[Answers for lodge owners](https://nicetofindyou.com/truth)

# 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 [\[1\]](https://payfast.io/fees/ "A South African payment gateway's fees page"); the largest booking site’s commission was 15% as standard and 18% or 23% for more visibility [\[2\]](https://www.compcom.co.za/wp-content/uploads/2023/07/CC_OIPMI-Final-Report.pdf "Competition Commission, Online Intermediation Platforms Market Inquiry, final report"); tour operators are advised to get about 25% off your standard rate [\[3\]](https://bridgeit.screenstepslive.com/a/2009099-working-with-tour-operators-why-sto-rates-matter "A South African booking-system company's guide to tour operators"); Nice to Find You is R1,490 a month, with no commission [\[4\]](https://nicetofindyou.com/playbook "Nice to Find You, the Playbook").

In South Africa, booking platforms carried an estimated 40% of accommodation bookings, and places’ own websites 15% [\[5\]](https://www.compcom.co.za/wp-content/uploads/2023/07/CC_OIPMI-Final-Report_Proof10_Annexure2.pdf "Competition Commission, final report, annexure on travel and accommodation").

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 [\[1\]](https://payfast.io/fees/ "A South African payment gateway's fees page").

Booking sites

15% standard commission on the largest site, 18% or 23% for more visibility [\[2\]](https://www.compcom.co.za/wp-content/uploads/2023/07/CC_OIPMI-Final-Report.pdf "Competition Commission, Online Intermediation Platforms Market Inquiry, final report"); 15.5% on another [\[6\]](https://www.airbnb.co.za/help/article/1857 "A large booking site's help page on host fees"). Charged on the whole booking, on non-refundable bookings and in most countries on VAT [\[7\]](https://partner.booking.com/en-us/help/commission-invoices-tax/commission/understanding-our-commission "The largest booking site's partner help, commission"), plus a payment fee [\[8\]](https://partner.booking.com/en-us/help/policies-payments/payment-products/payments-bookingcom-faqs "The largest booking site's partner help, payments").

Travel agents and tour operators

About 25% off your standard rate, shared along a chain of operators and agents [\[3\]](https://bridgeit.screenstepslive.com/a/2009099-working-with-tour-operators-why-sto-rates-matter "A South African booking-system company's guide to tour operators").

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 [\[4\]](https://nicetofindyou.com/playbook "Nice to Find You, the Playbook").

## 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 [\[9\]](https://www.gov.za/sites/default/files/gcis_document/201409/3706726-11act4of2013popi.pdf "Protection of Personal Information Act 4 of 2013, section 69").

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 [\[10\]](https://partner.booking.com/en-gb/help/reservations/contact-extranet/contacting-your-guests "The largest booking site's partner help, contacting guests"). Another allows their use only to complete the booking [\[11\]](https://assets.airbnb.com/help/2026_Terms_of_Service_for_Users_Outside_of_the_EEA_UK_and_Australia_-_English.pdf "A large booking site's terms of service").

Travel agents and tour operators

No named public source found.

Nice to Find You

You do: guests enquire with you directly [\[12\]](https://nicetofindyou.com/faq "Nice to Find You, FAQ"). We keep a copy of enquiries sent through our form for up to 24 months, to count them [\[13\]](https://nicetofindyou.com/privacy "Nice to Find You, Privacy").

## 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 [\[14\]](https://www.compcom.co.za/wp-content/uploads/2024/08/BOOKING-COM-AND-COMPETITION-COMMISSION-REACH-SETTLEMENT-ON-ONLINE-INTERMEDIATION-PLATFORMS-MARKET-INQUIRY-APPEAL.pdf "Competition Commission, settlement statement").

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 [\[2\]](https://www.compcom.co.za/wp-content/uploads/2023/07/CC_OIPMI-Final-Report.pdf "Competition Commission, Online Intermediation Platforms Market Inquiry, final report").

Travel agents and tour operators

You give trade rates, hidden from the public and sold inside packages [\[3\]](https://bridgeit.screenstepslive.com/a/2009099-working-with-tour-operators-why-sto-rates-matter "A South African booking-system company's guide to tour operators").

Nice to Find You

You do: your rooms and packages are published with the price range you checked [\[4\]](https://nicetofindyou.com/playbook "Nice to Find You, the Playbook").

## How fast does each route work?

Booking directly

As fast as your payment gateway pays you; an immediate payout costs 0.8% [\[1\]](https://payfast.io/fees/ "A South African payment gateway's fees page").

Booking sites

Sign-up in about 15 minutes [\[15\]](https://partner.booking.com/en-us/join "The largest booking site's partner page, joining"); a location check by letter can take up to 35 days [\[16\]](https://partner.booking.com/en-us/help/first-steps/online-bookable/verifying-your-property%E2%80%99s-location "The largest booking site's partner help, location checks"). Paid after the guest checks out [\[8\]](https://partner.booking.com/en-us/help/policies-payments/payment-products/payments-bookingcom-faqs "The largest booking site's partner help, payments"), or within about 1 business day after check-in on another site [\[17\]](https://www.airbnb.co.za/resources/hosting-homes/a/how-youll-get-paid-for-hosting-20 "A large booking site's hosting guide").

Travel agents and tour operators

No named public source found.

Nice to Find You

About 15 minutes to start [\[12\]](https://nicetofindyou.com/faq "Nice to Find You, FAQ"), delivered over the first 60 days [\[4\]](https://nicetofindyou.com/playbook "Nice to Find You, the Playbook"). Being named usually takes about 3 months, and is never promised [\[18\]](https://nicetofindyou.com/truth/how-guests-reach-you "Nice to Find You, how guests reach you").

