Booking isn't the problem, depending on it is
Booking helps people who don't know you find you. The risk comes when it fills almost the whole property: every booking pays commission, and any change in the algorithm or the terms shows in the month.
Alternatives don't replace Booking. They complement it, so part of your bookings comes through channels that are yours.
Your website, with a booking engine
It's the most important channel because it's the only one that's yours. A fast website that shows up on Google, with your own photos and a booking button connected to an engine that shows availability and takes payment. Every booking through it pays no commission to an intermediary.
For it to work, the site has to show up when people search for you: by name, by town and by what you offer. That's SEO.
| Channel | What it does | What it costs |
|---|---|---|
| Booking, Airbnb and other platforms | They show you to travellers who don't know you | Commission per booking, per platform and contract |
| Your website with a booking engine | Guests book and pay you directly | The site and the engine; no commission per booking |
| Google's free booking links | Your site shows as “Official site” next to the price on Google | No cost from Google; you need a connected engine |
| Returning guests | They message you on WhatsApp or by email | Nothing, if you keep the contact |
Google: business profile and free booking links
Since March 2021, Google shows the booking link of a hotel's official website for free next to the price in hotel search, marked “Official site”. You don't ask Google directly: you need a booking engine or channel manager connected to send it your rates and availability.
Price competes there too: if your site shows a higher rate than the platforms, travellers see it. And your Google Business profile, with photos, reviews and a link to your site, is still the first thing people see when they search your name.
Other platforms and returning guests
Airbnb, Expedia and other platforms help you not depend on just one: if one drops, the other keeps going. Each charges its own way, so do the maths before adding channels.
And the cheapest channel is the guest who already came. If you keep their contact and next time they can book direct on your site, that booking pays commission to nobody.