Creating websites for hotels

The Russian placement distribution market has been greatly transformed in recent years. Today, online platforms (OTA, aggregators, and Russian travel services) account for the bulk of sales. According to TravelLine estimates for 2024, about 58% of all online bookings were made by aggregators and tour operators, while direct online sales (the hotel's own website and reception) they made up 42%. Similar data was published by Kommersant: the share of Russian online booking services increased from 56% in 2023 to 59% in 2024. At the same time, Yandex is leading in the OTA niche.Travel (29% of the booking market) and Ostrov (21.5%).

The hotel's sales managers (B2B department, call center, corporate account managers) are responsible for attracting group and corporate clients, working with tour operators and agencies. For example, in the Bnovo review, one of the channels highlighted is "managing priority clients" – companies that organize conferences, corporate events, team building, etc. These managers conclude contracts with corporate clients and agencies, providing regular groups and special orders. Technology providers (website developers and PMS) also influence the structure of the market. According to TravelTech's industry ranking, TravelLine, the market leader, offers cloud–based PMS, website builder, online booking, and channel manager, controlling about 60% of the industry's revenue. Bnovo and other suppliers (PMS, Channel Manager) account for a smaller part of the market. Thus, the market is segmented as follows: aggregators (OTA) receive the lion's share of orders; direct channels (website, reception, call center) bring less without increased marketing; sales managers are responsible for special projects and regular corporate clients; technology developers (TravelTech companies) supply hotels with ready-made solutions for website organization, booking and integration with all channels.

Why is our own booking system not always profitable?

At first glance, having your own website with a booking module seems like a way to avoid OTA fees and increase margins. However, practice shows that without large investments, such a channel hardly "repels" itself. Firstly, the costs of marketing and promoting your own website are very high. According to market experts, hotels cannot guarantee 100% utilization of their own site: "The costs of marketing, promotion, acquiring, staff, etc. are incommensurable" with savings on commissions. In fact, in order for a website to start bringing customers, you need to invest in SEO, contextual advertising and content, which is expensive for a small or medium-sized hotel. Secondly, OTA fees, although high (18-20% or more), are often offset by the volume of bookings. If you completely abandon OTA, the hotel will lose a significant part of the demand: even now, according to TravelLine, 58-59% of online bookings are made through aggregators. Finally, sales managers (corporate and group departments) bring contracts that an alien website will not replace. Rushing into a breakthrough with your own website without taking into account the work of these managers is fraught with missed large orders.

As a result, developing your own booking system and turning the website into the main channel is justified only if resources are available: if the hotel has a well-known brand, its own loyalty program and an advertising budget, then a direct system makes sense. Then the hotel can reduce the commission (for example, TravelLine offers its booking module with a commission of 4% versus ~20% for OTA) and attract loyal guests with bonuses for direct bookings. In addition, after the pandemic, it is more convenient for some tourists to book directly (for example, due to money‑back guarantees). However, for most small or non-chain hotels, their own channel carries significant risks. Many experts recommend combining channels: selling standard rooms through OTA and tour operators, leaving premium/special offers for the site, as well as launching loyalty and bonus programs, stimulating direct bookings.

When it makes sense to book your own

Major hotels and chains.

Sanatoriums and ski resorts.

Regional facilities with cashback tourism. According to TravelLine's experience, thanks to the state cashback program, Russians have become more active in booking directly, especially in small towns and regions. In such conditions, the site brings significant traffic.

Niches with long-term residence.

If resources are limited, it is easier to use ready-made PMS/Channel Manager services where the website and module are already enabled. Large IT companies TravelLine, Bnovo and Shelter provide "all in one": PMS + online booking + channel manager. Small hotels often choose this solution or delegate websites to web studios without creating a booking system from scratch.

Ways to create a website for a hotel

The hotel's website can be developed in several ways

Designers and ready-made CMS for hoteliers.

Agencies and freelancers.studios

Content Management Systems (CMS).

When choosing a method, it is worth considering the tasks: whether you just need an information website with a booking form (a simple constructor will do), or an advanced platform with a warehouse system, fare calculation and a booking module. In the second case, they usually turn to professional TravelTech solutions ‑ for example, they install an online booking module from TravelLine or Bnovo, which immediately syncs with PMS and OTA.

The role of the website in the sales system

The hotel's website plays both a marketing and a commercial role. According to TravelLine, 87% of guests visit the hotel's official website before booking. Even if they end up booking via OTA, the site creates a first impression: guests appreciate the quality and trust the brand based on its attractive design and content. Therefore, a good website increases recognition and loyalty: it serves as a showcase for the hotel, where you can show rooms, infrastructure, reviews and special offers in detail.

From a commercial point of view, the website is a direct sales channel. When booking through its own resource, the hotel does not pay high OTA fees: TravelLine provides figures – the average OTA commission is about 18%, while when their booking module is enabled, it decreases to ~ 4%. In addition, the end-to-end system reduces the bounce rate (about 27% for OTA versus 17% for direct bookings). This directly increases the revenue of the hotel.

Finally, the website solves the tasks of customer retention and simplifies the work of managers. During direct booking, the guest's data is sent to the hotel's system (PMS), which makes it possible to collect a database of contacts and launch a loyalty program. Guests who have made a reservation on the website can receive personalized offers, news about promotions and special packages – this increases the share of repeat sales. The website allows you to promptly inform about all services (transfers, restaurants, spas), post virtual tours and reviews, answering questions from potential customers without the participation of a manager. As a result, your own website is a sales and marketing tool that increases trust, increases revenue, and reduces dependence on external channels.

Problems solved by the hotel's website

Accommodation facilities (hotels, recreation centers, guest houses, apartments, etc.) face a number of tasks for which the website provides a solution:

High OTA and intermediary fees. The site provides a channel without additional fees to agents, which improves margins. According to market estimates, the platforms' commissions reach 18-30%, while the hotel retains most of the amount through its own Booking Engine from the website.

Inefficiency of "mass" sales channels. OTA often has to "lay out quotas": standard numbers are sold through aggregators, and limited numbers are sold on the website. This reduces revenue if you don't optimize your channels. The site helps to manage price and promotion policies regardless of OTA policies (for example, by giving bonuses for direct bookings).

Low brand awareness and trust. Without a website, the hotel loses the trust of customers: guests want to see "reliability" through an official resource. The lack of a website is compared to an "untethered hand": it is possible to work without it, but you have to sacrifice convenience and loyalty (see the experience of the hostel, which immediately started with the website and noticed an increase in bookings).

The lack of a marketing tool. The website allows you to promote the hotel (SEO, content marketing), which is not available on other platforms. Publishing news, special offers, and a story about the service solves the problem of informing the client.

Lack of guest data. When booking on OTA, all contacts remain with the aggregator. The website solves this pain: it gives the hotel the data (name, email) needed for retargeting and loyalty programs.

Manual work of managers. The website with the booking module reduces the amount of manual work of the reception service – fewer calls and emails, fewer "human" mistakes when booking.

As a result, the site solves the key pains of hoteliers: it increases room occupancy, optimizes sales channels and simplifies sales management. With the help of the website, the hotel becomes more visible on the Internet, reduces costs and receives an additional stream of customers who otherwise could not be reached by either OTA or ordinary managers.