Today’s short-term holiday rental guests use a variety of different routes to make a booking. Some arrive through Online Travel Agents (OTAs) like Airbnb or Booking.com, others may be returning guests booking through your website, and some discover you organically via social media or word of mouth. The most successful self-catering businesses recognise this shift in booking habits and build strategies that reflect it.
Direct bookings and those via OTAs don’t need to be seen as competing against one another. Instead, view them as partners in boosting your occupancy. Each serves a different purpose, attracts different types of guests, and plays a unique role in your business growth. When managed well, these channels don’t compete, they complement each other. Both are essential pillars of a strong, resilient booking strategy.
Here’s how to make that strategy work for you.
Think Long-Term, Not Just Tactically
It’s tempting to focus only on what’s delivering the most bookings today, especially when time and resources are often limited. With the way that guests are booking constantly evolving, building a business that adapts and grows over time means thinking beyond quick wins. It takes a long-term strategy designed for longevity.
Listing with OTAs offers valuable visibility, particularly in competitive markets or when demand decreases. A recent study by the Office for National Statistics revealed that 90.1 million nights in self-catering holiday lets across the UK were booked via OTAs in 2024. Access to such a vast audience through OTAs acts as an integral component to your marketing strategy.
That’s only one piece of the puzzle. Your website provides direct access to your guests, builds loyalty and protects your margins. Relying too heavily on a single source of bookings may leave you vulnerable to sudden changes. Opt for a multi-channel strategy that lets you adapt to demand, guest behaviour or seasonality giving you more control over your bookings.
Managing your OTA listings and direct bookings in a channel hub can be a game-changer, you gain the flexibility to respond to shifts in the market without adding to your daily workload.
Let the Platform Shape the Strategy
Each booking channel plays a different role for your business – not only in who it attracts, but how those guests behave. Understanding those patterns allows you to shape your strategy more intentionally and maximise performance across the board.
Key Data has reported an 8.24% decrease this year in the average booking window for OTAs like Airbnb and Booking.com, making them especially effective for filling last-minute availability. Meanwhile, direct bookings are showing longer lead times, with Key Data reporting an average booking window of 102 days and an average stay length of 5.2 days for 2025 so far. With complimentary Key Data access included in your SuperControl account, you can use powerful insights to guide your strategy.
This presents a clear opportunity to use OTAs to capture short-notice guests, while nurturing early, longer-stay bookings through your direct channels. By playing to the strengths of each platform, you can build a fuller, more balanced calendar without relying too heavily on any one source.
By tailoring your approach to each channel, you can increase your chances of keeping your calendar full. The key isn’t consistency across every channel, but that together they support a cohesive guest journey and a sustainable growth strategy.
Smooth Bookings Journeys Build Confidence
Guests might discover your property in different ways, but their expectations are aligned, the booking journey should be fast, secure, and seamless. Whether they’re clicking through from Airbnb or landing directly on your website, they want clarity and confidence every step of the way.
Your website plays a pivotal role here. According to Statista UK, 65% of travellers research a property across more than one site before committing meaning that your website is often where trust is either confirmed or lost. It’s also your best opportunity to stand out. A strong direct booking journey mirrors the ease of an OTA, while offering added value, whether that’s better pricing, personal touches, or more detailed local information.
Your website is often the first impression guests have of your business. Whether they book directly or through an OTA, a modern, informative site builds trust and reinforces your credibility. A guest’s journey doesn’t start when they check-in, it starts with that very first click.
Enhance Your Guest Loyalty
OTAs are an excellent way to boost visibility and in today’s competitive market, visibility matters. In 2024, Sykes Holiday Cottages reported a 21% year-on-year rise in OTA-led bookings across the UK, underscoring the value these platforms offer for reaching new audiences.
What turns a first-time guest into a returning one isn’t where they booked however, it’s the experience you provide for them. A smooth check-in, thoughtful communication, a well-prepared property, these are the moments that leave a lasting impression. When the stay is memorable, trust grows. And when trust grows, so does the likelihood of direct repeat bookings.
Consistency is key here. The experience you deliver builds your brand, your reputation, and your future guest base – booking channel aside.
Hosting your guest’s data in a platform allows you to be able to reach these potential returning guests at your fingertips. By using data from your guests’ preferences, including when they stayed, what extras they added to their basket, and any previous interactions, you can tailor your communication to turn one-time visitors into loyal guests.
Book a discovery call with one of our experts to explore how SuperControl can help future-proof your booking strategy. We’ll walk you through the tools, answer your questions, and show you how to tailor the platform to your business goals.
