We all look for ways to save money and booking a holiday is no exception. However, deciding what to compromise on is often tricky. The good news is that recent research conducted by Independent Cottages in August 2019 has shown that it is easy to save hundreds of pounds without any trade-offs. Simply by booking your holiday direct with the owner, rather than via an OTA (Online Travel Agent) such as HomeAway, AirBnB or TripAdvisor/Holiday Lettings, saves the holiday maker an average of £211. That’s equivalent to 3.5 times the average UK household’s weekly food shop, an annual family National Trust membership (with some money left over!) or even a new basic laptop for the kids.
The research looked at 94 properties that were advertised with Independent Cottages as well as with an OTA. Taking a mixture of short breaks and one week bookings, using the same arrival date and length of stay, comparisons were made between the costs of booking the same holiday cottage direct with the owner compared to booking it via an OTA. The savings made by booking directly with the owner ranged from £39 to a staggering £1,350, with an average saving of £211. For exactly the same holiday.
Breakdown of savings by region
| Region | Average cost saving in £ | Average % of total saving |
| Cotswolds | £184 | 17% |
| Cornwall | £222 | 21% |
| Yorkshire | £146 | 22% |
| Lake District | £211 | 23% |
| New Forest | £259 | 23% |
| Norfolk | £244 | 24% |
| National average | £221 | 21% |
It is so much cheaper to book your holiday direct with the owner as many OTAs charge the holidaymaker a ‘service fee’, which can be as high as 10% of the cost of the holiday. As well as booking fees charged to holiday makers, holiday home owners are also charged fees by the OTA, which may ultimately be passed on to the holiday maker (even if just in part) in the form of increased advertised rental fees.
At Independent Cottages we have over 1,800 holiday cottages where the holidaymaker can book directly with the owner. We do not add any additional service charges, booking fees or commissions on top of the owners’ rates. In addition you have the added benefit of being able to talk directly with the owner who will have detailed knowledge of the property and the area, before you make a booking.
Whether you are looking for a budget holiday, or something that little bit extra special, by booking direct you will undoubtedly get more for your money. You might decide to spend this on a few holiday luxuries, or maybe you will save it for a rainy day. Either way, can you afford to not book your next holiday directly with the owner?
If you are booking independently, take a look at our tips to guide you through the process.
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