A riad's site must earn back what Booking and Expedia cost
The big-picture thought: with a 15-25% commission on Booking and Expedia, a direct booking site is net profit.
To put it plainly: running your own 8-room riad in Marrakech, you earn 15% back direct on Booking and Expedia with a site that sells before arrival. OTAs take a 15-25% commission — a site generating direct enquiries is direct profit.
The model that works: bookability + sellability
Your site must do two vital things: be bookable (form, calendar, confirmation) and be sellable (professional photos, copy that speaks to your target customers, clear rates — when you want to display them).
The 7 modules of a hotel/riad page that pays off
- Integrated booking (+ optional deposit payment): direct = 0 commission — the mockup shows that within 48h.
- Pro photos per room (8-12 rooms = 8-12 photo pages): it's the nº1 choice factor, more than the description.
- Clear rates page: per room, per season, per layout (suite, triple, quadruple) — plus 3-night / 7-night packages.
- English minimum: 60% of the clientele searches and books before arriving in Morocco; FR-EN is the base, AR supports the regional clientele.
- Map + itinerary + airport pickup: in the medina, that's travellers' #1 anxiety.
- Customer reviews pulled live (4+ stars) + the offered-experiences list.
- Experience / activities page: desert excursions, private hammam, table d'hôtes — every service is an upsell.
Zero commission: the math
| Canal | Commission moyenne | Cost over 3M MAD/year of revenue |
|---|---|---|
| Booking / Expedia | 15-25 % | 450 000 – 750 000 DH |
| Site + direct booking (AWP) | 0% (hosting + maintenance included 12 months) | 0 DH |
A 5,400 MAD site generating just 5% direct earns more than it costs in the first year.
FAQ
How to convince a Booking customer to book direct?
Rate parity (same price or a direct-booking perk: breakfast included, free upgrade, more flexible cancellation), displayed pricing, available schedule. The 5% direct share arrives on average within 3-6 months.
Et Airbnb ?
Airbnb is an OTA like the others, with its own audience (often short stays, budget). Using it is fine; the site is your margin channel.
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