How can I get more direct bookings for my holiday apartment?

Why do direct bookings pay off?

Every booking through a platform costs you a fee, usually on the rent and cleaning. Airbnb has charged 15.5 per cent plus 8.1 per cent VAT on the fee since 13 October 2026, which works out at 16.76 per cent. For an apartment in Grindelwald with annual revenue of CHF 23'100, each percentage point of direct bookings brings in around CHF 39 more. With 30 per cent direct bookings, you keep around CHF 750 more in this example than with 100 per cent Airbnb bookings, even after adding a channel manager. The full calculation is under Platforms.

• More take-home: no commission, and no payment fee with a QR bill.
• Your own rules: you set your own cancellation policy, advance payment, minimum nights and house rules.
• Your own guests: you know your guests and can invite them back, in line with data protection requirements.
• But: direct bookings don't include platform protection, such as AirCover from Airbnb. You handle payments, damage and disputes yourself.

Can I charge less directly than on Airbnb?

Yes. Anyone operating an online platform for booking accommodation acts unfairly if their terms and conditions restrict accommodation providers' ability to set prices and offers through parity clauses, particularly regarding price, availability or terms (Art. 8a UCA, in force since 1 December 2022). So you can offer a lower price, more available dates or better terms on your website. The law refers to accommodation businesses; nowhere does it say that private holiday apartments are exempt. What you can write in messages through the platform is governed by its own terms.

Example calculation: because Airbnb charges a 16.76 per cent fee, your direct price can be around 15 per cent lower and still bring you the same amount, even if the guest pays by card.

How to get guests to book directly with you

1. Build your own booking page with photos, a calendar, the total price and an enquiry button, in your guests' languages.
2. Give every guest your website address when they leave, on a card in the apartment or in your farewell message.
3. Ask happy guests if you may email them when dates become available. Without consent, you may only contact previous customers about your own similar offers, and must offer an easy way to unsubscribe (Art. 3 para. 1 lit. o UCA).
4. Register with your local tourist office; see tourist office.
5. Check Google Vacation Rentals: you'll need an approved partner; see Google Vacation Rentals.
6. Keep the calendars for all your channels in sync to avoid double bookings; see Channel manager.

How can you take payment?

• QR bill: Since 1 October 2022, it has replaced Swiss payment slips. Guests pay through e-banking or an app, and you pay no card fees.
• Advance payment and balance: for example, 30 per cent when the booking is confirmed, with the balance due 30 days before arrival. State the deadlines and what happens if payment is late in your confirmation.
• Credit card: With a provider such as Stripe, a Swiss or EEA card costs 1.4 per cent plus CHF 0.10; other cards cost 2.9 per cent plus CHF 0.10.
• TWINT or cash on arrival: convenient for tourist tax and extras.

Show the tourist tax and total price correctly

In the hospitality and hotel sectors, you must show the actual price payable in Swiss francs. Non-optional surcharges, such as cleaning or processing fees, must be included in the price; tourist taxes may be shown separately (Art. 10 PIO). Show the tourist tax as a separate line on the invoice; in Ticino, the canton explicitly requires this. Note: if Airbnb collects the tourist tax in your canton, this only applies to Airbnb bookings. For direct bookings, you collect it yourself and settle it with the municipality, for example in Vaud. Find all the rates under tourist tax.

What legal information does your website need?

• Legal notice: Anyone offering services online must provide clear details of their identity and contact address, including an email address, explain the steps leading to a contract and confirm orders electronically (Art. 3 para. 1 lit. s UCA).
• Privacy notice: You must tell guests the purpose of data processing, the recipients and your contact details (Art. 19 FADP); see Data protection for the guest registration form.
• Terms and conditions: Make your cancellation policy, payment terms, security deposit and house rules visible before booking; see Tenancy law or accommodation.