What are channel fees?
Channel fees are the costs charged by booking platforms such as Booking.com, Airbnb, and Expedia for each reservation made through their channels.
These fees are calculated as a percentage of the total booking amount, including any additional charges like cleaning or administrative fees.
On average, these costs amount to around 15% of the total reservation value, though the exact percentage can vary per platform or agreement.
Example calculation
Base price in reservation system: €1,000 per week
Markup (platform price increase): +20% → Price on Booking.com/Airbnb: €1,200 per week
Extra charges (cleaning, linen, admin): €200
Total booking price for the guest: €1,400
Channel fee (15%): 15% × €1,400 = €210
Effective result:
The 20% markup largely covers the channel fees, keeping the net revenue almost equal to a direct booking through Hello Zeeland.
Why do we apply a markup?
The 20% markup is applied to offset the costs of booking platforms and maintain a level playing field between direct bookings and those made via external channels.
This ensures that bookings from platforms are not less profitable.
Guests booking through platforms may also benefit from special discount programs, such as Booking.com’s Genius Program. These discounts are funded by the platform itself but can affect the displayed price to the guest.
