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Image Credit Direct Booking Summit
Discover key insights from the Direct Booking Summit in Dallas to enhance your hotel’s marketing, ecommerce, and revenue strategies.
From inspiring hotelier presentations to expert tips from industry leaders, the Direct Booking Summit in Dallas delivered a ton of valuable insights. Speakers shared recurring themes, smart ideas, and practical strategies to help your marketing, ecommerce, and revenue teams tackle today’s toughest challenges. Below is a quick rundown of the standout takeaways and top tips they recommended.
And if you’d like to dive deeper into the insights shared in this blog, you can download the full Key Learnings Report now.
1. Guests want to book direct
Google data shows that 70% of prospective guests want to book directly with hotels. And according to data from over 120 million hotel bookings, direct bookings deliver 60% higher revenue than those from OTAs. The foundation exists—hotels just need to make it easy and give guests compelling reasons to choose booking direct over third-party platforms.
“[Driving traffic to your website] shows the impact your direct booking site and engine have—not just on bookings, but on ancillary revenue too, with direct guests more likely to buy packages, upsells, and extras.”
— Anthony Lazzara, Market Development Manager, SiteMinder
Ideas to increase direct bookings:
- Make direct booking benefits (like perks or flexibility) highly visible.
- Audit your mobile and checkout experience for friction points.
- Use compelling reasons — not just loyalty programs — to win over OTA visitors.
2. AI Search is transforming traffic patterns
Hotels risk losing 50% of direct traffic to AI search by 2028. Properties must optimize for Generative Engine Optimization (GEO) now using structured data and clear content, while testing booking engines with AI agents to ensure future compatibility.
“All this work you’re doing, coming to the Direct Booking Summit, driving lots of direct traffic to your website—that could all be in vain if you forget to optimize for AI.”
— Chimmy Kalu, Staff Product Designer, Triptease
To stay visible in AI-driven results:
- Structure your content using proper heading hierarchy and schema markup.
- Create dedicated pages targeting common AI-generated travel queries.
- Test your discoverability using tools like Perplexity and ChatGPT.
Download the Key Learnings Guide to explore top AI strategies and tips (plus get your hands on an essential AI optimization cheat sheet!)
3. User-Generated Content resonates with guests more
UGC delivers 2–3x higher click-through rates than traditional imagery. Hotels are building scalable influencer systems and encouraging guest content sharing to create authentic, cost-effective marketing that drives direct bookings.
“We’re getting higher engagement and clickthroughs and it’s because of the really fun in-the-moment UGC content.”
— Casey Barks, Director of Marketing, Staypineapple
Quick wins with UGC:
- Ask for usage rights in influencer outreach and post-stay emails.
- Use guest content in ads, email, and on-site to boost trust.
- Prioritize real experiences — not just glossy room shots.
4. Social media is driving bookings, not just brand visbility
With 40% of Gen Z using TikTok over Google for search, social platforms play a role in booking decisions, not just brand awareness. Successful hotels create vertical video content with authentic experiences rather than polished marketing materials.
“Over 80% of travelers already use social media for travel inspiration and discovery — and nearly all millennials are already sharing their travel experiences online. Just imagine how those numbers will grow as Gen Z gains more buying power.”
— Ben Wolff, Co-founder, Onera
Smart social strategies include:
- Publishing 3–5 vertical videos weekly with audience callouts.
- Featuring staff, rooms, and unique experiences in short clips.
- Connecting viral moments with live rate strategies when possible.
5. The big secret of paid search ads
Even when guests search for a specific hotel by name, Google often assumes they’re still in research mode — looking to compare options rather than book. To keep users returning, Google prioritizes results that satisfy this intent, like OTA listings. It’s not favoritism—Google’s data shows OTA ads convert better for the kind of experience Google believes the user wants. Ironically, this can mean OTAs pay less than hotels for the same branded clicks, making direct bookings an uphill battle.
“Ads from OTAs appear to survive more often, even make it to the auction 10 times more often. This is all a side effect of this machinery trying to figure out what will encourage people back to Google.”
— Sanjay Vakil, Former Product Manager, Google
What to focus on:
- Improve landing page experience to match user expectations.
