For years, OTAs have been the great lifeline for independent accommodations. Platforms like Booking.com and Expedia Group have democratized distribution, allowing small hotels, rural lodges, and vacation rentals to access international markets without major marketing investments.
The problem isn’t using them.
The problem is depending on them.
Today, many properties operate with more than 70% of their sales coming through intermediaries. That means commissions that can exceed 20%, loss of control over the customer relationship, and increasingly tighter margins. And most concerning of all: a false sense of security.
Reducing dependency on OTAs doesn’t mean turning them off. It means restoring strategic balance.
And that is smart tourism marketing.
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The Real Cost of Dependency
OTAs provide visibility, yes. But they also set the rules. Rate parity, direct competition with similar properties, and limited opportunities to build guest loyalty are all part of the package.
According to public data from Spain’s National Statistics Institute (INE), the share of online booking channels has steadily increased over the past decade. However, several studies within the Spanish hospitality sector point out that direct bookings continue to be the most profitable channel per reservation.
The European Accommodation Barometer report by Statista shows that hotels strengthening their direct channel significantly improve their GOP (Gross Operating Profit), even while maintaining the same occupancy levels.
That’s the key: it’s not about selling more rooms, but about selling them better.
The False Dilemma: OTAs or Direct Booking
Framing it as a battle is a mistake. It’s not Booking versus your website. It’s strategy versus improvisation.
OTAs are powerful acquisition tools in new markets, for gaining international visibility, or for maintaining occupancy during low-demand periods. The issue arises when they become the business’s only commercial engine.
The World Tourism Organization (UN Tourism) has repeatedly emphasized the need for destinations and tourism businesses to develop their own digital capabilities to strengthen competitiveness and long-term economic sustainability.
Relying exclusively on intermediaries is not sustainable in the long run.
Before Reducing OTAs, Build the Alternative
This is where many properties make mistakes. They reduce inventory on platforms without strengthening their digital ecosystem first—and then occupancy drops follow.
For the direct channel to work, it must be properly prepared.
A conversion-optimized website is not just about attractive design. It’s architecture built to guide users toward booking. It’s loading speed. It’s pricing clarity. It’s trust. According to Google, more than 50% of users abandon a page if it takes longer than three seconds to load on mobile.
Tourism SEO is not about simply “being on Google.” It’s about appearing when someone searches for “rural hotel in the Sierra de Gredos with a jacuzzi,” not just “rural hotel.” It’s about search intent, not volume.
Brand campaigns on Google Ads also play a critical role. Many properties fail to protect their own brand name and end up paying commissions on bookings from guests who had already decided to book directly.
Then there’s the database. Email marketing remains one of the highest ROI channels in the tourism sector, according to the Data & Marketing Association. Yet many businesses fail to actively nurture post-stay loyalty.
Reducing OTAs without strengthening these pillars is like removing training wheels before learning how to ride.
Marketing and Revenue: A Marriage That Can’t End in Divorce
One of the most common mistakes is separating marketing from revenue management. If you reduce intermediaries without adjusting your pricing strategy, the impact can be negative.
Revenue management isn’t just about raising prices during high season. It’s about segmenting markets, analyzing booking windows, understanding demand patterns, and applying consistent dynamic pricing.
Studies published by HSMAI show that properties integrating digital marketing strategies with revenue management achieve stronger RevPAR performance than those managing both areas separately.
If the direct channel offers better conditions, a superior experience, and exclusive benefits (flexibility, upgrades, personalized attention), guests will choose to book with you.
But they must clearly perceive that value.
The Smart Balance
The strategy is not about eliminating OTAs, but about redistributing weight.
A healthy property typically combines:
- OTAs as acquisition tools.
- SEO, GEO, and SEM to capture active demand.
- Remarketing campaigns to recover undecided users.
- Email marketing to build loyalty.
- Direct channels such as WhatsApp Business to close bookings with a human touch.
When the direct channel gradually grows to represent 40–60% of total sales, the business regains margin, control, and decision-making power.
And most importantly, it stops operating out of fear.
It’s Not Just Profitability, It’s Business Sustainability
Tourism sustainability isn’t only environmental. It’s economic as well.
A model based on rising commissions and structural dependency is not sustainable. The European Commission has highlighted in multiple reports on tourism digitalization the need to strengthen the digital autonomy of tourism SMEs to ensure long-term competitiveness.
Investing in the direct channel is not a marketing whim. It’s a strategic decision.
The Question That Really Matters
It’s not “Can I reduce OTAs?”
It’s “Am I prepared not to depend on them?”
The good news is that it doesn’t have to happen overnight. It’s a gradual, data-driven process. With strategy. With analysis. With alignment between marketing and revenue.
Because when a property convinces guests to book directly, it doesn’t just improve margins. It strengthens the relationship with the guest. It controls the full experience. It builds brand equity.
And in an increasingly competitive market, that’s a powerful advantage.
A Final Thought
If more than 60% of your bookings depend on intermediaries, you may not have an occupancy problem.
You have a strategy problem.
Real growth doesn’t come from selling more at any cost. It comes from selling smarter, with greater control and profitability.
At Asiri Marketing, we believe the direct channel isn’t a trend. It’s a structural necessity in today’s tourism landscape.
The question is: will you keep renting your visibility… or start building it?
