Direct booking

A direct booking is a reservation a guest makes straight with you — on your own website, by phone or in person — rather than through an online travel agency.

Direct bookings carry no OTA commission, so you keep more of every night sold. They also give you the guest's real contact details and the relationship that comes with them, which makes repeat stays and word-of-mouth far easier. Most independent hosts work to grow the share of bookings that come direct over time.