The OTA is the window, WhatsApp is the register

Hi, it's Friday at noon: what better moment to pause for a bit, reflect, and look beyond the day-to-day.

In this space I share ideas, market signals, and reflections on how technology and AI are redefining hospitality.

Today's path:

The OTA as the storefront. WhatsApp as the register.

Today, 26% of travelers start their search on Booking.com.

Not on Google. Straight to the OTA.

That means Booking became the place where the traveler discovers you.

But discovering you isn't the same as booking you.

Between the moment someone sees your hotel on Booking and the moment they confirm the reservation, something happens that very few hotels take into account:

The traveler is going to look you up on their own.

They Google your hotel's name. They check out your Instagram. They hunt for your WhatsApp number.

They want to know if you're real. If the photos are the real ones. If they can talk to someone.

That journey is silent, it lasts minutes, and it's where it gets decided whether the booking ends up on your direct channel or goes back to Booking.

Most hotels haven't optimized it. And that's why they give away commissions they shouldn't have to pay.

The stops along the way and what has to happen at each one

1. Google (the first stop after Booking)

When someone Googles your hotel's name, the first thing they see is your Google Business Profile listing.

This is what needs to be there:

• Your WhatsApp number, clickable
• A direct button to your website
• Your photos, up to date
• Your reviews, answered

If your listing is outdated or incomplete, that traveler can't find an easy way to contact you. And if they can't find it, they go back to Booking.

2. Instagram (where they check if they actually like you)

The traveler goes to your profile to see what the hotel is "really" like, beyond the professional photos.

What they need to find:

• A link in bio that leads straight to WhatsApp or to your website with a booking engine
• Recent stories or posts that show the hotel naturally
• A visible contact button

If they land on the profile and there's no obvious way to contact you or book, they close it and go back to Booking.

3. WhatsApp (where the sale is closed or lost)

This is the most critical point.

By the time the traveler reaches your WhatsApp, they've already decided not to book through Booking just yet. They're giving you the chance to close it directly.

For that to happen, you need three things:

The number has to be easy to find. On Instagram, on Google, on your website. If they have to go hunting for it, you've already lost momentum.

The reply has to arrive fast. 70% of travelers choose the first place that responds. Not the cheapest, not the best located. The first. If you take hours, that traveler has already booked somewhere else.

The reply has to sell, not just inform. The difference between "yes, we have availability" and "we have room for those dates, I can offer you the garden-view room with breakfast included" is huge. One informs. The other converts.

The full logic

It's not about fighting Booking. It's about being present and ready at every step the traveler takes after discovering you there.

Booking puts your hotel on the map. Google, Instagram, and WhatsApp are where you decide whether the commission stays with you.

The strategic question

Search your hotel's name on Google right now.

Is your WhatsApp number visible and clickable?

Is there a clear path for someone to book without going through an OTA?

If the answer is no, there's your next priority.

What did you think of this edition? If you think it could help someone else, share it with them. And if you have questions or suggestions, I'd love to hear from you.

Just reply to this email and let's talk.

See you in the next edition!