4 marketing tips to boost your direct bookings and reduce OTA reliance this summer

September 18, 2025

For many campground and hospitality operators, Online Travel Agencies (OTAs) like Booking.com, Airbnb, and Expedia have become both a blessing and a constraint. While they provide visibility and demand, they also come with significant drawbacks: high commission fees, limited access to guest data, and reduced control over the customer relationship.

Over time, this dependency can erode profitability and make it harder to build a loyal guest base.

Good news: With the right mix of digital marketing, automation, and smart technology, such as Booking Experts PMS, operators can take back control of their booking ecosystem.

Below are four actionable marketing strategies to boost direct bookings this summer.

1. Optimise your website and booking engine for conversions

Your website is your most powerful direct booking tool—but only if it is built for conversion, not just information. To maximize bookings, every part of the guest journey should be designed to make reservations fast, easy, and trustworthy:

Mobile-first design: Most travelers browse and book on mobile devices. A slow or cluttered mobile experience will immediately cost you bookings.
Clear call-to-actions (CTAs): “Book Now” buttons should be visible, consistent, and easy to access on every page.
Real-time availability and pricing: Remove friction by allowing guests to check availability instantly.
Trust signals: Display reviews, ratings, security badges, and cancellation policies prominently.
*Upselling opportunities: Offer add-ons like late checkout, breakfast bundles, or firewood packages during the booking flow.

Practical example:

Have you noticed high website traffic but low booking conversions? A common cause is a complicated reservation process that creates unnecessary friction for guests. By integrating the Booking Experts booking engine, visitors can view real-time availability, complete their reservation in just a few steps, and enjoy a seamless booking experience across both desktop and mobile devices.

When your website removes friction and builds trust, direct bookings naturally increase.

2. Build loyalty and incentivise direct reservations

Guests are far more likely to book directly when they see clear advantages over third-party channels. By offering exclusive benefits and rewarding repeat visitors, you can strengthen guest relationships while reducing dependency on OTAs.

Strategies to implement:

Direct booking discounts: Offer a small percentage off, complimentary add-ons, or flexible cancellation options for bookings made through your website.
Member-only perks: Create a sense of exclusivity and added value with free upgrades, priority access to premium locations, early check-in or late check-out options or access to special seasonal promotions.
Repeat guest rewards: Implement a points-based or credit system that rewards returning visitors. Guests could earn points for every stay, referral, or additional purchase, which can later be redeemed for discounts, free nights, upgrades, or on-site experiences.
Email-exclusive offers: Provide exclusive promotions and early access deals through email campaigns: limited-time discounts, special event packages, or off-season promotions available only to subscribers.

Practical example:

You want to launch a targeted campaign such as “Book Direct & Save 10%”? Use Booking Experts’ marketing automation tools and combine them with a loyalty program. Returning guests receive personalized offers and discount codes via email, giving them a compelling reason to book directly for their next stay.

Over time, this reduces acquisition costs and increases repeat visits—two critical drivers of long-term profitability.

3. Leverage social proof and content to build trust

Modern travelers rely heavily on reviews and visual storytelling before making a booking decision. OTAs often win here because they aggregate reviews—but operators can outperform them with better storytelling on their own platforms.

What to focus on:

Guest reviews on your website: Display verified guest reviews directly on your booking pages and throughout your website. Positive testimonials provide reassurance to potential guests.
User-generated content (UGC): Encourage guests to share their experiences on social media by posting photos, videos, and stories while tagging your property. Reposting user-generated content not only provides authentic marketing material but also helps create a sense of community around your brand.
Google Business Profile optimization: Regularly update your listing with fresh photos, current information, seasonal updates, and responses to guest reviews. A complete and active profile improves visibility in local search results and strengthens your online reputation.
High-quality visuals: Invest in visually appealing photography and video content that highlights the unique experiences your property offers throughout the year. Showcase memorable moments: sunset views, campfires, outdoor adventures, family activities, and seasonal scenery.

Practical example:

Have you considered how much more powerful your marketing becomes when guests tell your story for you? Introduce a “Guest Stories” section featuring real visitor photos and testimonials. Using Booking Experts’ personalized evaluation form, you automatically collect detailed guest feedback after every stay and capture valuable insights directly within its reservation system.

This feedback can then be used to highlight the most positive reviews on the website, ensuring a steady flow of fresh, authentic social proof.

Social proof reduces hesitation, builds trust, and helps your brand compete directly with OTAs on credibility.

4. Use Email marketing, Automation, and Targeted Campaigns

Email remains one of the highest ROI channels for hospitality marketing—especially when paired with automation and guest data.

Key strategies:

Abandoned booking emails: Automatically send reminder emails to guests who begin the reservation process but do not complete it. These emails can include personalized messaging, limited-time offers, or incentives to encourage guests to return and finalize their booking.
Post-stay campaigns: Send follow-up emails that thank them for their stay, request reviews, and encourage future bookings. You can also promote loyalty rewards, referral incentives, or upcoming seasonal offers.
Seasonal promotions: Create targeted marketing campaigns tailored to different travel seasons and audience segments. Summer promotions = family-friendly activities and school holiday getaways. Autumn = highlight romantic retreats, scenic landscapes, or cozy outdoor experiences.
Guest Segmentation: Organize guests into segments based on: booking behavior, stay type, spending habits, travel preferences, or demographics. Allows you to deliver more personalized offers, recommendations, and communication.

Practical example:

With our PMS, operators can centralize guest data and automate highly personalized marketing campaigns based on guest behavior, booking history, and travel preferences. This allows campsites and holiday parks to deliver relevant offers at the right time: sending a “next summer early booking” promotion to a family that stayed in July, or offering an off-season “weekend retreat” package to couples who previously booked a romantic cabin experience…

This kind of automation turns missed opportunities into direct revenue without additional advertising spend.

*Bonus: Create attractive offers and packages

Packaging experiences together is an effective way to increase perceived value and encourage guests to book directly through your own channels rather than comparing prices on OTAs. Instead of selling only accommodation, operators can create complete experiences tailored to different guest segments and travel motivations.

Ideas to consider:

Family adventure bundles: Combine accommodation with family-friendly activities, meal packages, playground access, or local attractions.
Weekend escape packages: Offer short-stay packages for couples or groups that include perks such as late checkout, breakfast, wellness access, or welcome gifts.
Seasonal themed stays: Build campaigns around specific moments throughout the year, such as summer festivals, autumn nature retreats or winter glamping experiences.
Add-on experiences: Offer optional extras like bike rentals, guided hikes, BBQ kits, firewood packages, breakfast baskets, or outdoor activity rentals during the booking flow.

With Booking Experts, operators can easily create, manage, and promote these packages directly through their website and booking engine. This allows guests to customize their stay while giving operators more flexibility to upsell experiences and increase average booking value.

Take back control of your bookings

Reducing OTA dependency is not about abandoning third-party platforms entirely—it’s about regaining balance. By strengthening your direct booking strategy, you improve margins, build stronger guest relationships, and gain access to valuable customer data.

With tools like BEX, operators can unify their booking engine, guest data, and marketing automation into one system—making it easier than ever to shift bookings back to direct channels.

Ready to increase your direct bookings? Get in touch with our team and let’s explore how we can optimize your setup together.