Direct bookings and online visibility: a clear upward trend
In 2026, approximately 1 in 4 bookings came directly through our website and booking engine — 26.20% of the total. Looking at the period May 2026 to April 2027, that figure rises to 29.48%, a clear upward trend. For context, the industry average for vacation rental management sits between 14 and 20%. We continue to grow in the right direction.
Additionally, 28.38% of bookings came through Airbnb — a platform on which we are one of the highest-rated hosts in Arosa, holding Superhost status with a 5-star rating across all reviews in the last quarter, something we are especially proud of. Combined with direct bookings, this means that more than half of your bookings arrive through channels where we have direct control over guest quality and experience.
In parallel, over the past months we have strengthened the SEO of our website arosavacations.ch. The results are visible: organic traffic has grown considerably. This increase translates directly into more enquiries and direct bookings, progressively reducing dependence on external platforms. Over the last three weeks in particular, we have received significantly more direct enquiries and bookings than usual. Many returning guests have also reached out to book their winter and summer holidays with us again.
Summer 2026: outlook
We have just entered the most critical booking period of the summer. The Arosa vacation rental market has a clear characteristic: most bookings for July and August are made at very short notice — and this year is no different.
What is different is our starting point: in June and July 2026 we have closed more bookings than in the same period last year, and we are well positioned in terms of both pricing and visibility across all channels. We are confident that the booking pace will continue in the coming weeks.
We also observe that this summer guests are showing greater price sensitivity, with a clear preference for studios and shorter stays. While in the past it was common for guests to take advantage of competitive pricing to book larger or higher-category apartments, this year the trend has reversed. This is something we observe across the broader market as well, with a greater supply of higher-category apartments available on the main booking channels. We are managing the situation with a measured strategy, without resorting to drastic price reductions, as we believe in attracting quality guests.
New office
We have moved. Our new office is located at Poststrasse 24 — Haus Hermann, directly opposite Arosa Tourismus and Hotel Valsana. An excellent location that we will make the most of to increase our local visibility and be even more accessible to both guests and property owners. We have also invested in vehicle branding and window displays at the new office, keeping a discreet profile consistent with our brand identity.
You are always welcome to visit us.
Arosa Vacations expands to Laax
From August, we will begin operating in Laax, together with one of our Arosa property owners. Laax is a destination with strong demand both in winter and summer, and we are convinced that the synergy between both destinations will be very positive for everyone.
Our full portfolio will always be visible across all channels, meaning a guest who finds us while searching for Laax may discover Arosa — and vice versa. More visibility, more reach, more opportunities for all.
We continue to receive enquiries from new property owners who wish to join Arosa Vacations. We are being very selective, prioritising quality and consistency with the standard we already maintain, so that portfolio growth does not come at the expense of the level of service we offer you.
Arosa Vacations retains its website and identity. Laax will have its own website with the same visual concept. And BlueHills — our company — will evolve into a global umbrella bringing all destinations together, creating a new source of direct bookings with broader international reach. The final name of this global platform is still to be decided, as we want to ensure it is the best option both for SEO and for guests. The goal, in any case, is clear: maximise synergy between destinations and continue reducing dependence on external platforms.
Operational updates
Guesty: our new management system
Two months ago we received a notification from Hostaway, our previous management system, informing us of the unilateral cancellation of our annual contract — switching to a monthly arrangement — along with an announcement of a 30% cost increase. This, combined with issues we had already been experiencing — and which some of you had also reported, such as calendars not syncing correctly or blocks that could not be removed — led us to make the decision to switch systems.
We have chosen Guesty, the most comprehensive management system in the sector and the most widely used by large professional operators. The key improvements it brings:
- Damage protection included in every booking, charged to the guest (a fixed amount per booking that removes the friction and administration of a traditional security deposit), with coverage of up to $50,000 per damage claim — an additional layer of protection on top of what the booking platforms already provide.
- A more direct and stable connection with Arosa Tourismus and associated channels such as E-domizil.
- Enhanced functionality for the website and guest app, improving the check-in experience, the stay itself, and the direct booking process.
- Owner statement management directly within the system, providing greater transparency and efficiency.
- A guest CRM to track returning guests and the ability to create loyalty programmes — something we consider fundamental to retaining quality guests over the long term.
Is there anything to be concerned about with this change? Not at all. The migration is already underway and both systems will run in parallel until Guesty is fully operational, which we expect to be no earlier than September, always prioritising a smooth and uninterrupted transition. All bookings — past and future — will be transferred without any issues. If you have any questions or would like us to walk you through the new system, we are available for a call or a visit at any time.
Payment methods
We have centralised all payments through Stripe, giving us full transparency on transaction fees, the ability to issue clear receipts and invoices, and automatic registration of every payment in the system. We are also introducing Klarna as an additional payment method, which is growing rapidly in popularity in Switzerland and Germany and helps convert direct bookings. We are also evaluating in-person card payment solutions with the aim of securing the most favourable terms.
Guestbooks
We are developing personalised digital guestbooks for each property. The goal is for every guest to have all the information they need during their stay, to be aware of the option to book directly with us in the future, and to be able to access additional services before and during their stay — regardless of which channel they booked through. The rollout has been slightly delayed due to the Guesty migration, but it is well underway. It is a project we are investing a great deal of effort in, and we are confident you will love the result when you see it.
Reminder: Arosa Tourismus and E-domizil
As a reminder, bookings coming through Arosa Tourismus — including those from the E-domizil channel — appear in the calendar as "CustomiCal". Since the changes introduced by Arosa Tourismus in March, the E-domizil commission is 19%, as communicated in the Q1 2026 report. To offset this, we apply a 15% price increase to all Arosa Tourismus bookings, and Arosa Tourismus itself applies an additional markup for E-domizil. In practice, it is the guest who absorbs the channel cost, even though it may appear reflected in your statements.
It is worth highlighting that Arosa Tourismus has a very open philosophy: they allow the direct link to our website to be displayed on each listing — something completely unthinkable on Airbnb or Booking.com. This means that guests who find us through Arosa Tourismus can compare options and, in many cases, end up booking directly with us. A visibility channel, not a dependency.
Useful links:
- Our website: https://arosavacations.ch/
- Guesty: https://www.guesty.com/de/
- Our new office: https://maps.app.goo.gl/GmvXgwfMXVCGoTnF9
