The hybrid strategy: OTAs for discovery, direct for repeat clients
Short answer
The smartest channel strategy for most guides isn't OTA or direct — it's both. Use marketplaces to get discovered by travellers who'll never find you otherwise, accept the commission as a marketing cost, then move repeat and referral guests to your own booking page. Aim to reduce OTA dependence over time, not eliminate it overnight.
Who this is for: Guides with some OTA volume deciding how to balance their channels.
The OTA-versus-direct debate is a false choice. Marketplaces are very good at one thing you're bad at — reaching strangers at scale — and very expensive at another thing you're great at: serving people who already know you. A hybrid strategy uses each for what it's good at.
Not sure which marketplace to start on? See which OTA actually suits a solo guide before you build a strategy around one.
What each channel is actually for
| Channel | Good at | Costs you |
|---|---|---|
| Marketplaces (OTAs) | Reaching new travellers, filling quiet slots | 15–30% commission |
| Your own booking page | Repeat guests, referrals, keeping the relationship | Only payment fees |
Read that table as a division of labour, not a competition.
The billboard effect: why OTAs still help
Here's the nuance that makes the hybrid model work. Many travellers discover a guide on a big marketplace, then search the guide's name and book direct. That's the billboard effect — the listing acts as an advert even when the booking lands on your own page. So being on an OTA has value beyond the commissioned bookings it produces.
The move: discovery there, repeat here
The strategy in one line: let the marketplace introduce you; make sure you own the second booking. Deliver a great tour, hand over your booking page at the end, and the next reservation is yours. Over a season, your commission bill stops growing even as your bookings do.
When to lean more on OTAs (honestly)
Don't rush to cut the marketplaces. If you're new, have few reviews, or run tours in a city full of one-time visitors who'll never search your name, the OTA is doing real work — keep paying it while it does. Lean direct as your review base and repeat demand grow.
Avoiding the dependence trap
The one thing to actively manage: don't let a single marketplace become most of your bookings. That's not a stable base — it's a single point of failure, one ranking or policy change from a bad month. Airbnb Experiences, for one, has paused and relaunched its program before — a reminder that a channel you don't control can change under you. Use the direct playbook to build a channel you control, and turn OTA guests into repeat clients to shift the balance steadily.
Frequently asked questions
Should I use OTAs or sell direct?
For most independent guides, both. OTAs bring discovery you can't easily buy; direct bookings keep your margin. The goal is a mix that reduces your commission bill over time while keeping the reach that fills quiet slots.
What is the billboard effect for tours?
The billboard effect is travellers discovering you on a marketplace, then searching your name and booking direct. It means an OTA listing can drive direct bookings — so being listed has value beyond the bookings it takes directly.
What share of bookings should come from OTAs?
There's no fixed number, but relying on a single marketplace for most of your bookings is a risk — a policy or ranking change can hit you hard. Treat heavy OTA dependence as something to reduce, not a stable base.
Reviewed by Mike Acler, Founder, All my tours. Every guide on this hub is checked by Mike before it's published, and the pricing and figures are kept current.
