Travel · Bookings
More direct bookings for your campsite or holiday park
Booking platforms bring guests, but every booking costs commission and the guest stays a little bit theirs. With a few smart steps you can win more bookings through your own website, without dropping the platforms altogether.
Why direct bookings matter
On a platform you pay commission on every booking. According to SiteMinder, Booking.com usually charges between 10 and 25 percent, depending on factors such as your location and your agreement. On a €600 booking, that is €60 to €150.
Just as important: with a direct booking, you own the relationship. You can inform the guest well before arrival, ask for a review after the stay and invite them back next year, within the rules for email marketing (more on that in our article on filling the shoulder season).
Platforms remain useful, especially for reaching new guests. So the goal is not to quit, but a healthy balance: new guests may come through a platform, returning guests book with you.
What has changed with the Digital Markets Act?
For years, contracts with booking platforms contained so-called parity clauses: you were not allowed to be cheaper on your own website than on the platform. In Europe, that is over.
Booking.com has been designated a gatekeeper under the EU Digital Markets Act (DMA). According to a European Commission factsheet, Booking.com has had to comply with all relevant obligations since 14 November 2024. Accommodations in the European Economic Area can freely set their prices and conditions on and off Booking.com, including on their own website. In September 2026, Booking.com also committed that external prices no longer count towards eligibility for its Booking Sponsored Benefit programme.
So you may offer a lower price or better conditions for direct bookings. Do read your own contract and consider what it means for your visibility on the platform.
Six steps to more direct bookings
- Make booking on your website easy. Availability and price should be visible straight away, also on a phone. Every extra step or email back-and-forth costs bookings.
- Give a concrete reason to book direct. For example choosing your own pitch or cabin, a free late check-out, more flexible cancellation or breakfast on arrival. Show it next to the booking button.
- Be visible on Google. Keep your Google Business Profile up to date with photos, opening hours and a link to your booking page. Hotels can also get free booking links through Google Hotel Center: links shown next to the ads, with no cost per click.
- Answer questions fast. Guests who are unsure ask a question first. If it stays unanswered for a day, they often book elsewhere. Quick, personal answers, also in the evening, turn into direct bookings.
- Build your own guest list. Ask direct bookers whether they want your newsletter, and introduce guests to your own website during their stay, for example with a QR code at reception.
- Measure the balance. Track each month what share of your bookings comes in directly, so you can see which step works.
The channels side by side
| Channel | Cost | What you get |
|---|---|---|
| Booking platform | Commission per booking | Reach among new guests, little direct contact |
| Your own website | Website and booking engine | No commission, your own guest relationship |
| Google Business Profile | Free | Visibility for people searching for you or nearby |
| Email to your own guests | Time or a tool | Repeat bookings, especially outside peak season |
Where to start
Start where most bookings leak away now. If your website is slow or awkward on mobile, fix that first. If your site is fine but questions go unanswered, answering faster brings the quickest result. And if you already have many returning guests, a well-timed email is often the cheapest booking you can get.
Frequently asked questions
May I be cheaper on my own website than on Booking.com?
Yes, within the European Economic Area. Since Booking.com falls under the Digital Markets Act, accommodations may freely set their prices and conditions, including on their own website. Do check your own contract and the terms of any programmes you take part in.
Should I stop using booking platforms?
No. Platforms are strong at finding new guests. See them as a shop window, and make sure returning guests book directly with you.
What do Google's free booking links cost?
Nothing. Google charges nothing for placement or clicks. You do need a connection through Google Hotel Center, often via your booking system or channel manager.
Sources
Kelly has more than ten years of experience in online marketing and SEO, for brands such as IKEA, TUI, Holidu, Belvilla, Center Parcs, vidaXL and Johnson & Johnson.
