About the Alliance
How a shared frustration became a movement to reshape travel.
The Origin Story
The Direct Booking Alliance started with a simple observation: travel operators were fighting the same battle alone, and losing.
Every operator knows the frustration. You pour your heart into creating amazing experiences. Guests leave glowing reviews. But when it's time to book their next trip? They go back to the OTA. And you pay 15-30% commission—again—on a customer you already earned.
The industry has accepted this as inevitable. "That's just how it works." But it doesn't have to be. The problem isn't that operators can't compete—it's that they're competing alone against platforms with massive network effects.
"Apes together strong." The meme became a mantra. What if operators stopped competing against each other for the same guest, and started cooperating to keep bookings direct?
That's the insight behind the Direct Booking Alliance—and behind Kicbak, our first initiative. Instead of each operator trying to build their own loyalty program that guests ignore, we're creating a network where operators share guests directly.
The Alliance is made up of frustrated travel operators, fair-minded industry veterans, travel tech CEOs, app developers, consultants, and creators. People from across the travel industry who believe there's a better way.
We're not anti-OTA. We're pro-choice. Operators deserve options. And together, we're building them.
Our Mission
To unite the travel industry around direct bookings, building an ecosystem where value stays with those who create travel experiences.
Team & Ambassadors
The alliance is its members. These individuals help lead and advocate for the movement.
Ambassadors
Ambassadors are members who actively advocate for the direct booking movement in their communities and networks.
Want to Get Involved?
The alliance grows through its members. Join us and help build the future of direct bookings.