Nearly two-thirds of holiday rental owners now receive the majority of their bookings through direct channels rather than major platforms like Airbnb or Expedia.

That’s the claim from Simply Owners, a rental site which has undertaken a sentiment survey based on 600 owners letting out their properties across the UK, Europe and the US.

It claims that direct booking offers tangible benefits for guests: over half (54.8%) of owners offer lower prices for booking direct than on the big platforms, while a further 43.4% offer the same rates across platforms. Aside from pricing, owners noted that guests who book direct often enjoy better perks like gift baskets, free add-ons, and a more personalised experience.

But it admits that attracting guests to book directly remains a challenge. 

More than 60.2% named this as their biggest challenge to securing direct bookings, highlighting the need for greater guest awareness. Meanwhile, the vast majority (87.2%) of owners feel that large platforms like Airbnb and Booking .com don’t give their listings fair visibility.

The survey also found that 56.6% of owners maintained stable profits in 2025 compared to 2024 despite higher operating costs and the growing burden of tax and licensing. At the same time, 57% of owners have raised prices over the past year to cover these costs. 

In terms of other challenges, managing guest expectations emerged as the most difficult part of hosting, with 46.9% citing it as their top concern, and 38.4% of owners say guests expect more now than three years ago.

The pressures don’t only come from the guest side: 83.9% of owners are concerned about tightening regulations and tax increases, which can be very challenging for family-run businesses to comply with.

A spokesperson for Simply Owners says:“The direct booking movement has never been stronger, but we need to keep growing awareness. Guests are waking up to the fact that booking directly means better value and fairer holidays, but we still have work to do to make direct booking as visible and trusted as the major platforms.

“Our owners have built fantastic businesses by focusing on great quality stays, transparency, and personal connection. Despite rising costs and difficult regulatory environments, holiday rental owners who dedicate time and energy to providing memorable holidays are reaping the benefits of that personal touch.”