Stop Losing Bookings to OTAs – Direct Booking Strategy

Host Planet: Airbnb, Holiday Let, and Vacation Rental Insights · Feb 3, 2026 · 22m · transcript

In this episode of Host Planet Bitesize – powered by Hostfully – Gil Chan from Crafted Stays shares five practical tips to make sure your direct booking website turns lookers into bookers.

We cover:

* How guests actually discover your website

* The impact of AI on search and visibility

* Why knowing your guest avatar matters more than branding

* How to remove friction from the booking journey

* The credibility signals every direct booking site needs

Gil also shares his top tip for increasing repeat bookings — and why investing in email marketing is no longer optional.

2:05 Discoverability…