Should I List My Campsite on Pitchup or Take Direct Bookings?

Every campsite owner eventually faces this question: should I list on Pitchup (or similar platforms like Hipcamp, Coolcamping, and Booking.com) or focus on getting direct bookings through my own website? The honest answer is: probably both, at least initially — but with a clear strategy for shifting the balance over time.

Here's a practical look at how online travel agents (OTAs) work for campsites, when they make sense, and how to build a direct booking channel that reduces your dependency on them.

How Pitchup and Similar Platforms Work

Pitchup is the largest UK-focused campsite listing platform. Here's the basic model:

Commission rate: Typically 15% on the total booking value (including extras)
No upfront costs: You only pay when you get a booking
Pitchup handles the marketing: They invest in Google Ads, SEO, and brand awareness to drive traffic
Guest communication: Booking confirmations and some guest communications go through Pitchup
Calendar sync: Most platforms offer iCal or API integration to keep availability in sync

Other Platforms to Consider:

Hipcamp: Growing platform focused on unique outdoor stays, 10% host commission
Coolcamping: Curated platform with editorial content, commission-based
Booking.com: Massive reach but 15-18% commission and primarily hotel-focused
Airbnb: Good for glamping units, 3% host fee but guests pay a service fee too

The Case for OTAs: Visibility and Volume

OTAs exist because they solve a real problem — they bring you guests who would never have found you otherwise. Here's when they make the most sense:

You're a New Site

When you first open, nobody knows you exist. Your website has no search rankings, you have no reviews, and your social media following is zero. OTAs give you instant access to thousands of potential guests who are actively searching for campsites in your area.

You Have Unsold Capacity

An empty pitch earns nothing. Even with 15% commission, a Pitchup booking is better than an empty pitch. If you're consistently running below 70% occupancy, OTAs can fill the gaps.

Seasonal Shoulder Periods

Your peak summer weekends will probably sell out regardless. But those quiet May weekdays and September weeks? OTAs can help fill them because they're marketing to a much larger audience than you can reach alone.

The maths: If your average pitch fee is £30/night, Pitchup's 15% commission is £4.50 per night. For a 3-night stay, that's £13.50. Ask yourself: would you pay £13.50 to acquire a new customer? For most businesses, that's a reasonable customer acquisition cost — especially if that guest comes back and books direct next time.

The Case for Direct Bookings

Direct bookings — taken through your own website — are the long-term goal for any campsite that wants to build a sustainable business. Here's why:

Financial Benefits

No commission: You keep 100% of the booking value (minus payment processing fees of ~1.4-2.9%)
Upselling opportunities: It's easier to sell extras (firewood, equipment hire, late checkout) through your own booking system
Flexible pricing: You control your rates completely without platform restrictions

Guest Relationship

You own the customer data: Email addresses, booking history, preferences — all yours to use for marketing
Direct communication: No platform intermediary between you and your guests
Brand building: Guests remember your campsite, not the platform they booked through
Repeat bookings: It's much easier to encourage direct repeat bookings when you have a relationship with the guest

Operational Control

Custom policies: Your own cancellation, deposit, and booking terms
Flexible availability: Block dates, set minimum stays, and manage pricing however you want
Integrated operations: Direct bookings flow straight into your management system without syncing delays

Building Both Channels: A Practical Strategy

The smartest approach for most campsite owners is to use OTAs strategically while building direct booking capability. Here's how:

Year 1: Establish Presence

List on 1-2 OTAs (Pitchup + one other) to generate bookings and reviews
Set up your own website with online booking capability
Claim your Google Business Profile and start collecting Google reviews
Accept that 50-70% of bookings may come through OTAs initially

Year 2: Shift the Balance

Offer a small incentive for direct bookings (5-10% discount, free firewood bundle, or early check-in)
Start email marketing to past guests with seasonal offers and news
Invest in website content and local SEO
Target: 40-50% direct bookings

Year 3+: Optimise

Reduce OTA allocation to shoulder periods and last-minute availability
Build a loyal guest base through email marketing and excellent service
Consider whether OTA commission is still worth it for the bookings they generate
Target: 60-80% direct bookings

Key insight: Many campsite owners make the mistake of treating OTAs as their primary booking channel permanently. OTAs should be a launching pad, not a long-term dependency. Every guest who books through an OTA is someone you should be converting into a direct booker for their next visit.

How to Convert OTA Guests to Direct Bookers

This is where the real value lies. Every OTA booking is an opportunity to gain a direct customer:

Deliver an exceptional experience: This is the foundation — guests only rebook if they loved their stay
Collect email addresses at check-in: Most OTA terms allow this as long as you're not poaching the specific booking
Include a flyer with direct booking information: A card in the welcome pack with your website URL and a returning-guest discount code
Follow up after their stay: A personal thank-you email with an invitation to book direct next time
Make direct booking easy: Your website booking process needs to be as simple as Pitchup's. If it's clunky, guests will default to the OTA.

When OTAs Don't Make Sense

There are situations where listing on OTAs may not be worthwhile:

You're already at capacity: If you sell out most of the season through direct bookings, you're paying commission for bookings you'd get anyway
You're a CL/CS with 5 pitches: The commission on a few bookings per week may not justify the admin of managing another platform
Your niche doesn't fit the platform: Some unique or high-end glamping sites get better results through Instagram and word of mouth than OTAs
You have a strong local reputation: Established sites with loyal guest bases may not need OTA visibility

The Technology You Need

To run both channels effectively, you need:

A booking system that syncs with OTAs: Availability must update in real-time to avoid double bookings. CampManager and similar platforms can sync your calendar across your website and OTA listings automatically.
An online booking widget: Embedded on your website so guests can check availability and book without leaving your site
Automated guest communications: Confirmation emails, arrival information, and post-stay follow-ups that run whether the booking came from your website or an OTA
Basic analytics: Track where your bookings come from so you can measure the shift from OTA to direct over time

The Bottom Line

Don't think of it as Pitchup or direct bookings — think of it as Pitchup then direct bookings. Use OTAs to get started, generate reviews, and fill gaps. Simultaneously build your own booking capability, website, and guest database. Over time, shift the balance so that the majority of your revenue comes commission-free through your own channels.

The campsites that do this well typically reach 60-80% direct bookings within 2-3 seasons. That 15% commission saving goes straight to your bottom line — and for a site doing £100,000 in annual bookings, that's £15,000 per year.