Answers for lodge owners

How do guests reach your lodge, and what does each route cost? Direct costs a 3.2% card fee, booking sites 15% to 23%, tour operators about 25%, Nice to Find You R1,490 a month.

Booking directly costs a card fee of 3.2% plus R2 a payment [1]; the largest booking site’s commission was 15% as standard and 18% or 23% for more visibility [2]; tour operators are advised to get about 25% off your standard rate [3]; Nice to Find You is R1,490 a month, with no commission [4].

In South Africa, booking platforms carried an estimated 40% of accommodation bookings, and places’ own websites 15% [5].

Facts checked 22 October 2026. Each number in brackets links to its source.

What does each route cost the lodge?

Booking directly
A card fee: 3.2% plus R2 a payment, and R8.70 a payout, excluding VAT, at a South African payment gateway [1].
Booking sites
15% standard commission on the largest site, 18% or 23% for more visibility [2]; 15.5% on another [6]. Charged on the whole booking, on non-refundable bookings and in most countries on VAT [7], plus a payment fee [8].
Travel agents and tour operators
About 25% off your standard rate, shared along a chain of operators and agents [3].
Nice to Find You
R1,490 a month (Standard) or R2,990 a month (Plus); or up front R6,000 then R990 a month, or R12,000 then R1,990 a month. No commission [4].

Who owns the guest’s details on each route?

Booking directly
You do. POPIA lets you market your own similar services to a customer, with an easy opt-out [9].
Booking sites
The largest site shows you an alias, not the guest’s email, and messages run only through it until 7 days after check-out [10]. Another allows their use only to complete the booking [11].
Travel agents and tour operators
No named public source found.
Nice to Find You
You do: guests enquire with you directly [12]. We keep a copy of enquiries sent through our form for up to 24 months, to count them [13].

Who sets the price on each route?

Booking directly
You do. Since 13 August 2024 the largest booking site may not stop you pricing lower on your own website [14].
Booking sites
You do, but paying more commission buys a higher place, and 70% to 90% of bookings on the largest site were made on the top ten results [2].
Travel agents and tour operators
You give trade rates, hidden from the public and sold inside packages [3].
Nice to Find You
You do: your rooms and packages are published with the price range you checked [4].

How fast does each route work?

Booking directly
As fast as your payment gateway pays you; an immediate payout costs 0.8% [1].
Booking sites
Sign-up in about 15 minutes [15]; a location check by letter can take up to 35 days [16]. Paid after the guest checks out [8], or within about 1 business day after check-in on another site [17].
Travel agents and tour operators
No named public source found.
Nice to Find You
About 15 minutes to start [12], delivered over the first 60 days [4]. Being named usually takes about 3 months, and is never promised [18].

What must the lodge do on each route?

Booking directly
Answer enquiries and take payment yourself.
Booking sites
Mark changes and no-shows within 48 hours of check-out [7], and pay a commission invoice once a month [8].
Travel agents and tour operators
Contract with each operator and load trade rate sheets [3].
Nice to Find You
Tick your facts and approve your pages, 15 to 20 minutes a week after you start [12], and add our blocks to your website.

What can go wrong on each route?

Booking directly
No named public source found.
Booking sites
No payout while unpaid invoices or fees are larger than it [8]. The Competition Commission found places to stay depend on the largest site as a must-have partner [5].
Travel agents and tour operators
No named public source found.
Nice to Find You
AI may still not name you: nobody controls what an AI says [12]. To stop, give 30 days’ notice [4]; your pages stay up 90 days .

More answers for lodge owners

What we do for a place to stay, for one flat monthly fee: the Playbook.

Sources for this page

  1. A South African payment gateway's fees page. No date shown; checked 22 October 2026.
  2. Competition Commission, Online Intermediation Platforms Market Inquiry, final report. Dated July 2023; checked 22 October 2026.
  3. A South African booking-system company's guide to tour operators. No date shown; checked 22 October 2026.
  4. Nice to Find You, the Playbook. Dated 16 October 2026; checked 22 October 2026.
  5. Competition Commission, final report, annexure on travel and accommodation. Dated July 2023; checked 22 October 2026.
  6. A large booking site's help page on host fees. No date shown; checked 22 October 2026.
  7. The largest booking site's partner help, commission. Dated updated about June 2026; checked 22 October 2026.
  8. The largest booking site's partner help, payments. Dated updated about October 2026; checked 22 October 2026.
  9. Protection of Personal Information Act 4 of 2013, section 69. Dated 26 November 2013; checked 22 October 2026.
  10. The largest booking site's partner help, contacting guests. Dated updated about September 2026; checked 22 October 2026.
  11. A large booking site's terms of service. Dated 5 February 2026; checked 22 October 2026.
  12. Nice to Find You, FAQ. Dated 16 October 2026; checked 22 October 2026.
  13. Nice to Find You, Privacy. Dated 16 October 2026; checked 22 October 2026.
  14. Competition Commission, settlement statement. Dated 13 August 2024; checked 22 October 2026.
  15. The largest booking site's partner page, joining. No date shown; checked 22 October 2026.
  16. The largest booking site's partner help, location checks. Dated updated about August 2026; checked 22 October 2026.
  17. A large booking site's hosting guide. Dated 13 October 2026; checked 22 October 2026.
  18. Nice to Find You, how guests reach you. Dated 21 October 2026; checked 22 October 2026.