500,000 MLEC Visitors Need Somewhere to Stay. Will They Book YOUR Hotel?
Direct booking websites that avoid OTA commission fees. Fast, mobile-first design. Google Hotel Ads integration. Capture 'hotels near Marine Lake Events Centre' searches.
Southport has long been a destination for weekend breaks, golf holidays, and seaside escapes — but the town's accommodation market is entering a completely new era. The Marine Lake Events Centre will draw conference delegates, concert-goers, and sports tourists who need somewhere to stay within walking distance of the venue. Properties on The Promenade, in Birkdale, and across the town centre are already seeing increased direct enquiry traffic, but the hotels and B&Bs converting that interest into bookings are the ones with professional, direct-booking websites — not those relying entirely on Booking.com and Expedia commissions of 15-25%. The Open Championship returning to Royal Birkdale in 2026 adds another layer: golf tourists from the USA, Europe, and Japan will be searching for accommodation months in advance, often via Google Hotel Ads or direct organic search. A Southport hotel that ranks well for 'hotel near Royal Birkdale' or 'accommodation Southport Open 2026' stands to secure bookings worth tens of thousands in that single fortnight alone. We build hotel and B&B websites that integrate directly with your booking engine, eliminate third-party commission on every direct booking, and are specifically optimised for the searches Southport visitors are already making.
The Digital Challenges You're Facing
Losing 15-25% to Booking.com
OTA commission fees eat your profit. A direct booking website pays for itself after 20-30 bookings.
Invisible for 'Hotels Near MLEC'
Conference delegates will search 'hotels near Marine Lake Events Centre'. If you don't rank, they'll book your competitor.
Slow Mobile Sites Lose Bookings
Travelers book on phones while comparing options. Slow sites lose to faster competitors every time.
No Availability Calendar
Customers want to see availability instantly. Phone-only booking creates friction and lost revenue.
What We Build for Hotels & B&Bs
Every feature engineered for your industry's specific needs. No generic templates—just purpose-built solutions.
The Market Opportunity
Hotels & B&Bs businesses in the North West face a unique digital landscape. Here's what the data shows.
5 Mistakes Hotels & B&Bs Make Online
We've audited hundreds of hotels & b&bs websites. These are the costly mistakes we see repeatedly.
Using Booking.com-style templates (looks like every competitor)
No direct booking incentive (OTAs take 15-25% commission)
Poor mobile experience (68% of hotel bookings start on mobile)
Missing LocalBusiness schema (Google can't display your amenities properly)
No 'MLEC-ready' messaging (missing the 500k visitor opportunity)
Our Hotels & B&Bs Website Process
From discovery to launch in 4-6 weeks. Here's exactly what happens and when.
Discovery & Market Analysis
We analyze OTA pricing strategies, research hotel-specific keywords, and identify opportunities to capture MLEC conference traffic.
- ✓OTA commission analysis (savings potential)
- ✓Competitor booking flow analysis
- ✓MLEC delegate search behavior research
- ✓Direct booking incentive strategy
Design & Booking UX
We design a direct booking experience that rivals Booking.com's UX while keeping you in control.
- ✓Hotel-specific design mockups
- ✓Room showcase galleries
- ✓Booking calendar interface
- ✓Conference package pages
Development & Integration
We build a fast Next.js site with direct booking engine integration and Google Hotel Ads setup.
- ✓Direct booking engine integration
- ✓Live availability calendar
- ✓Google Hotel Ads setup
- ✓Conference landing pages
Launch & OTA Strategy
We launch with SEO optimized for 'hotels near MLEC' and implement your direct booking incentive strategy.
- ✓'Hotels near MLEC' SEO
- ✓Google Business Profile optimization
- ✓Direct booking incentive implementation
- ✓OTA price parity monitoring
Real Results from Hotels & B&Bs
Hotel Industry Benchmark Data
"Hotels with direct booking systems save an average 15-25% in OTA commission fees. Properties offering 10% discounts for direct bookings capture 40-60% of reservations directly, according to 2025 hospitality industry research."
Investment & Pricing
Hotel websites with direct booking typically range from £6,000-£12,000. Basic B&B sites with contact forms and room galleries start at £6,000. Mid-tier hotels with booking calendar integration run £8,000-£10,000. Enterprise solutions with PMS integration, dynamic pricing, and multi-property management start at £12,000. ROI calculation: If you save 20% commission on £100k annual bookings, the website pays for itself in 3-5 months. All packages include Google Hotel Ads setup and first-year hosting.
Frequently Asked Questions
How do direct booking systems work?
We build a booking engine directly into your website. Customers see live availability, select dates, and pay—no Booking.com middleman. You save 15-25% in commission fees.
Can we still list on Booking.com?
Yes! Direct booking doesn't mean abandoning OTAs. We recommend using OTAs for discovery but incentivizing direct bookings (10% discount for direct bookings, loyalty programs, etc.).
How long does implementation take?
Standard hotel website with booking: 3-4 weeks. We integrate with your property management system (PMS) or build standalone booking calendar.
Will this work for B&Bs?
Absolutely. B&Bs benefit even more—smaller operations can't afford to lose 20% to OTAs. Direct booking systems pay for themselves within 2-3 months typically.
Do you handle conference package pages?
Yes. We create dedicated landing pages for MLEC conference delegates: 'Conference accommodation near Marine Lake Events Centre', with package pricing, group booking, and delegate-specific information.
Related Reading
Insights and strategies specifically relevant to hotels & b&bs
B&B SEO: Booking Direct Over Booking.com
Southport B&Bs lose up to 18% commission on every OTA booking. Here's how to build a direct booking website that reduces your dependency on Booking.com and Airbnb.
Read more Tourism & EventsThe Open Championship: Southport's SEO Gold Rush
When The Open comes to Royal Birkdale, the world watches Southport. Here's how local businesses can capture international search traffic.
Read more Southport Business GrowthThe MLEC Effect: Is Your Southport Business Ready for 500,000 New Visitors?
The Marine Lake Events Centre is bringing 500,000 visitors to Southport. Here is the digital strategy local businesses need to capture this new economy in 2026.
Read moreReady to Dominate Hotels & B&Bs Search?
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