Why Guests Forget You in 45 Days: And How It’s Costing You Thousands

Travelers click through 141+ pages before booking. If you’re not one of them, you don’t exist.

The 45-Day Vanish Act

Most properties think they need better ads. They don’t. They need more trust.

Travelers browse an average of 141 pages of travel content over 45 days before booking (Expedia, 2023). That’s weeks of browsing, comparing, and second-guessing. If they don’t trust you, they skip you. If they forget you, they book someone else.

So what? If you’re only showing up once, you’ll be invisible for most of that journey. Your competitor will win the booking.

The Cost of Silence

Every day you don’t show up, you’re training guests to book your competitor. Expedia data shows U.S. travelers rack up 277 page views before booking. How many of those clicks were yours? Probably none.

And here’s the pain: each click that isn’t yours is a chance lost forever. Silence isn’t neutral. It is revenue you’re handing away.

Familiarity Feels Like Reliability

When your website, socials, and guest messaging all tell the same story, travelers know what to expect. That consistency feels reliable. Reliable properties get chosen. Unreliable ones get ignored.

Bottom line: Every mismatch, outdated photos, different prices, sloppy copy, gives guests a reason to doubt you. Doubt costs bookings.

Let Guests Vouch for You

Nothing sells like social proof. Reviews and guest photos aren’t just nice-to-haves. They are proof points. Phocuswright reports that online reviews and friend or family recommendations are now top decision drivers for U.S. travelers.

What it means for you: You don’t have to out-shout the OTAs. You just need your happy guests to vouch for you, because their words convert better than any ad copy ever will.

Receipts From the Real World

Expedia

‍Travelers don’t just book on the first click. Expedia’s latest research shows that in the U.S., some travelers rack up more than 277 page views during their booking window. That’s not window shopping. That’s a marathon.

Translation: If you’re not showing up regularly, you won’t even make it to their short list.

STR (Smith Travel Research)

‍STR tracks hotel performance worldwide. Their 2024 forecast shows demand for rooms at an all-time high, with occupancy up 2.5% (percentage of rooms sold) and ADR up 4.9% (average daily rate, the average price paid).

Illustrative math example: For a 20-room inn at $150 ADR, a 2.5% occupancy lift could mean roughly $2,250 more per month. With higher rates or more rooms, that number grows. Note: STR does not publish dollar impacts. This is applied math to show potential revenue.

Phocuswright

‍Phocuswright reports the global short-term rental market hit $201.6 billion in bookings in 2024, with 87% of those happening online. Hotels are on the same track: 55% of bookings were online in 2024, forecast to hit 58% by 2026. By then, nearly two-thirds of all travel bookings will be online.

Why it matters: If you’re not consistently visible and trustworthy online, you’re invisible to nearly 9 out of 10 guests.

Hospitality Marketing Benchmarks

‍Email is still one of the best low-cost booking tools. Hotels and vacation rentals see 17–28% open rates and 2–5% click-through rates.

Illustrative math example: If 1,000 people visit your site and 5% sign up for your emails, that’s 50 new subscribers. If even 10% of them eventually book, that’s 5 extra reservations you don’t pay OTA commission on. At $200 per night, that’s $1,000 revenue protected. Note: Opt-in and conversion rates vary. This is directional math, not guaranteed outcomes.

The One Play That Pays

Forget juggling five different hacks. If you only do one thing, do this:

Every month, hit three touchpoints:

• One email (stay in their inbox)
• One guest story (borrow their credibility)
• One short video (show you’re alive)

That’s it. Just three touchpoints. Done consistently, it builds recognition, and recognition builds bookings.

Illustrative math example: Run this system for a year. If those 5 extra bookings per month stack up, you’ve got $12,000 in direct revenue you didn’t buy from an OTA. Note: This is a modeled scenario based on industry averages, not a published stat.

Quick Win (30 minutes)

Take one guest review or photo. Spin it into:

• A reel with a quote overlay
• An Instagram carousel
• A short “thank you” email

Three trust-building signals, one hour or less.

Here’s the punchline: One hour spent now could save you hundreds in OTA commissions later.

Don’t Stay Silent

Every day you stay silent, you train travelers to forget you. Inconsistency makes you invisible. And invisible properties don’t get booked.

The fix is simple: a system of small, steady plays that keep you trusted, familiar, and chosen.

👉 Subscribe here and get strategies you can ship in under an hour.

Plays that protect your rates, grow repeat bookings, and stop your property from being forgotten.

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Sources & Further Reading

• Expedia Group, Path to Purchase (2023–2024): Travelers view 141 pages/45 days, U.S. travelers up to 277 pages. Link
• Expedia Media Solutions, Quarterly Trends (Q4 2024): 10% global search growth, 15% more trips 6+ months out. Link
• STR, Hotel Performance Forecasts 2024: Occupancy +2.5%, ADR +4.9%, U.S. RevPAR +2%. Link
• Phocuswright, Global Short-Term Rental Market 2024: $201.6B in bookings, 87% online STR bookings, hotels online share 55% → 58% by 2026, 65% of global travel online by 2026. Link
• Mailchimp, Email Marketing Benchmarks by Industry (2024): Hotels and vacation rentals 17–28% open, 2–5% CTR. Link

⚠️ Disclaimer: Dollar figures in this article are illustrative scenarios based on industry averages and independent data (Expedia, STR, Phocuswright, Mailchimp). They are not guaranteed outcomes for every property.