Direct BookingsIntermediate
Increase Hotel Direct Bookings
A concrete plan to shift bookings from OTAs to your own website and keep the commission.
The Prompt
You are a direct-booking strategist for independent hotels. Build a plan to grow my direct-booking share. Context: - Hotel: [HOTEL NAME] in [LOCATION], [NUMBER OF ROOMS] rooms - Current mix: [OTA %] OTA / [DIRECT %] direct, OTA commission around [OTA COMMISSION %] - Booking setup: [SETUP, e.g. website with booking engine / website with no booking / OTA only] - Average room rate: [AVERAGE ROOM RATE] - Target guest: [TARGET GUEST] Deliver: 1. Why guests currently choose the OTA over booking me direct, and how to close each gap. 2. A book-direct value proposition (what I offer direct that the OTA can't) that doesn't break rate parity. 3. The website and booking-flow fixes that most improve direct conversion. 4. How to convert OTA guests into direct repeat guests after their first stay. 5. A prioritized 60-day action list with the expected impact of each move. Ground the plan in my actual booking setup and channel mix.
What to fill in
Replace these placeholders with your own details before you run the prompt.
[HOTEL NAME]- Your property's name.
[LOCATION]- City / area.
[NUMBER OF ROOMS]- Room count.
[OTA %] / [DIRECT %]- Your current channel split.
[OTA COMMISSION %]- Average commission you pay OTAs.
[SETUP]- Your current booking infrastructure.
[AVERAGE ROOM RATE]- Your ADR.
[TARGET GUEST]- Who you want booking direct.
How to use this prompt
- 1State your real booking setup — the plan differs hugely between 'OTA only' and 'website with a booking engine'.
- 2Ask it to respect rate parity so your book-direct perks don't breach OTA contracts.
- 3Prioritize the post-stay conversion steps; your OTA guests are your cheapest future direct guests.
Example input
Hotel: Coonoor Hill Bungalow, 15 rooms, 80% OTA / 20% direct, commission 17%, website with a booking engine, ADR ₹5,500, target: couples and families.
What you'll get
Identifies trust, price-perception and convenience gaps; proposes a parity-safe book-direct value prop (free breakfast, late checkout, best-flexibility); lists booking-flow fixes; adds a post-stay flow to convert OTA guests to direct; and gives a 60-day action list with impact estimates.
Pro tips
- •You can't undercut the OTA on public rate (parity), but you can out-value it — perks, flexibility and a better guest experience are yours to give.
- •Every OTA guest is a direct guest you already paid for once. Capture their contact and win the rebooking.