Choosing a marketing agency for a hotel or resort
What to ask a marketing agency before hiring them for a hotel or resort, and why understanding the OTA-versus-direct dynamic matters more than general creative flair.
4 min read
A guest who abandons a hotel's direct booking flow at the final step, right before payment, is often reacting to an unexpected price increase or a confusing final screen — exactly the kind of friction that sends them back to the familiar OTA app instead.
Common points of abandonment
- Total price shown only at the final step, after taxes and fees are added.
- Too many required fields before showing final confirmation.
- Limited payment options, especially missing UPI or a preferred regional payment method.
What a smooth flow looks like
Show the final, all-inclusive price from the first search results screen, keep the number of steps to complete a booking minimal, and offer payment options guests actually expect and trust.
A booking engine that surprises a guest with a higher price at the final step has already lost the trust advantage direct booking was supposed to offer.
Measuring the actual drop-off
Set up funnel tracking specific to the booking steps (search, room selection, guest details, payment) to see exactly where guests are abandoning, rather than only tracking the overall conversion rate.
The takeaway
Show the total price, including taxes and fees, at the very first step — a price that increases at the final payment screen is one of the most common causes of last-minute booking abandonment.
Written by Fibvo — Bengaluru and Erode, India — working with clients in other time zones. Questions, or think we have it wrong? Tell us.
Keep reading
Related articles
What to budget for digital marketing as a hotel or resort
How to size a marketing budget for a hotel or resort around the commission saved through direct bookings, not just a generic revenue percentage.
4 min readDigital marketing checklist for a hotel or resort in 2026
A practical checklist covering website, OTA parity, direct booking and seasonal promotion for a hotel or resort reviewing its digital marketing.
5 min readNext step
Tell us what you are trying to grow.
Send the problem in a paragraph. We will reply within one working day with an honest view of whether we can help, and what it is likely to cost.