How Much of Your Vacation Rental Bookings Should Come Direct vs. Airbnb?

This is a great question—one we hear often from owners who want to maximize their income and reduce their dependence on big booking platforms.

Today, there’s no denying it: Airbnb is the 800-pound gorilla of the short-term rental world. In most markets, it drives about 80% of bookings—sometimes even more. Vrbo is the next biggest player, though its share is usually much smaller. Beyond that, there’s a long tail of other listing sites.

So, what’s the right mix?

First, it’s important to stop thinking of this as an either-or scenario. A smart approach uses both OTAs (Airbnb, Vrbo) and a direct booking site—just not in the same way. Think of it as a sequence:

The first time a guest discovers your home, odds are it’s going to be through Airbnb. That’s your top-of-funnel lead-generation engine. It’s how strangers find you and decide to take a chance on staying in your home instead of the thousands of other options in your market.

But what really matters is what happens next. The second stay. The third. The fourth.

The goal is to establish a foundation of repeat bookers by transitioning past guests over to your direct booking site. That means you need to capture their information during their stay, stay in touch with them afterwards, and give them a good reason to come back directly next time. Whether it’s a better rate, early access to dates, or a more personal booking experience—make it easy and worthwhile for them to skip Airbnb altogether.

So, how should this play out in the numbers? In the early days—especially during your first year—it’s completely normal (and even smart) for 80–100% of your bookings to come through Airbnb or Vrbo. You need that exposure to build your review base and fill your calendar.

But over time, as your property matures and your reputation grows, that mix should shift. By year two or three, a well-run vacation rental that’s actively marketing to past guests should see upwards of 30% of its bookings coming directly through its own website.

Put simply: think of Airbnb and Vrbo as your lead generation engine. But once you get that first stay, take ownership of that guest relationship and bring them into your ecosystem—so your guests don’t have to pay those extra booking site fees and you can capture a greater share of the income.

That’s how you build a more profitable, resilient vacation rental business.

Written by Anish Patel, Head of Owner Relations at Vinifera Homes (anish@viniferahomes.com)