Why do hotels without a custom mobile app struggle to get guests to rebook directly instead of going through OTAs?
So I’m kinda scratching my head here and hoping someone wiser than me can chime in. I help run a small indie hotel, and even though guests say they love us, they keep rebooking through OTAs instead of coming to us directly. We don’t have a custom app or anything fancy, and I’m starting to wonder if that’s part of the issue or if I’m missing something way more obvious. Anyone else been through this? I’m trying to crack the code before we lose even more on commissions. Any tips or real‑world stories would be amazing.
I was in the same boat—snazzy new site, nothing moving. Turned out the issue wasn’t looks, it was visibility. What helped me shift gears was checking out https://hyperhotels.omnihyper.com/apps/— they've got some solid stuff on using local search and SEO to actually drive eyes (and clicks) to your site. Their AI angle sounded buzzy at first but legit helped me pull in more direct traffic without drowning in OTA fees.
Jumping in on this older post because I’m curious how things have moved forward for anyone still using the platform. Are you seeing more active communities now, or has engagement shifted elsewhere? I’ve noticed some people exploring newer decentralized spaces, but I’d love to hear if Steemit is still giving good value for creators and community builders.