Why We’re Betting Big on Direct Bookings in 2025 💡

If you’ve been following our journey, you already know we started small — a few serviced units, juggling cleaners, messages, and guests at midnight.

Airbnb and Booking Com were a blessing in those early days.

They gave us visibility, trust, and that first wave of guests when we were just getting started.

But after a while, I noticed something uncomfortable...If your income depends on an algorithm — you don’t own your business.

That realisation changed everything for me.

🚀 The Shift We Made in 2024

We made a big call: Stop relying solely on OTAs and start building something we control.

So we went all in on direct bookings — and honestly, it was one of the best moves we’ve ever made.

Here’s what we did:

🌐 Built a direct booking website that actually converts

💬 Spoke to guests directly via WhatsApp and email — not just platform chat

💳 Introduced loyalty and referral offers so good guests come back

🏢 Partnered with relocation teams and long-stay professionals who prefer direct contact

And the results?

✅ Higher margins (no 15–20% OTA fees eating profits)

✅ More repeat guests and referrals

✅ Better upsell opportunities — early check-ins, parking, late check-outs

✅ Happier landlords with stable returns and lower volatility

We still use Airbnb and Booking — they’re fantastic for discovery. But our long-term growth? It’s built on direct trust and brand ownership.

🧠 Here’s What You Can Try This Week

Audit your booking mix. Look at your last 20 stays — how many were direct? If it’s under 30%, you’ve got space to grow.
Get a simple, direct booking page live. Platforms like Boostly, Uplisting, and Lodgify make it plug-and-play. Add a WhatsApp button and “Book Direct” banner on every listing.
Start building your guest list. Collect every email from your stays — doesn’t matter if it’s 5 or 50. Next month, offer them 10% off their next stay if they book direct.
Automate your post-stay follow-up. A short “Thank you — we’d love to host you again” message with a direct link works wonders.
Create repeat touchpoints. Send a WhatsApp message before busy weekends, holidays, or events —guests love the personal reminder.

💡 From Our Side

We’re currently running over 6,000+ booked nights a year —and the best part is watching how many come back directly.

That’s what gives you freedom. No waiting for algorithm updates.

No sudden drops in ranking.Just genuine relationships and a brand that lasts.

💬 Community Task

Drop below 👇

➡️ What’s one thing stopping you from getting more direct bookings right now?

➡️ Is it tech, time, or confidence in marketing yourself?

Let’s make 2025 the year we stop chasing algorithms — and start owning our growth.

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