The verdict in three sentences
A Saly or Dakar hotel dependent on Booking.com pays 15 to 25 % commission on every night and never owns the customer relationship. A site with a direct booking engine, Wave/Orange Money/card deposit and FR/EN multilingual captures commission-free bookings and builds loyalty. In 2026 this site costs between 700,000 and 2,000,000 FCFA and pays for itself in under 2 months for a mid-sized property.
Taking back control from the OTAs
Booking and Expedia bring volume, but at a high and permanent cost. Every direct booking you recover is a commission kept in full. The winning strategy: stay on the OTAs for visibility, but push the guest to book direct via a fast, multilingual site with a deposit payment.
| Channel | Commission per night | Customer relationship | Recurring cost |
|---|---|---|---|
| Booking.com / Expedia | 15 to 25 % | OTA (not you) | Forever on each booking |
| Direct booking (site) | 0 % (Wave/card fee ~1-2.5 %) | You | One-time build |
| Phone / WhatsApp | 0 % | You | Low |
On a 45,000 FCFA night, Booking takes 6,750 to 11,250 FCFA. Direct, you pay ~450 to 1,100 FCFA in payment fees. The difference per night is 6,000 to 10,000 FCFA recovered.
Features by tier and destination SEO
| Tier | Price (FCFA) | Timeline | Includes |
|---|---|---|---|
| Starter | 700,000 – 1,000,000 | 10 to 15 days | Gallery, rooms, rates, WhatsApp, FR/EN multilingual, reviews |
| Growth | 1,200,000 – 1,600,000 | 15 to 21 days | + Direct booking engine, Wave/OM/card deposit, availability calendar |
| Premium | 1,700,000 – 2,000,000 | 21 to 30 days | + Channel manager, dynamic rates, loyalty, packages, SEO blog |
Destination SEO targets queries like "Saly beachfront hotel", "Somone residence pool", "cheap Saly weekend hotel". Dedicated pages per offer and destination capture tourist traffic that often books direct to avoid fees.
Mini case study
Fatou runs a 20-room hotel in Saly. She sells 300 nights/month, 70 % via Booking (210 nights), average rate 45,000 FCFA, commission 18 %.
- Booking commission: 210 × 45,000 × 18 % = 1,701,000 FCFA/month paid to the OTA.
- If she shifts 30 % of that volume to direct (63 nights), she saves 63 × 45,000 × 18 % = 510,300 FCFA/month.
Need a professional website?
Kolonell builds websites that attract clients, optimized for the Sénégalese market. Free quote in 2 minutes.
A 1,400,000 FCFA Growth site is paid back in under 3 months, and the savings continue every month after.
FAQ
How much does Booking really take?
The OTA commission runs between 15 and 25 % depending on contract and visibility. On a 45,000 FCFA night that is 6,750 to 11,250 FCFA taken on every booking, forever.
Will a website replace Booking?
No, it complements it: Booking for discovery, your site to convert direct with no commission. The realistic goal is shifting 25 to 40 % of volume to direct bookings.
How does the booking deposit work?
The guest pays 20 to 50 % via Wave, Orange Money or card at booking, securing the night and reducing cancellations. Payment fees are about 1 to 2.5 %, nothing like an OTA commission.
Is the site multilingual for tourists?
Yes, FR/EN at minimum, essential for European and diaspora guests. It is also an SEO and trust factor for booking direct.
Let's talk about your project. We set up a direct booking engine that recovers every month what you pay Booking. WhatsApp +221 77 596 93 33.
Mohamed Bah
Fondateur, Kolonell
Passionate about digital and entrepreneurship in Africa, Mohamed has been helping Sénégalese businesses with their digital transformation since 2020. Founder of Kolonell, he believes every SME deserves a professional and accessible online présence.
