OTA commission

OTA commission is the cut an online travel agency (OTA) such as Booking.com or Airbnb takes from every reservation it brings you. Rates vary by platform and market but commonly fall between 15% and 25% of the booking value.

OTAs earn that commission by putting your property in front of millions of travellers. The catch is that it compounds: over a busy year, commission can quietly become one of your largest costs. Taking a share of your bookings direct — through your own website and booking engine — is the most reliable way to bring that number down.