OYO, MakeMyTrip, 99acres, MagicBricks. Aggregator platforms have trained customers to search on these platforms first — and the businesses listed there pay a commission on every booking. For a hotel in Chennai paying 20% commission to an OTA on every room booking, or a real estate developer paying a lead platform ₹2,500 per enquiry, the economics of customer acquisition are deeply unfavourable.

The businesses that are winning back their direct bookings have done something specific. Here is what it is.

Building a direct booking engine that outperforms aggregators on trust

The reason customers book through aggregators is trust and convenience, not loyalty. They trust the aggregator to show them prices, availability, and reviews. A hotel or resort that has a faster, cleaner, mobile-optimised direct booking experience with clearly displayed reviews, instant confirmation, and a price match guarantee will convert direct traffic at a rate that makes the SEO and marketing investment highly justified.

Owning the search traffic before it reaches the aggregator

A resort near Chennai that ranks on the first page for ‘weekend getaway from Chennai’ or ‘resorts near Mahabalipuram’ captures high-intent visitors before they open MakeMyTrip. The investment in ranking for these searches is a one-time SEO investment with ongoing returns, compared to the perpetual commission model of OTA dependence.

Using past guest data to generate repeat business

Every guest who has stayed at your property or every buyer who has enquired about your development is a future opportunity. A structured CRM and email or WhatsApp marketing system that nurtures these relationships — with relevant offers, seasonal promotions, and useful content — generates repeat bookings and referrals at a fraction of the cost of acquiring new customers through aggregators.