Bookings and profitability are not the same
Reservation volume alone does not tell you whether a distribution channel is working. Start with accommodation revenue and account for commissions, hotel-funded discounts, transaction costs and cancellations. Compare equivalent dates, room types, guest counts and policies.
Check the price guests actually see
The public rate may change through mobile offers, logged-in benefits, advance-purchase deals and temporary campaigns. Whether discounts stack depends on the settings. Test real shopping journeys across devices and account states before judging rate parity.
Measure contribution by channel
Subtract channel commissions and hotel-funded incentives from comparable accommodation revenue. Then account for payment processing and other relevant acquisition costs. This gives you a better basis for comparing Booking.com, Expedia and direct bookings.
Every promotion needs a purpose
A campaign might help sell a soft date but unnecessarily reduce margin during strong demand. Define what you are trying to achieve and track performance by stay date, not just aggregate bookings.
Build a monthly review
Audit public and member rates, mobile pricing, active promotions, effective commissions and net revenue. Identify dates where price protection matters and dates where targeted visibility may create incremental demand.
Takeaway: The goal is not a universal formula, but better decisions for each hotel and each stay date.