How Hosts Use the Booking.com Affiliate Program for Extra Income

There’s more to Booking.com than just listing your property as a vacation rental host on this online travel platform. They’ve got this neat affiliate program that can help hosts and property managers like us earn a little extra on the side.

The Booking.com Affiliate Partner Program is one of the best travel affiliate programs that hosts with an audience can sign up for. There's an opportunity there for hosts and property managers, and we’ll uncover how you can apply, what the requirements are, and the rewards if you join in.

So, in this article, we’re going to dive into the nitty-gritty of the Booking.com affiliate program and see how it can put some more money in your pocket. Ready to explore? Let’s go!

What is the Booking.com Affiliate Program?

The Booking.com Affiliate Program is a partnership scheme and affiliate product where individuals or businesses (affiliates) can earn a commission by promoting Booking.com’s wide array of accommodations, car rentals, and other travel related services on their website or social media.

As an affiliate, you simply create unique affiliate links for your platform, whether it’s a travel blog, website, or social media profile. Every time a customer uses your link to make a booking, you receive a commission.

You can also create affiliate links for different travel products, like cars or flights. These hyperlinks can direct your readers to inspirational landing pages, pre-filtered search results, or specific properties on the Booking.com platform you wish to promote.

Booking.com offers access to over 28 million listings, including everything from hotels, apartments, and villas to exotic treehouses and other unique places. They have a global network operating in 220+ countries, so you can earn commission no matter where visitors are from.

Booking.com provides its affiliates with numerous promotional, easy-to-use tools, such as search boxes, deal finders, banners, and widgets that you can embed in your website or blog. Also they provide 24/7 support for their affiliate partners.

What are the Requirements for Becoming a Booking.com Affiliate

Joining the Booking.com affiliate program is straightforward, but there are a few requirements to meet:

Platform for Promotion

You need to have an active platform, like a website, blog, or a strong social media presence, where you can promote Booking.com services.

Audience Engagement

Your platform should have a reasonable level of audience engagement, as your commissions depend on the bookings made through your affiliate link.

Compliance with Booking.com Terms

You need to adhere to the guidelines and terms set by Booking.com for its affiliate program.

Active Bank or PayPal Account

To receive your commission payments, you need a bank account (EUR, USD, or GBP) or a PayPal account. PayPal payments are only sent in EUR, so ensure your PayPal account is set to accept transfers in EUR.

With these in place, you’re well on your way to becoming a Booking.com affiliate and tapping into this lucrative revenue stream that the travel industry has created.

How to Join the Booking.com Affiliate Program

To gain access to the Booking.com affiliate program is a straightforward process, but have in mind a few things.

Join Through Affiliate Networks

Booking.com partners with two affiliate networks, depending on your country.

• CJ is available in Austria, France, Germany, Italy, Spain, Switzerland, the United Kingdom, Benelux, Eastern Europe, the Nordic countries, and the Middle East.
• Awis is available in Australia, Brazil, Latin America, North America, and Asia Pacific.

You will easily find the right sign-up page through the Booking.com website, depending on the country or region you choose.

Step-by-Step Guide to Becoming a Booking.com Affiliate Partner

Step 1: Visit the Booking. com Affiliate Partner Page

Begin by navigating to the Booking.com Affiliate Partner Center page.

Step 2: Choose Your Affiliate Network

Depending on your location:

• Europe: sign up via CJ Affiliate
• Australia, Brazil, Latin America, North America, Asia Pacific: sign up via Awin

Step 3: Create a Free Account

Start the registration process to get account access. You’ll need to provide some basic information about yourself or your company, and your contact information.

Step 4: Verify Your Account

After submitting your application, Booking.com will send a confirmation email. Follow the instructions in that email to verify your account and gain access to the affiliate dashboard.

Step 5: Set Up and Customize Affiliate Tools

Once approved, log into your dashboard and explore the available tools like banners, search boxes, and links. Customize them to match your platform’s style.

Step 6: Start Earning Commissions

Copy and paste your unique affiliate links or HTML codes for banners onto your website, blog, or social media.

Now you can start promoting your links and earning commissions.

How Much Can You Earn as an Affiliate?

Your earnings depend on the number of bookings and the commission structure.

Tiered Commission Structure

Affiliate partners earn a percentage of the revenue that Booking.com makes from reservations booked through their affiliate links. The commission rate is tiered and depends on the number of reservations that guests actually stay in each month.

• Tier 1: 1–50 stayed reservations: 25% commission
• Tier 2: 51–150 stayed reservations: 30% commission
• Tier 3: 151–500 stayed reservations: 35% commission
• Tier 4: 500+ stayed reservations: 40% commission

Important: Reservations made in all countries are commissionable. However, cancelled reservations or those marked as ‘no-show’ will not be counted towards your commission earnings.

For example, for a reservation price of 100 EUR you will get:

• Booking.com will receive 15.00 EUR.
• On Tier 1, your commission will be 3.75 EUR (25% of the 15.00 EUR).

