Campsite Booking System vs OTA Commission: What It Actually Costs
A campsite booking system charges a predictable, usually flat fee, while online travel agents (OTAs) take a percentage commission on every booking they process. For direct and repeat bookings, that commission is pure lost margin — which is why a system that takes commission-free direct bookings typically pays for itself within a handful of reservations.
How does OTA commission actually work?
When a guest books through an OTA, the platform takes a cut of the booking value before passing the rest to you. That is fair when the OTA found you a brand-new customer. The problem is paying the same cut again when that guest returns and books a stay they would happily have booked directly with you.
What can that commission cost over a year?
Consider an illustrative example: a site taking 600 bookings a year at an average of £200, with commission of around 12%. That is roughly £24 per booking. If even half of those guests would otherwise book direct, moving them off commission could keep around £7,000 a year on your side of the table — far more than the cost of the software itself.
Where does a booking system save you money?
A direct booking system lets returning and word-of-mouth guests book on your own website with no commission, while still taking deposits and balances automatically. You keep the full booking value and the customer relationship. See how the numbers look for your site by trying the live Campsite Booking System demo.
Should you stop using OTAs altogether?
No — OTAs are good at reaching new customers you would not otherwise find. The smarter approach is to use them for discovery and then convert repeat and direct bookings onto your own commission-free system, so you only pay commission when an OTA genuinely earns it.
Frequently asked questions
How much commission do OTAs charge campsites?
It varies by platform, but campsite OTA commission is often in the region of 10 to 15 percent of each booking. On a busy site that adds up to thousands of pounds a year, especially on guests who would book direct.
Is a campsite booking system cheaper than paying OTA commission?
For direct and repeat bookings, almost always. A flat software fee is predictable, while commission rises with every booking. Moving even half of your bookings to a commission-free system usually saves far more than the software costs.
Can I take commission-free bookings on my own website?
Yes. A direct booking system lets guests book and pay on your own site with no per-booking commission, while still handling deposits, balances and availability automatically.
Should campsites stop using Pitchup or Booking.com?
Not entirely. OTAs are valuable for reaching new customers. The aim is to use them for discovery, then take repeat and direct bookings commission-free through your own system.
