guests book through an OTA, the platform owns the relationship. You can't market to them freely without risking policy violations or the OTA swooping in first with a competitor's property. Recently we've seen the OTAs take even tighter grips on the ownership, from obscuring email addresses, banning off-channel communications and Airbnb are testing obscurring the phone number too. With direct bookings, you collect guest contact details at the point of reservation, giving you full control to nurture the relationship through email marketing campaigns, special offers, and personalised follow-ups that turn one-time visitors into loyal repeat guests. Boost your SEO and organic search rankings More direct bookings from organic search can improve your position in Google results. When guests land on your site and complete a booking without bouncing back to search, Google interprets this as a positive user signal, helping your holiday rental website rank higher for relevant keywords. A well-optimised website with structured data markup further strengthens your SEO, making it easier for potential guests to discover you. Build brand awareness and word-of-mouth referrals When guests book direct, they remember your brand, not the OTA's. They'll recommend your property by name, forward your confirmation emails, and leave reviews that directly benefit your business. Brand loyalty is harder to achieve when your property is buried in an OTA listing among hundreds of competitors. Direct bookings put your business front and center. Control the guest booking experience from start to finish Cutting out the middleman simplifies the booking journey and gives you full control over how guests interact with your business. If issues arise, you can resolve them quickly without navigating OTA support systems or confusing multi-brand touchpoints. Whether you're using a simple booking engine or a full property management system, owning the guest experience helps you deliver better service and build trust.
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Made for Holiday Rental Managers like you.

Why direct bookings matter for short term lets in 2026

4 minute read // updated

by Robin Morris, Co-Founder + Managing Director

Key Takeaways

  • Save 15-20% commission by avoiding OTA fees and building your own guest database for repeat bookings
  • Improve SEO rankings and brand awareness when guests book through your own holiday rental website
  • Control the guest experience from booking to check-out without 3rd-party interference or confusion.
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Direct bookings, made through your own holiday rental website, by email, or by phone, are the foundation of a profitable, sustainable vacation rental business.

While OTAs like Airbnb and Booking.com help fill your calendar, they come at a cost: 15-20% commission, limited guest data, and zero control over the booking experience. In this guide, we break down five reasons why direct bookings should be at the heart of your marketing strategy and how to start attracting more of them.

Direct bookings

It is your customer, nobody else's, which frees you to market to them again and again.

5 reasons to target direct bookings for your holiday rental business in 2026

It may seem obvious that direct bookings are much more valuable than ones via a Marketing Channel (also known as an Online Travel Agent - OTA), however it is not always clear why.

  1. Save money on OTA commission fees

    The most obvious benefit of direct bookings is keeping more revenue in your pocket.

    OTAs eg Airbnb, typically charge between 15% and 20% commission per booking. For a £1,000 stay, that's £150-£200 you're handing over. In 2026 Airbnb commission changed to 15.5% (higher in some locations).

    Your acquisition costs for direct bookings (including running your own holiday rental website, payment processing, and marketing) can be significantly lower over time, especially when you factor in repeat guests who already know your brand.

  2. Own the guest relationship and encourage repeat bookings

    When guests book through an OTA, the platform owns the relationship. 

    You can't market to them freely without risking policy violations or the OTA swooping in first with a competitor's property.

    Recently we've seen the OTAs take even tighter grips on the ownership, from obscuring email addresses, banning off-channel communications and Airbnb are testing obscurring the phone number too.

    With direct bookings, you collect guest contact details at the point of reservation, giving you full control to nurture the relationship through email marketing campaigns, special offers, and personalised follow-ups that turn one-time visitors into loyal repeat guests.

  3. Boost your SEO and organic search rankings

    More direct bookings from organic search can improve your position in Google results.

    When guests land on your site and complete a booking without bouncing back to search, Google interprets this as a positive user signal, helping your holiday rental website rank higher for relevant keywords.

    A well-optimised website with structured data markup further strengthens your SEO, making it easier for potential guests to discover you.

  4. Build brand awareness and word-of-mouth referrals

    When guests book direct, they remember your brand, not the OTA's. They'll recommend your property by name, forward your confirmation emails, and leave reviews that directly benefit your business.

    Brand loyalty is harder to achieve when your property is buried in an OTA listing among hundreds of competitors.

    Direct bookings put your business front and center.

  5. Control the guest booking experience from start to finish

    Cutting out the middleman simplifies the booking journey and gives you full control over how guests interact with your business. 

    If issues arise, you can resolve them quickly without navigating OTA support systems or confusing multi-brand touchpoints.

Whether you're using a simple booking engine or a full property management system, owning the guest experience helps you deliver better service and build trust.

Frequently Asked Questions

What is a vacation rental Direct Booking?
A booking made for your holiday home through your own website OR by email OR by phone
How do I get more direct bookings without spending a fortune on marketing?
Focus on SEO, guest referrals, and email marketing. Optimise your website for local search terms, encourage past guests to leave reviews and refer friends, and send regular newsletters with special offers. These tactics are low-cost and build momentum over time.
Should I remove my property from OTAs to focus on direct bookings?
Ultimately this is up to you. However it's important to recognise that OTAs are valuable for visibility and filling gaps in your calendar. The goal is to balance both channels. Use OTAs to attract new guests, then convert them into direct bookers for future stays through excellent service and follow-up marketing.
What's the best way to track direct booking performance?
Use Google Analytics to monitor traffic sources, conversion rates, and booking behaviour on your website. Set up goals for completed bookings and track which marketing channels (email, social, organic search) drive the most direct reservations. This data helps you refine your strategy and invest in what works.

Direct bookings aren't just about saving on commission, they're about building a resilient, guest-focused holiday rental business that you control.

Start by investing in your own website, optimising for SEO, and creating simple ways for guests to book directly with you.

It is your customer, nobody else's, which frees you to market to them again and again.

Graphic of Bookster property management interfaces

Designed for you.

Bookster is built to help holiday rental managers do what they do.

Get started free…Book a Demo

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