The Meridian Resort: 3.4x Direct Bookings, -22% OTA Dependence

Client

The Meridian is a boutique beachfront resort competing for visibility against much larger hotel chains listed on every major booking platform.

Business Challenge

Over 80% of bookings came through OTAs, each taking a 15–20% commission. The resort had beautiful property photography but no paid strategy driving traffic to its own booking engine.

Marketing Strategy

• Instagram and Facebook campaigns built around Reels and carousel storytelling
• Retargeting website visitors who viewed rooms but didn't book
• Seasonal offer campaigns timed to shoulder-season demand gaps
• Lookalike audiences modeled on past direct-booking guests
• Landing pages built specifically for the resort's own booking engine

Campaign Execution

Creative rotated around a content calendar of property highlights, guest experiences, and limited-time direct-booking perks (free upgrades, breakfast included) not available via OTAs.

Optimization

Retargeting windows and offer messaging were tested continuously, with budget shifted toward the audiences showing the strongest direct-to-book conversion rate.

Results