Why Direct Bookings Matter

Availability Online is a direct booking engine that includes all the benefits associated with taking bookings with no middleman, including no commissions, increased revenue and better relationships with your guests.

What is a direct booking?

A direct booking is a reservation that a guest makes directly with you, via phone or from your business website/booking engine. The Availability Online Booking Engine is a direct booking engine that can be added to any website platform.

What is a non-direct booking?

A non-direct booking is a reservation that a guest makes with a third-party organization, best known as Online Travel Agencies ( OTAs ). Examples of some OTAs would be Booking.com, TripAdvsor, VRBO, AirBnB, etc. There is no debate that OTAs can be beneficial in increasing reservations, but these third parties do take a sizable cut out of your revenue.

Benefits of direct bookings for YOU

• Keep more of your booking revenue, bypassing OTA commissions and fees.
• A personalized booking process. This builds better guest relationships and increased repeat stays.
• Brand awareness. Bookings focus on your business and the guest experience. You manage your reservation text, booking process and visual appearance.
• Full policy control and flexibility. Many OTAs dictate what your cancellation and reservation policies must be.
• Direct communication with your guests can lead to increased upselling opportunities.

Benefits of direct bookings for YOUR GUESTS

• With no OTA commissions, you can choose to offer lower rates to entice guests to book direct. A win for you and your guests.
• Guests avoid paying additional, sometimes hidden, OTA fees.
• Guests can communicate directly with you with any questions they have for a more personalized experience.
• Direct bookings have more flexibility with reservation changes, special requests, etc. These types of changes are not always easy with a third-party OTA booking... leading to frustrated guests.