- Emphasize direct booking benefits
- Reduce rate leakage so metasearch prices are accurate and competitive.
6. Demographic segmentation isn’t enough
“Measuring customer value is the secret sauce.” That’s how Stephanie Wheeler, VP of Marketing at Boyd Gaming, described their approach to pricing and personalization. Casinos like Boyd and Choctaw combine gaming spend, retail purchases, spa treatments, F&B spend, and even guest proximity to determine worth. These inputs drive tiered segmentation models that underpin both pricing and messaging strategy.
At Portola Hotel & Spa, segmentation moves beyond demographics.
“Generational targeting is a useful starting point for resource planning — but guests aren’t monoliths. Hotels should go deeper and tailor content based on interests, not just age or demographic.”
— Evan Davies, VP of Product, Revinate
Tactics to level up segmentation:
- Blend transactional and behavioral signals to assess guest value.
- Create tiered pricing and offers that reflect actual profitability.
- Ask guests what matters to them — and serve content accordingly.
7. Alignment drives results
Visual market positioning charts help align all stakeholders—ownership, property teams, corporate—on where properties truly sit versus the competition. This clarity drives consistent messaging, pricing strategies, and investment decisions across all departments.
“We’ve often found that ownership thinks one thing, the property team thinks another, and the corporate team has yet another perspective. An exercise like this has really helped us all get on the same page.”
— Jason Pirock, Director of Marketing, Springboard Hospitality
How to align on positioning:
- Clarify your market position with competitive analysis. Pro tip: Request a reverse comp set from STR to see who considers you a competitor.
- Revisit brand story, visuals, and voice to match positioning goals.
- Involve revenue, ops, and marketing in quarterly alignment sessions.
8. You can’t take a back seat on wholesaler rate parity
Anamaria Carrillo, an expert in wholesale distribution, warned that many hotels “leave the distribution faucet completely open,” letting rates flow unchecked across third parties. As B2C players tap into B2B channels, retail and wholesale lines blur—causing parity issues and pricing confusion. Philippe Garnier highlighted the root causes: OTA promos, weak wholesale markups, and tech delays. His advice? Work with fewer, trusted partners and use real-time monitoring to keep rate leakage in check.
“So many hotels, I see, they leave the faucet completely open to sell wherever they want. We need to set the rules.”
— Anamaria Carrillo, Wholesale Expert
Strategies to maintain rate integrity:
- Restrict source markets and apply consistent rate and inventory controls.
- Avoid cross-channel distribution and only work with trusted resellers.
- Use real-time rate monitoring and alerts to detect and resolve parity issues.
Want more tips to protect your rates? Download the Key Learnings Guide.
9. Contextual content beats generic messaging
Context-based messaging significantly outperforms generic offers. One hotel’s “Get your 4th night free” message—shown only to guests searching for 2-3 nights—generated $131,000 in revenue. Strategic video content also addresses the hospitality industry’s 82% shopping cart abandonment rate by answering specific guest questions during hesitation moments.
“Content is almost always out of context. It’s separated from the buyer’s journey.”
— Jason Craparo, CEO & Founder, Hovr
Easy wins for contextual content:
- Align on-site messaging with guest search behavior and preferences.
- Identify where guests get stuck on your site — then add helpful content at those moments.
- Use video to answer hesitation questions before they cause drop-off.
10. First-party data collection is worth the effort
Multiple speakers emphasized the enduring value of first-party data — even when it requires time and investment to collect. One small luxury hotel, for example, achieved 98% direct bookings by going far beyond just capturing contact details. They built emotional connections and tailored experiences using data from every touchpoint: check-in, restaurant reservations, WiFi login, local guides, and competitions. This context-rich database fuels more personalized marketing, higher conversion rates, and long-term brand loyalty.
“We were totally myopic about collecting emails from people.”
— Paul Salmon, Chairman & CEO, Rockhouse Hotel & Skylark Negril Beach House Resort
How to build your owned audience:
- Use check-in, WiFi, and promotions to capture contact details.
- Deliver real value in exchange for data (e.g., early access, upgrades).
- Capture phone numbers to unlock high-performing SMS campaigns.
Megan Bryant is the Product Marketing Executive for Targeted Messages. Connect with Megan on LinkedIn.
