The short answer
A £400 stay at 18% commission is £72. On a property doing 60 platform bookings a month, that is £4,320 a month. The share of those that are returning guests is the genuinely avoidable part.
Split the number in two
This is the calculation most properties never do, and it changes the conclusion.
| First-time guests | Returning guests | |
|---|---|---|
| What the commission buys | Discovery. A guest who would not have found you | Nothing. They already know you |
| Is it worth paying? | Usually yes, it is a marketing cost | No |
| Your share of bookings | ___ | ___ |
| Annual commission on this group | ___ | ___ |
The right-hand column is your target. The left-hand column is a marketing cost and a reasonable one.
What actually moves the mix
Ranked by effect
- Capture the guest during the stayA QR code in the room converts far better than anything on your booking page, because they are already having the experience.
- A direct-only benefitLate checkout, a drink, a small discount. It costs you far less than 18%.
- Make direct booking genuinely easierIf your own booking flow is worse than the platform's, guests will use the platform. This is common and fixable.
- Reach past guests directlyWhich requires having their details, which requires them booking direct at least once.
The mistake
Common questions
How much commission do travel platforms take?
Typically 15% to 25% of the booking value depending on the platform and your visibility settings. On a £400 stay at 18%, that is £72 per booking.
Should we stop listing on platforms?
No. They bring you guests who would never find you otherwise, and delisting is how properties lose occupancy. The win is moving repeat guests direct, not abandoning discovery.
Which guests are worth moving direct?
Anyone who has stayed before. You have already paid to acquire them once; paying again on every subsequent stay is the part that is genuinely avoidable.