Booking.com, Airbnb or Direct Bookings: What Commission Really Costs a Hotel or Apartment in Greece and How to Reduce OTA Dependency
Every owner knows what they pay Booking.com in percent; few have added it up in euros at the end of the season. Commission by channel, a worked example for an apartment and a hotel in Greece, and eight steps to more direct bookings from Serbian and Balkan guests - without switching the platforms off.
Every apartment owner and every hotelier in Greece knows what they pay Booking.com - in percent. Few have added up what that is in euros at the end of the season. And that figure is exactly what decides whether it is worth building your own channel for direct bookings, or simpler to leave everything to the platforms and tour operators.
This article gives realistic commission rates by channel, a worked example for two properties (an apartment and a hotel) and the eight steps owners in Greece use to move guests from Serbia and the Balkans to direct bookings, gradually - without switching the platforms off.
What each channel costs
| Channel | Cost per booking | Note |
|---|---|---|
| Booking.com | roughly 15%, with visibility programmes 18-20% | commission on the total amount; the exact rate is in your contract |
| Airbnb | 3% host + guest fee (around 14%), or 15% host-only | the guest sees a higher price than you receive |
| Expedia and similar | 15-20% | less relevant for guests from the Balkans |
| Serbian tour operators | 20-30%, or fixed-price allotment of units | volume, but the guest remains the operator's |
| Facebook groups | "free" | your time, distrust because of scams, no statistics |
| Specialised portal (letovanje-grcka.com) | fixed subscription: from 60 € (owners) or from 150 € (hotels) per 6 months, 0% commission | the enquiry lands directly with you |
The maths: an apartment and a hotel at the end of the season
| Property | Season revenue | 15% commission | 25% commission (operator) | Commission-free listing |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Apartment, 100 nights × 70 € | 7,000 € | 1,050 € | 1,750 € | 100 € per year |
| Complex of 3 apartments, 300 nights × 70 € | 21,000 € | 3,150 € | 5,250 € | 220 € per year (package for up to 3 listings) |
| Hotel with 20 rooms, 120 nights × 80 € | 192,000 € | 28,800 € | 48,000 € | 400 € per year |
The figures are indicative and depend on your rates and occupancy, but the relationship is always the same: commission grows with revenue, a subscription does not. Every booking a guest makes directly instead of through a platform returns 15-25% of the price to your pocket - for a 20-room hotel that is a difference of many thousands of euros a year even if only a quarter of guests move to the direct channel.
Why you should not switch Booking.com off
Platforms do one thing brilliantly: they bring the guest who has never heard of you. This is the "billboard effect" - the guest finds you on Booking.com, checks who you are, and often gets in touch directly. The goal is not to switch them off, but to make the first stay go through the platform and every following one direct. With guests from Serbia, who return to the same village for years, that is especially easy - if you have somewhere to receive them.
Eight steps to more direct bookings
- A listing in the guest's language, where they search. Guests from Serbia look for accommodation in Serbian, through guides to Halkidiki, the Olympic Riviera, Thassos or Parga. A listing on a specialised portal such as letovanje-grcka.com is your commission-free direct channel - and the place you send guests to from every other channel.
- A WhatsApp/Viber button. This audience does not like filling in forms; a Viber message is the natural first contact. The portal has a button on every listing.
- A direct price that is equal or better. Never higher than on the platform. Instead of a discount, add value that costs you little: early check-in, parking, a bottle of wine, late check-out.
- Guest contacts, with consent. At check-in, ask for a phone number and email "to let you know next year's dates". In January send one message: dates, price, confirmation deadline.
- An offer for returning guests. A guest coming back for the third time deserves a fixed rate or a free night - that is cheaper than 15% commission on every one of their stays.
- A Google Business Profile and your own page. A guest who finds you on Booking.com will google your name. Let them find your listing with prices and contact details, not just someone else's page.
- A reply within the hour. A direct enquiry goes to several addresses; whoever sends a complete offer first gets the booking.
- One calendar for all channels. iCal sync between Booking.com, Airbnb and the portal prevents double bookings and removes the fear of "what if the dates clash".
For hotels: room categories, half board and groups
Hotels have one more reason for a direct channel: requests that platforms handle badly. A family looking for a 2+2 room with half board, a group of six families for the same week, a guest asking about an extra bed and a children's menu - on Booking.com all of that ends up in "special requests" and often in a misunderstanding. In a direct enquiry it is one message and one reply. Hotel packages on letovanje-grcka.com are priced by number of units (up to 10, 11-30, 31-70, over 70) and include room categories with separate prices and capacities; details are in Advertise your hotel in Greece.
What to expect realistically
First season: the portal and the direct channel bring new guests, and some existing platform guests move over after a message in January. Second season: returning guests book directly, platforms fill the rest. The target owners in Greece most often describe as realistic is a third to a half of nights booked directly after two seasons - and that is a difference measured in thousands of euros, not in percentage points.
Frequently asked questions
What is Booking.com's commission in Greece?
Roughly 15% of the total booking amount, and 18-20% with visibility programmes. The exact percentage is in your contract with the platform.
What is Airbnb's commission?
Either 3% from the host plus a guest fee of around 14%, or 15% host-only - depending on the fee model assigned to your account.
Should I switch off Booking.com and Airbnb?
No. Use them for the first contact with new guests, and move returning guests and guests from the Balkans to the direct channel. The combination brings the most.
How much does a commission-free listing on letovanje-grcka.com cost?
For apartment owners from 60 € for 6 months or 100 € for 12 months; hotel packages from 150 € for 6 months, depending on the number of units. There is no commission per booking. Current prices are on the pricing page.
How do I move a platform guest to a direct booking without breaking the rules?
Do not offer direct bookings through the platform's messaging. Wait until the guest arrives, ask for their contact details with consent, and get in touch directly next year - that is entirely legitimate.
Next step
Add up what you paid in commission last season and compare it with the pricing page. Adding a property goes through the owner panel; hoteliers with more than 70 units get a quote via the contact form. What guests from Serbia look for and when they book is covered in the guide Guests from Serbia and the Balkans.
