€400.000 in Direct Bookings and 30.000 New Followers in 12 Months
…
4×
Direct booking revenue
€300k+
Revenue uplift (€100k→€400k)
30,000
New social followers
+12
New locations opened
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.
The strategy was built on two pillars working in parallel: convert existing awareness into direct bookings, and build a loyal social community that would reduce dependency on OTAs over time.
-
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
- ↓ OTA commission dependency
- Market leader in Iberian hospitality
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