The cheapest booking a tour operator can win is the second one from the same guest. A first booking through a marketplace such as GetYourGuide or Viator costs commission, but a returning guest who books direct next time keeps that commission in your business. The task is to make direct booking easy, rewarding and permitted under the terms you have agreed to.
This guide sets out a practical plan: what to check in your OTA agreement, how to collect contact details properly, which offers work better than blanket discounts, how to use email and reviews, and how to measure whether it pays. We have no universal figures to quote, so where numbers appear they are labelled as examples for you to replace with your own.
Why the second booking matters most
Marketplaces are good at finding new guests. They are less useful as a long-term home for your customer relationships, because you pay for each booking and rarely keep the contact details. Our guide to what OTA commission really costs sets out the maths. As an illustration only: if a marketplace keeps a commission of 25 per cent on a 100 euro tour, you receive 75 euros. The same tour booked direct leaves you with 100 euros minus payment fees and the cost of whatever brought the guest, which for a returning guest can be very low.
That gap is the reason to treat OTAs as acquisition and direct as retention. It does not mean abandoning marketplaces. For many operators they remain a major source of first-time guests, especially in a destination where travellers have never heard of you.
Read your agreement before you do anything
Marketplaces differ in what they allow. Some restrict contacting guests outside their messaging system, some restrict promoting direct prices to guests who booked through them, and some allow communication related to the booked experience only. We cannot tell you what yours says, and the terms change, so read the current agreement and, if in doubt, ask the platform in writing.
The safe pattern is to focus on what you can control: your own website, your own social profiles, guests who contact you directly, guests who book direct, and consent that guests give you in person. Do not scrape contact details from booking messages for marketing, and do not email people who have not agreed to hear from you. Data protection law such as the GDPR also applies in Europe, so make sure your consent wording is clear and your records are kept.
Collect consent at the experience
The most reliable moment to build a direct relationship is during the tour itself. Guests are happy, photos are being taken and trust is high. A few practical ways to use it:
- A simple card or QR code in the vehicle, at the meeting point or in the welcome pack, inviting guests to receive photos, a seasonal offer or a guide to the area by email.
- A shared photo gallery guests can access by entering their email address, with a clear tick box for marketing messages that is not pre-ticked.
- A friendly mention from the guide that guests can follow your social profiles or sign up for early access to next season’s departures.
Keep the promise small and honest. Say what you will send and how often, and make leaving easy. Our guide to email newsletters for tour operators covers what to send and how to keep a list healthy.
Give guests a reason that is not only price
Blanket discounts for direct bookings reduce your margin and train guests to wait for offers. Often a better approach is to offer something a marketplace cannot easily match. Examples to consider, depending on your product:
- First choice of departures or early access to limited dates, such as peak winter weeks.
- Flexible changes within clear limits, handled by you personally rather than through a platform queue.
- Add-ons such as a photo package, a warm meal or a private extension at a fair price.
- Combined itineraries that the marketplace listing does not show, such as a multi-day package.
- A modest loyalty reward for guests who book a second experience, if your margins allow it.
A small thank-you, such as a free hot drink or a printed photo, can cost far less than the commission you save, but check the numbers for your own business before you commit. The point is that the guest feels a direct booking is more personal, not simply cheaper.
Make direct booking easy
If the booking route on your own site is slower than the marketplace, guests will use the marketplace again. Test your own booking flow on a phone, from a standard link, with a coffee in hand. Count the taps from the tour page to a confirmed booking. Our guide to the tour booking flow and mobile checkout lists the common causes of drop-off, from slow widgets to hidden prices. A dedicated returning-guest landing page, linked from your emails, can shorten the path further. If you need one built, our booking pages and funnels for travel brands are designed for that.
Use reviews as part of the relationship
Reviews serve two purposes. They help new guests decide, and they give you a natural reason to follow up after the trip. Ask for a review on your own Google profile as well as on the marketplace, so that the social proof sits where your direct visitors can see it. We describe a workable routine in our guide to asking for reviews after a tour. Only message guests through channels you are permitted to use, and keep the tone friendly rather than promotional.
A simple follow-up sequence
Once a guest has given consent, a short sequence is enough. A typical example, which you should adapt:
- Day of the tour or next day: thank you, with the photos or a useful local tip.
- A few days later: a request for an honest review.
- Several weeks later: a seasonal note about a related experience, with a link to your own booking page.
- Before next season: early access to dates for returning guests.
Four messages across a year is a sensible level for most small operators. If a guest does not open anything, stop rather than push.
Track what direct bookings come from
You cannot judge the plan without data. Tag the links in your emails with campaign parameters, set up booking conversion tracking and record a source on every direct booking, including phone and email bookings. Google’s page on GA4 recommended events explains the standard event names, including purchase, that make reports easier to read, and our guide on GA4 conversion tracking for tour booking widgets shows how to apply them to a booking widget.
A basic monthly view is enough: number of returning guests, number who booked direct, revenue from those bookings and the cost of any offers. Compare that to the commission you would have paid. If the saving is real, invest a little more. If not, adjust the offer before you scale.
Common mistakes
- Treating the marketplace as the enemy. It is a source of first-time guests, and many operators keep both.
- Ignoring the terms of the agreement, which can put your listing at risk.
- Collecting emails without clear consent, which risks complaints and legal trouble.
- Offering the biggest discount you can afford rather than the most useful benefit.
- Never measuring, so that the plan feels busy but its value is unknown.
Frequently asked questions
Is it allowed to ask OTA guests to book direct next time?
It depends on your agreement with each platform, so read it carefully. In general, building relationships through your own channels and with guests’ consent is safer than using the platform’s messages to redirect bookings.
How many repeat guests can a tour operator realistically expect?
It varies widely with the product. A once-in-a-lifetime trip will have fewer repeat guests than a local activity people do every season. Use your own history to estimate, and think about friends and family referrals as well as repeat bookings.
Should direct bookings always be cheaper?
Not necessarily. Many operators keep prices equal and add value instead. Check the pricing rules in your marketplace agreement, because some require price parity.
Do I need special software?
No. A simple email tool, a booking system that records the source and a spreadsheet are enough to start. Add automation once the basics work.
How long until it pays back?
For seasonal products, a full season or two is the fairest test, because guests often return a year later. Track early signals such as sign-ups and replies while you wait.
Closing thought
Moving repeat guests to direct booking is a patient, permission-based process. Collect consent at the experience, give guests a good reason to come back to you, make the booking route simple and measure the result. Done steadily, it turns a share of expensive first bookings into cheaper repeat ones and gives your business a customer list that belongs to you.