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Hotelmark

Since 2024

Yes, you can be cheaper on your own site than on Booking

For years, the rate parity clause banned you from showing a lower price on your own website than on the booking platforms. That restriction was lifted in the EU in 2024. It's the biggest lever for direct bookings in years, and almost no one is using it.
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What changed

The brake on direct bookings is off

The rate parity clause was the quiet reason your own site never really paid off. You weren't allowed to be cheaper than on Booking, so a guest had no reason to take the detour to your site. Everyone clicked through to the platform, and you paid commission every single time.

Since 2024, that clause has been abolished in the EU. You're free to show a lower price or a more attractive offer on your own website. For the first time, you can actually reward your direct guest, and that's exactly the lever Hotelmark is built around.

The math that makes it obvious

A 120 euro booking through Booking quickly costs you 18 to 36 euros in commission. Give a 10 euro discount on your own site, and the guest pays less while you still keep more than you would through the platform. Everyone wins except the OTA.

How to use it

From legal change to more direct bookings

The freedom is there. Now your site has to act on it. Three steps.
  1. 1

    Show a direct-booking advantage on your own site

    the lever

    A lower price, a free breakfast, or a late checkout that only applies when someone books directly with you. Make it visible on every page.

  2. 2

    Make sure you get found

    the foundation

    The advantage only works if guests can find your own site. A clean, fast site that shows up in Google when someone searches for your location is the foundation.

  3. 3

    Run the numbers on the difference

    the proof

    Every booking that shifts from Booking to direct saves you 15 to 30 percent in commission. Calculate what that's worth per year with your own numbers.

Frequently asked questions

Good to know

Can I be cheaper on my own website than on Booking.com?
Yes. Since 2024, the EU rate parity clause has been abolished. Booking.com can no longer stop you from showing a lower price or a more attractive offer on your own site. You're free to reward your direct guest.
What exactly was the rate parity clause?
The rate parity clause was the agreement that required you to never be cheaper on your own channels than on the booking platforms. That gave guests no reason to book direct. That restriction is now gone.
How much cheaper do I need to be to win guests over?
A difference of 5 to 10 percent is often enough to get a hesitant visitor to book direct. You don't need to go overboard: you don't pay 15 to 30 percent commission on a direct booking, so even with a discount you keep more.
So do I not need to be on Booking at all anymore?
No, that's not necessary. Booking remains a solid showcase for reaching new guests. The point is to bring that guest back to your own site afterward, where the next booking costs you no commission.

You'll find more on direct bookings versus the platforms on the blog, or see how you build your own site.

Use the lever before your competitor does

Join the waitlist for the launch in June 2026. Your own site that shows the price advantage, exclusive in your area.

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