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In the hotel management sector, a direct booking refers to a process where a customer books a hotel room directly by contacting the establishment itself or through the official booking platform of the hotel chain in question. Essentially, it’s a process that doesn’t involve a third-party intermediary. This booking can be made online via the hotel’s website using a dedicated form or by telephone. Opting for a direct booking offers several advantages, such as avoiding commissions paid to online travel agencies (OTAs), the ability to collect customer information directly, and the opportunity to establish direct contact with them before their arrival. This booking method is often seen as a way to strengthen customer relationships and increase profit margins in the hotel sector, even though it presents challenges in terms of the visibility of the offer and conversion rates on the hotel’s website. For independent hoteliers, who do not benefit from regular bookings, direct bookings generally represent less than half of all reservations due to the dominance of OTAs. Direct bookings made on a website, unlike those made through intermediaries such as travel agencies, are not subject to commissions. However, some may incur distribution costs, such as platform click fees, the use of specific software solutions, partnerships with service providers, or commissions related to internal programs implemented by a hotel chain. A concrete example of an incentive for direct bookings is the use of promotional pop-ups on hotel websites. In addition, companies offering technological and marketing solutions for

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