## 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 [\[7\]](https://partner.booking.com/en-us/help/commission-invoices-tax/commission/understanding-our-commission "The largest booking site's partner help, commission"), and pay a commission invoice once a month [\[8\]](https://partner.booking.com/en-us/help/policies-payments/payment-products/payments-bookingcom-faqs "The largest booking site's partner help, payments").

Travel agents and tour operators

Contract with each operator and load trade rate sheets [\[3\]](https://bridgeit.screenstepslive.com/a/2009099-working-with-tour-operators-why-sto-rates-matter "A South African booking-system company's guide to tour operators").

Nice to Find You

Tick your facts and approve your pages, 15 to 20 minutes a week after you start [\[12\]](https://nicetofindyou.com/faq "Nice to Find You, FAQ"), 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 [\[8\]](https://partner.booking.com/en-us/help/policies-payments/payment-products/payments-bookingcom-faqs "The largest booking site's partner help, payments"). The Competition Commission found places to stay depend on the largest site as a must-have partner [\[5\]](https://www.compcom.co.za/wp-content/uploads/2023/07/CC_OIPMI-Final-Report_Proof10_Annexure2.pdf "Competition Commission, final report, annexure on travel and accommodation").

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 [\[12\]](https://nicetofindyou.com/faq "Nice to Find You, FAQ"). To stop, give 30 days’ notice [\[4\]](https://nicetofindyou.com/playbook "Nice to Find You, the Playbook"); your pages stay up 90 days .

## More answers for lodge owners

-   [Can you pay to appear in ChatGPT’s answers?](https://nicetofindyou.com/truth/pay-to-appear-in-chatgpt)
-   [Does a booking-site listing help AI find your lodge?](https://nicetofindyou.com/truth/booking-site-listing-and-ai)
-   [How do AI assistants choose places to stay?](https://nicetofindyou.com/truth/how-ai-chooses-places-to-stay)
-   [Can a booking site stop you charging less on your own website?](https://nicetofindyou.com/truth/booking-site-price-parity)
-   [Every answer for lodge owners](https://nicetofindyou.com/truth)

What we do for a place to stay, for one flat monthly fee: [the Playbook](https://nicetofindyou.com/playbook).

## Sources for this page

1.  [A South African payment gateway's fees page](https://payfast.io/fees/). No date shown; checked 22 October 2026.
2.  [Competition Commission, Online Intermediation Platforms Market Inquiry, final report](https://www.compcom.co.za/wp-content/uploads/2023/07/CC_OIPMI-Final-Report.pdf). Dated July 2023; checked 22 October 2026.
3.  [A South African booking-system company's guide to tour operators](https://bridgeit.screenstepslive.com/a/2009099-working-with-tour-operators-why-sto-rates-matter). No date shown; checked 22 October 2026.
4.  [Nice to Find You, the Playbook](https://nicetofindyou.com/playbook). Dated 16 October 2026; checked 22 October 2026.
5.  [Competition Commission, final report, annexure on travel and accommodation](https://www.compcom.co.za/wp-content/uploads/2023/07/CC_OIPMI-Final-Report_Proof10_Annexure2.pdf). Dated July 2023; checked 22 October 2026.
6.  [A large booking site's help page on host fees](https://www.airbnb.co.za/help/article/1857). No date shown; checked 22 October 2026.
7.  [The largest booking site's partner help, commission](https://partner.booking.com/en-us/help/commission-invoices-tax/commission/understanding-our-commission). Dated updated about June 2026; checked 22 October 2026.
8.  [The largest booking site's partner help, payments](https://partner.booking.com/en-us/help/policies-payments/payment-products/payments-bookingcom-faqs). Dated updated about October 2026; checked 22 October 2026.
9.  [Protection of Personal Information Act 4 of 2013, section 69](https://www.gov.za/sites/default/files/gcis_document/201409/3706726-11act4of2013popi.pdf). Dated 26 November 2013; checked 22 October 2026.
10.  [The largest booking site's partner help, contacting guests](https://partner.booking.com/en-gb/help/reservations/contact-extranet/contacting-your-guests). Dated updated about September 2026; checked 22 October 2026.
11.  [A large booking site's terms of service](https://assets.airbnb.com/help/2026_Terms_of_Service_for_Users_Outside_of_the_EEA_UK_and_Australia_-_English.pdf). Dated 5 February 2026; checked 22 October 2026.
12.  [Nice to Find You, FAQ](https://nicetofindyou.com/faq). Dated 16 October 2026; checked 22 October 2026.
13.  [Nice to Find You, Privacy](https://nicetofindyou.com/privacy). Dated 16 October 2026; checked 22 October 2026.
14.  [Competition Commission, settlement statement](https://www.compcom.co.za/wp-content/uploads/2024/08/BOOKING-COM-AND-COMPETITION-COMMISSION-REACH-SETTLEMENT-ON-ONLINE-INTERMEDIATION-PLATFORMS-MARKET-INQUIRY-APPEAL.pdf). Dated 13 August 2024; checked 22 October 2026.
15.  [The largest booking site's partner page, joining](https://partner.booking.com/en-us/join). No date shown; checked 22 October 2026.
16.  [The largest booking site's partner help, location checks](https://partner.booking.com/en-us/help/first-steps/online-bookable/verifying-your-property%E2%80%99s-location). Dated updated about August 2026; checked 22 October 2026.
17.  [A large booking site's hosting guide](https://www.airbnb.co.za/resources/hosting-homes/a/how-youll-get-paid-for-hosting-20). Dated 13 October 2026; checked 22 October 2026.
18.  [Nice to Find You, how guests reach you](https://nicetofindyou.com/truth/how-guests-reach-you). Dated 21 October 2026; checked 22 October 2026.

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Page: https://nicetofindyou.com/truth/how-guests-reach-you (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.). Published by Nice to Find You, https://nicetofindyou.com