Booking.com Takes 15-25% Commission. Your Website Takes 0%.
If you manage a hotel, guesthouse, or lodge in Senegal, you know the problem: Booking.com, Expedia, and OTAs (Online Travel Agencies) bring you clients, but take 15 to 25% commission on every booking.
On a room at 50,000 FCFA/night, that is 7,500 to 12,500 FCFA going to commission. Multiply by 30 nights per month... You are potentially losing 225,000 to 375,000 FCFA per month in commissions.
A professional website with a direct booking system changes the game.
Benefits of a Website for Your Hotel
1. Direct Bookings Without Commission
Every booking made on your website is a booking without commission. With an integrated booking system, your clients reserve directly, you receive the payment (Wave, OM, card), and you keep 100%.
Simple calculation: if you convert 50% of your OTA bookings to direct bookings, with 20 rooms and 60% occupancy, you save between 1,350,000 and 2,250,000 FCFA per month.
2. Total Control of Your Image
On Booking.com, your hotel is lost among hundreds of others. Your website is YOUR space: your design, your photos, your story, your ambiance. It is the first impression you give, and you control it 100%.
3. Loyalty Programs and Exclusive Offers
Offer advantages on your site that OTAs cannot:
- "Book direct, free breakfast included"
- Loyalty program with points
- Free early check-in / late check-out
- Automatic upgrade for direct clients
4. Tourism SEO — A Goldmine
Tourists prepare their trips on Google. Queries like "hotel Saly Senegal," "lodge Casamance," "guesthouse Saint-Louis" are keywords your website can capture.
Tourism in Senegal is booming: 1.8 million tourists in 2025, growing 15% annually. Each of these tourists searches for accommodation online.
5. Immersive Photo Gallery
Photos sell rooms. On your website, you can showcase:
- HD galleries of each room type
- 360-degree views of your spaces
- Videos of the ambiance (pool, restaurant, beach)
- Photos of the region and activities
Booking.com limits quality and presentation. Your website does not.
Essential Features
Booking Engine
- Real-time availability calendar
- Room type selection
- Options and extras (baby cot, airport shuttle)
- Secure payment via Wave / Orange Money / Card
- Instant confirmation by email and SMS
Room Type Pages
- HD photos (minimum 5 per room)
- Detailed amenity descriptions
- Price per night with seasonal variations
- Clear cancellation policy
Experiences Page
- Activities offered (excursions, spa, cooking classes)
- Nearby attractions
- Local events
Travel Blog
- "Top 10 Beaches in Senegal"
- "What to Do in Saly in 3 Days"
- "Guide to Casamance"
These articles attract tourists via Google and convert them into bookings.
Multilingual
- French (local market + France)
- English (international tourists)
- Optional: Spanish, German
OTA Commission Reduction Strategy
We recommend a progressive approach:
Phase 1 (months 1-3): Keep your OTA listings but add on your site "Best price guaranteed — book direct"
Phase 2 (months 3-6): Offer exclusive advantages for direct bookings. Start reducing OTA budget.
Phase 3 (months 6+): Your SEO generates organic traffic. 50-70% of your bookings are direct. You save millions of FCFA in commissions.
Our Hotel Packages
| Package | Price FCFA | Included |
|---|---|---|
| Starter | 500,000 | Showcase site, gallery, contact form, Google Maps |
| Growth | 800,000 | + Booking engine, calendar, online payment |
| Premium | 1,200,000 | + Multilingual, blog, advanced SEO, loyalty program |
ROI: The site pays for itself once you avoid 10-15 OTA commissions. Usually less than 2 months.
The Importance of Online Reviews for Hotels
Google and TripAdvisor reviews directly influence bookings. Your website can encourage satisfied guests to leave reviews via:
- An automatic post-stay email with a direct link to Google Reviews
- A QR code at reception linking to your review page
- A "Testimonials" section on your site with the best reviews
Hotels with over 50 reviews and a rating above 4.5/5 have a direct booking rate twice as high as those without.
Testimonial: Lodge Teranga, Saly
"Before our website, 90% of our bookings came from Booking.com. 8 months after launching our Kolonell website, 55% of our bookings are direct. We save over 2 million FCFA per month in commissions." — Ibrahima N., Director.
Take Action
Every month of avoided OTA commissions is a month of additional profit. Request your personalized hotel quote or contact us on WhatsApp.
Special hotel offer: Free audit of your online presence + estimate of potential OTA commission savings.
Need a professional website?
Kolonell builds websites that attract clients, optimized for the Senegalese market. Free quote in 2 minutes.
Mohamed Ba
Fondateur, Kolonell
Passionate about digital and entrepreneurship in Africa, Mohamed has been helping Senegalese businesses with their digital transformation since 2020. Founder of Kolonell, he believes every SME deserves a professional and accessible online presence.