Wellesley Park: moved bookings direct and improved margins
Holiday accommodation where the platform owned the guest and took a cut of every booking. A direct-booking site, and the search work to fill it.
- Property and hospitality
- Web design
- SEO
The challenge
Holiday accommodation dependent on listing platforms, where the commission comes off every booking and the guest relationship belongs to the platform rather than the owner.
The strategy
The site was built around the property and where it is, not around the booking platforms. Direct enquiry is the primary action on every page.
The calendar stays in sync with the channel manager, so a direct booking and a platform booking cannot collide. That is the part owners worry about most, and it is what makes taking direct bookings safe rather than risky.
The results
The property has its own site, direct enquiry is the primary action on every page, and the calendar stays in sync with the channel manager so a direct booking and a platform booking cannot collide.
Every booking that arrives direct rather than through a platform keeps the commission with the owner, and the guest relationship with it. Teresa describes what that has been worth in the video above.
James built and SEO optimised our property website with a clear focus on performance, not just design. Since launch, we've seen a strong increase in online visibility and direct booking enquiries, giving us greater control and improved margins.
