Revenue & DistributionPublished September 17, 20261 min read

Google's DMA shake-up is already costing hotels direct clicks

JSBy Joan SanzCurated by Joan Sanz. · September 17, 2026 · Follow on LinkedIn

Voice reading · ~1 min

Cayuga Hospitality Consultants has documented cuts of up to 30% in free direct booking clicks for European hotels since Google's DMA-driven search changes landed, according to a report covered by Hospitality Net. Translation for anyone selling rooms in Spain, Italy or France: the search page you relied on to grab guests for free is now a worse shop window.

The same roundup asks whether first-party guest data is genuinely achievable or just an industry slogan. My take: it is achievable, but not by installing a CRM and praying. It is the consequence of owning the conversation from the first click to the follow-up.

The third story in the same piece is the interesting one. The Broadmoor generated $1M in direct revenue from follow-up calls, per the same report. Not from a fancy funnel. From picking up the phone.

The lesson for European hotels watching Google squeeze their free traffic is simple and a bit uncomfortable. Data you own beats traffic you rent.

Quick questions

What changed for hotels since Google's DMA update?

Cayuga Hospitality Consultants documented cuts of up to 30% in free direct booking clicks for European hotels after Google adjusted search under the DMA. The free traffic that used to flow to hotel websites has thinned.

Is first-party guest data a myth for independent hotels?

No, but it does not happen by default. Hotels that own the guest relationship end to end, including calls and post-stay follow-up, actually build usable first-party data. Those relying only on OTA traffic do not.

How did The Broadmoor generate $1M in direct revenue?

According to reports covered by Hospitality Net, The Broadmoor generated $1M in direct revenue through follow-up calls. The mechanism is old-school: talk to the guest, remember the guest, call back.

Should hotels invest more in calls and less in paid search?

Yes, in my opinion. Paid search is getting more expensive and DMA changes hit free clicks. Calls convert better, produce first-party data and escape the Google tax.

What can a small European hotel do right now?

Track where your direct bookings come from, train the front desk to capture contact details and follow up after checkout. Even a modest call routine beats another budget bump into Google.

Was this article useful?

The daily brief

The hotel tech brief, in your inbox

PMS, revenue, distribution, AI and travel tech startups. One sharp email a day. Free.

I accept the terms

The brief hoteliers who buy technology read every morning.

Editorial content by Hotel Tech News. It may contain errors. Verify anything important with the original source.

This article may mention third-party products, companies or services for informational purposes. Hotel Tech News does not endorse them and is not responsible for them or for what they offer. Editorial content curated by the Hotel Tech News team.

Produced with AI assistance and editorial review.

← Back to Hotel Tech News