Buyer guide
How to find the best marketing agency for hotels in Kerala
Hotel marketing in Kerala is dominated by OTAs (MakeMyTrip, Booking.com, Agoda) taking 15-25% commission. The right partner shifts your booking mix toward direct — through HEO, AI travel queries, GBP, and direct-booking funnel optimisation.
Target query:“best marketing agency for hotels in Kerala”
Criteria
What to evaluate.
- 1
Direct booking funnel competence
Most stays leak 60%+ at the booking widget. Ask if they audit the funnel + what specific changes they'd recommend.
- 2
AI travel query optimisation
ChatGPT + Perplexity now influences travel decisions. Ask how they make hotels appear in AI travel recommendations.
- 3
GBP + local SEO depth
Property in Maps + AI travel results = direct bookings. Test their GBP knowledge with specific questions about photos, services, Q&A.
- 4
Photography + videography integration
Hospitality is visual. Ask if they do photo + video shoots in-house or via partners, and at what cost.
- 5
OTA strategy without abandonment
Best partners help shift the mix (75% OTA → 50% OTA) without dropping OTAs entirely. Dropping OTAs = killing discovery.
Red flags
What to avoid.
- Suggests deactivating OTAs immediately — you'll kill discovery and bookings.
- No AI travel query optimisation in scope — you'll miss ChatGPT/Perplexity traffic.
- GBP audit reveals huge gaps they missed — they don't know local SEO.
- Stock photography on hotel landing pages — hospitality needs real visuals.
Questions to ask
What to ask before signing.
- What's our current direct booking %?
- How do you optimize for ChatGPT travel recommendations?
- Do you handle property photography?
- What's a realistic direct-booking shift in 12 months?
Where Adsomia fits
Our honest take.
Adsomia works with Kerala hospitality brands (resorts, houseboats, boutique stays). Typical engagement: Be Found Sprint: ₹1.95L (founding) for HEO + direct booking optimisation Local SEO retainer: ₹39K/month for ongoing visibility Content Production: for ongoing content and visuals Includes: HEO for AI travel queries (ChatGPT + Perplexity) Direct booking funnel audit + optimisation GBP optimisation (photos, services, Q&A) Local SEO for Maps + AI travel results OTA strategy (shift mix, not abandon) Photography + videography coordination We're a fit if you want: Shift from OTA dependence to direct bookings AI travel query optimisation (ChatGPT/Perplexity) Kerala hospitality expertise (resorts, houseboats, boutique stays) We're NOT a fit if you want: Deactivate OTAs immediately — we'll tell you it kills discovery Stock photography on hotel landing pages — you need real visuals No ongoing content/Local SEO — visibility compounds over time
Common questions
FAQs.
Should I leave Booking.com / MakeMyTrip?
No — keep them for discovery. The goal is shifting the mix toward direct booking, not eliminating OTAs.
Can you help with houseboat marketing specifically?
Yes — Alappuzha + Kumarakom houseboat operators are a recurring segment. AI travel query work + Instagram + WhatsApp lifecycle for repeat guests.
Should hotels prioritize OTAs or direct bookings?
Both. OTAs (MakeMyTrip, Booking.com, Agoda) drive volume + reviews; direct bookings drive margin + repeat. Healthy mix: 50-60% OTA, 30-40% direct, 10% corporate/group. Pure-direct strategies underperform; pure-OTA leaves margin on the table.
How fast do GBP + review-system changes show in bookings?
GBP optimisation (services, photos, hours, Q&A): bookings lift within 4-6 weeks. Review velocity (30+ reviews/month): direct-booking conversion improves at month 3-4. Combined effect: 25-40% direct-booking lift by month 6.
Considering Adsomia?
30-min discovery call. We listen first; written scope inside 48 hours; first deliverable in 14 days. If we're not the right fit, we'll say so.