€400,000 in Direct Bookings and 30,000 New Followers in 12 Months
The situation
What was broken before I came in.
Turim Hotels had a growing portfolio and a loyal offline customer base — but their digital presence was underperforming and they were paying 15–25% OTA commission on every booking instead of owning the relationship directly.
The goal was clear: shift more bookings to the direct channel (turim-hotels.com), build a digital brand community, and grow from 18 to 30 locations — while the marketing budget remained fixed.
I came in as Marketing & Communication Lead, taking responsibility for all digital channels, two external agencies (PR and web development), and the eCommerce department's ad spend.
The approach
What I actually did.
Google Ads and Social Ads for direct booking conversion
Ran Google Search, Display, and Meta campaigns specifically optimised for direct bookings — not brand awareness. Every campaign connected to a branded rate advantage over OTA prices.
SEO architecture and content strategy
Rebuilt the site's SEO architecture and launched a content programme targeting high-intent travel keywords in Portugal and Iberia. Organic search became a meaningful direct booking channel by month 6.
Social media community building
Shifted from broadcast social to community-led content — guest stories, local experiences, behind-the-scenes. Built 30,000 new followers over 12 months with consistently above-average engagement.
PR agency management for brand authority
Managed a PR agency to secure consistent media placements in travel and lifestyle media. Brand authority in print and digital drove organic trust and search demand.
Email marketing and automation for return guests
Built a CRM-driven email programme targeting past guests with exclusive rates and member benefits. This became one of the highest-converting direct booking channels.
eCommerce funnel optimisation
Worked with the eCommerce team to reduce friction in the direct booking funnel — faster checkout, price-match guarantee messaging, and mobile optimisation.
The results
Direct booking revenue grew 4× in 12 months while OTA commission costs fell as a percentage of total revenue. The brand expanded and became the market leader in Iberian hospitality.
- €100k → €400k direct booking revenue
- 30,000 new social followers
- 18 → 30 hotel locations
- Reduced OTA commission dependency
- Market leader in Iberian hospitality
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