Important: Only 'in-session' transactions are commissionable, as the company does not use cookie tracking. “In-session” transactions means that you only earn a commission if the guest completes the booking during one session, at the time they clicked your affiliate link. The system does not use cookie tracking that tracks users across different sessions or devices. So, if someone clicks your affiliate link but comes back later to book, you won’t get a commission.

When Do You Get Paid?

You’ll receive your commissions every month, but only once your total unpaid commission hits 100 EUR. If you don’t reach that threshold, don’t worry—your earnings will just roll over and keep building until they do.

Once you’ve crossed 100 EUR, payments usually go out within 2–3 weeks after we receive your Credit Slip. International transfers might take a little longer, so just keep that in mind.

Benefits of the Booking.com Affiliate Partner Program for Property Managers and Hosts

Participating in an affiliate partner program like Booking.com offers several benefits for property managers and hosts:

• Additional Revenue Stream: You’ll earn commission on each booking made through your unique affiliate link, providing an extra income stream alongside your regular rental earnings.
• Free Account Setup: Unlike traditional businesses, getting started in the Booking.com affiliate program doesn’t require any investment. You can set up your free account and start sharing your affiliate link in no time.
• Offers More Than Just Accommodations: With Booking.com, your guests can explore not just accommodation options worldwide, but also car rentals and flights, which are all eligible for a commission.
• Global Reach: Booking.com offers accommodation options in almost every country, allowing you to earn commission from bookings made anywhere in the world.
• 24/7 Earning Potential: Your unique link is always active, enabling you to earn commission at any time of day, from travelers all over the world.
• Useful Tools for Promotion: As a Booking.com affiliate, you’ll gain access to various promotional tools like search boxes and deal finders, which you can integrate into your travel blog or website to attract more clicks on your link.

Create a Marketing Strategy for Promoting Booking.com

Once you’re set up as a Booking.com affiliate, the next step is to effectively promote your affiliate link on the Booking.com site and optimize for conversions. Here are some marketing strategies:

1. Leverage Your Existing Content: Update your existing travel blogs or posts with your Booking.com affiliate link. Consider adding a “Book Now” button.
2. Create for Your Audience: Providing insightful reviews and travel tips can drive more clicks on your affiliate link. Create content that will be useful for your audience. This will drive more traffic, increasing the odds of conversions.
3. Use Email Marketing: If you have a mailing list, utilize it to promote your Booking.com affiliate link. Share travel deals, new blog posts, or seasonal travel guides with your subscribers.
4. Social Media Promotion: Regularly share your Booking.com affiliate link on your social media platforms. Create engaging posts about travel destinations or accommodations to encourage your followers to click through and make bookings.
5. Offer Exclusive Deals: Use the Booking.com deals finder to offer exclusive deals to your audience. This can incentivize bookings and increase your conversion rate.

Once you gain some traction and get bookings through affiliate links, you can gain access to the reservation details of each booking to help understand audience behavior.

The Do’s and Don’ts of Affiliate Marketing with Booking.com

When participating in any affiliate program, it’s important to abide by the terms and conditions and engage in ethical marketing practices. Here are some key points to consider as a Booking.com affiliate:

Booking.com’s Affiliate Terms and Conditions

Booking.com outlines a detailed set of terms and conditions that affiliates must adhere to. While the full document is available on their website and should be read thoroughly, here are a few key points:

• Non-Exclusivity: Booking.com’s affiliate program is non-exclusive, meaning affiliates can join and promote other affiliate programs concurrently.
• Correct Representation: Affiliates must not misrepresent Booking.com or its services. All promotions and communications must be truthful and accurate.
• Privacy and Data Protection: Affiliates must comply with all applicable data protection and privacy laws. The use of customer data must align with these laws and Booking.com’s guidelines.
• Breach of Agreement: In case of any violation of the agreement, Booking.com reserves the right to terminate the affiliation without any notice and withhold any unpaid commissions.

Build Trust with Audience Through Transparency and Integrity

Being an affiliate marketer also comes with ethical considerations to ensure a respectful and beneficial relationship with your audience:

• Full Disclosure: Always clearly disclose your affiliate relationship to your readers or followers. Transparency builds trust with your audience and is also a requirement under many advertising laws.
• Honest Reviews: When promoting a product or service, be truthful and honest. If a property you’re promoting has certain shortcomings, it’s better to mention them than to hide them.
• Prioritize User Experience: Avoid flooding your platform with ads or promotional links. It’s important to balance monetization with a good user experience.
• Respect User Privacy: Be mindful of your users’ privacy. Don’t use cookies or any other tracking method without user consent.
• Comply with Legal Requirements: Different countries have different regulations for affiliate marketing. Make sure you are aware of and comply with the laws and regulations applicable to your location.

Conclusion

Exploring the Booking.com affiliate program reveals an attractive revenue stream for hosts and property managers who are active on platforms such as social media or blogs and build their audience. It's an enticing option for those looking to diversify their income sources.

To have better results as a host, consider leveraging iGMS’s robust vacation rental management software. iGMS offers an array of features that can automate and optimize your short-term rental.