Booking.com Genius programme for partners

The popular booking portal Booking.com provides property owners and guests with the so-called Genius loyalty program. In this comprehensive guide we will look at how the Genius program works for vacation rental owners and what the advantages and potential disadvantages are. Find out everything you need to know to decide if Booking.com’s Genius is the right choice for your short-stay rental business.

What is the Booking.com Genius program?

The idea behind the Genius loyalty program is to create a win-win situation for both rental owners and guests. In fact, by joining the program, hosts gain more visibility and can increase their occupancy rate, while guests receive discounts and a wide range of exclusive benefits. There are three Genius Booking levels for guests that offer gradually increasing benefits.

In this way, both parties will be more likely to continue using the platform, rather than turning their attention to other booking portals.. 

Specifically, when property owners decide to join the program, Booking.com will apply a minimum 10% discount on the price of their rental. The discount is charged to the property manager. If you manage an accommodation with more than one room, the discount will be applied only to the least expensive and/or best-selling room.

Booking.com’s Genius programme: Benefits for owners

• Extra visibility: Genius properties receive a special logo and better ranking on the platform. In addition, when booking their next vacation, Genius travelers can filter their search to see only participating vacation rentals. According to data shared by Booking.com, owners who join this marketing program experience a 70% increase in views.
• Increased bookings: Increased visibility often translates into more bookings. This can be especially helpful in the off-season, at the beginning of your business or at times when you are struggling to stand out from the competition. According to Booking.com, net of the Genius discount offered, participating partners get 45% more bookings and 40% more revenue.
• Genius Dynamic Pricing: Booking.com offers dynamic pricing to its Genius partners. This technology helps optimize discounts and increase occupancy rates.
• Genius Users: Genius travelers tend to spend 15% more, leave 29% more reviews, and book up to twice as far in advance as other users. In addition, guests tend to become loyal customers through discounted rates and other exclusive discounts.

Booking.com marketing campaigns: The booking platform advertises selected Genius properties in many ways: global advertising campaigns, social media posts, newsletters and more.

To learn more, click here.

What are the potential drawbacks of the Genius Booking program?

Offering discounts is not always the best move to increase your profits. Therefore, in some cases the Genius program may not be the best solution for your short-stay rental business. 

Here are some potential disadvantages:

• The 10% discount is charged to the host. While for some hosts it is worth paying this price, for others it may not be beneficial.
• You may lose direct bookings. When the price of your accommodation is lower on Booking.com than on your direct booking site, guests will book you through the portal to save money.
• The program is not very flexible. You cannot turn Genius on and off whenever you want. Booking.com allows you to suspend the discounted price for up to 30 days.

Find out how the Genius loyalty program works for owners

To participate in Booking’s Genius program as a vacation rental owner, your property’s listing must meet three eligibility criteria:

1. You must have an active accommodation listing on Booking.com.
2. You must have received at least three guest reviews.
3. Your accommodation score must be at least 7.5 (exceptions are made for areas where the average accommodation score is lower).

How to become a Genius Booking partner?

So how do you become a Genius on Booking? If your accommodation meets the required criteria, you can join the Genius loyalty program for free.

Here’s how:

1. Log in to the Booking.com extranet.
2. Go to the “Opportunities” section.
3. Select “Genius partner programme.”

Booking.com will apply the discount automatically once you join the program.

How to suspend the Booking Genius loyalty program?

Booking Genius owners can discontinue the program for 30 days (not necessarily consecutive). This can be useful on those dates when you don’t have a booking problem, such as during peak season or specific local events.

How do you go about suspending Genius?

1. Open the Booking.com Extranet.
2. Click on “Opportunities.”
3. Select “Genius partner programme.”
4. Click “Suspend Genius discount.”
5. In the “Choose dates” section, select the dates on which you do not want the discount to apply.
6. To confirm, click “Suspend dates.”

How to remove Genius from Booking.com?

You can deactivate Genius at any time. Here’s how:

1. Log in to the Booking extranet.
2. In the “Inbox” section, click “Booking.com messages”
3. Click on “See contact options” -> “Property details” -> “Other”
4. Under “See all contact options” select “Message”
5. Specify in the text field that you want to opt out of the Genius program. You may choose to attach documents if necessary.
6. Send your message.

Please note: Once you leave the program, you will not be able to re-enroll for six months. After that you can become a Genius partner again, if your listing still meets the requirements.

How does Genius Booking work for guests?

All Bookin.com users can become Genius customers for free. All they have to do is log in with their email when they make a reservation.

The Genius program offers Genius discount travelers exclusive benefits depending on their level. You too, as a vacation rental owner, can decide to target Genius users who have reached one or more levels.

Let’s look at them in detail:

• Genius Level 1: 10% discount on stays to rental cars.
• Genius Level 2: 10/15% off stays and 10% off rental cars, free breakfast and free upgrades at many facilities.
• Genius Level 3: 10/20% off stays and 10% off rental cars, free breakfast, free upgrades in many facilities and priority customer service.

Genius Booking loyalty program: Is it worth it?

Now that you have all the information you need, it’s up to you to decide if the Booking.com Genius program can help you grow your business. In case you are considering it, remember that you can always decide to activate the program for a few months and calculate its effect on your earnings!

Whether or not you decide to become a Genius Booking partner, consider using a channel manager to manage your listings. Smoobu, for example, synchronizes your calendars automatically and in real time, avoiding the risk of double bookings. With automated communication options and integration with other market-leading partners, it makes life easy and efficient for vacation rental owners. If you want to learn more, start our 14-day free trial.

14-day free trial