Zambezi Queen CollectionChobe River
Marketing · Google Ads
Get found when travellers are ready to book.
A Google Ads agency for hotels and safari lodges. We understand OTA competition, booking windows and how to turn search into profitable direct reservations.
How we do it
What's included.
Brand protection from the OTAsBooking.com and Expedia bid on your name. We make sure your own site wins those searches, so you're not paying commission on guests who were looking for you.
Spend that follows occupancyWe don't switch ads off the moment you pass 90%. We look at how far ahead your guests book, so spend moves with demand in the months that still have rooms to fill. Every month we check in with your reservations team and adjust targeting, budget and strategy to match what's happening on the ground.
Luxury intent, not bargain huntersWe target high-intent searches like 'luxury safari lodge Madikwe' and filter out price-shoppers.
Google Hotel AdsYour rates shown next to the OTAs in Google's hotel results, linked to your own booking engine.
Optimised for bookingsWe optimise for enquiries and bookings, not clicks, and move budget to the campaigns that return the most.
Built for mobileMost travel searches start on a phone. Campaigns and landing pages are built for how travellers actually book.
Also included: Conversion tracking and GA4, Monthly reporting, Landing page advice.
How we work
01
Look
We start where bookings are leaking today: tracking, visibility, channel mix and conversion.
02
Fix and build
The few changes that matter most come first. New campaigns, content and set-up where it earns the most.
03
Measure
Monthly reporting in plain language, tied to bookings rather than clicks.
Properties we do this for.
All our work
Kings CampTimbavati
Garonga Safari CampGreater Makalali
Questions
About Google Ads.
How much does Google Ads cost for a safari lodge or boutique hotel?
There are two parts: ad spend, which you pay to Google directly, and our management fee. For most lodges we suggest at least R15,000 to R20,000 a month in ad spend. Our fees start from R10,000 a month on a Growth Partnership plus commission, or from R20,000 a month on a fixed retainer.
Should we bid on our own brand name if guests already search for us?
Usually yes. Booking.com, Expedia and other OTAs bid on lodge and hotel names. If you don't, many of the guests searching for you land on an OTA and you pay commission on a booking that was already yours.
What are Google Hotel Ads?
Hotel Ads show your direct rate next to the OTAs in Google's hotel results and maps, and send the guest to your own booking engine. They need a connection through your booking engine or channel manager, which we help set up.
How do you measure whether Google Ads is working?
We track enquiries and confirmed bookings, not just clicks, using GA4 and booking engine conversion tracking. Reporting shows the bookings and revenue each campaign produced.
Do you work with lodges outside South Africa?
Yes. We run campaigns for properties in South Africa, Zimbabwe, Zambia, Namibia, Botswana and Kenya, targeting the source markets that book each destination.
Google Ads works well with Google Hotel Ads, SEO and AI search, or a website rebuild that takes the booking.
Tell us about your property.
We'll reply within a working day with a free check of how visible you are on Google and in AI search, and an honest view of where we'd start.