Surge in Direct Bookings Saves Hosts $7 Million in Fees
Short-term rental hosts have realized significant savings due to a dramatic rise in direct bookings, amounting to $7 million.
Surge in Direct Bookings Saves Hosts $7 Million in Fees
Short-term rental hosts utilizing Hospitable’s platform saw a remarkable increase in direct booking revenue, shooting up by 91% in 2025 compared to the prior year, which allowed them to save approximately $6.9 million in booking fees. This trend towards direct bookings represents a significant strategy shift among operators, aiming to minimize their dependence on online travel agencies (OTAs) for retaining revenue.
Key Highlights
- Nearly two-thirds of rental managers prioritized reducing booking fees at the beginning of the year.
- About 25% of operators intend to enhance their direct booking website usage in 2026.
- Pierre-Camille Hamana, CEO of Hospitable, stated: “Third-party fees remain a big concern for hosts and property managers. More operators are taking a closer look at how much they pay to OTAs and where they have scope to retain more revenue.”
- Apart from savings, hosts using this platform also earned an additional $177,343 through upsells and managed to recover nearly $18,000 from security deposits.
- Overall, platform users collectively generated over $5.2 billion in booking revenue and contributed $141.5 million in taxes in 2025.
- With 70% of self-managers focusing on direct bookings, this trend appears to be on an upward trajectory.
Hospitable, established in 2016, has transformed into an all-encompassing short-term rental app that offers functionalities like AI-enhanced guest communication, pricing optimization, and direct booking options.
