Last month, I published “Stay22 Review: The Solution to Booking.com’s Partnership Termination?“ and received numerous questions from readers asking, “How’s it actually working?” and “Are you really making money?”
Honestly, I was half-skeptical myself. “Just paste a simple script and monetize automatically” seemed too good to be true. But now, four weeks later, looking at the actual numbers, my honest take is: “This is surprisingly better than expected.”
Today, I’m sharing the real revenue data and user experience from my four weeks with Stay22, holding nothing back. I hope this helps fellow travel bloggers facing similar situations.
Bottom Line First: $336 in 4 Weeks – Isn’t That Excellent?
Let me start with the conclusion: I’ve generated an estimated $336.14 (approximately ¥50,000) in revenue over four weeks. However, this is the current projected amount, and the final revenue may fluctuate due to potential cancellations or changes in booking status. Currently, there are 46 bookings with an average commission of $7.31.
During this period, my blog traffic (combining Japanese and English versions) was approximately 60,000 page views. That means $336 from 60K PV.
Isn’t this remarkably good? With 60K monthly PV generating an estimated $5,000 in revenue, the RPM (Revenue Per Mille) calculation comes to about $5.60. This is a number that’s difficult to achieve with display advertising alone. Of course, the final confirmed revenue may vary due to cancellations, but these numbers are still very attractive.
Naturally, travel blogs benefit from readers with high purchase intent, but I’m genuinely surprised by this revenue performance.
Breaking Down the Numbers: What Types of Bookings Came In
Looking at Stay22’s dashboard, I can see the detailed breakdown of 46 bookings. What’s particularly interesting is that many bookings are for hotels I’ve featured in my blog or similar properties. This shows that people are actually reading my blog and using my recommendations for their bookings, which makes me incredibly happy.
Geographically, bookings are concentrated in Europe and Asia – regions I frequently cover in my blog. It’s gratifying to see concrete evidence that my content creation is genuinely influencing readers’ travel decisions.
Commission amounts range from $0.37 to $35.57, with higher commissions typically coming from longer stays and premium accommodations. However, it’s important to understand that these amounts are all current projections and may fluctuate due to cancellations or booking modifications.
Device-wise, mobile (phone) bookings dominate, which aligns with modern travel booking trends. Most bookings are CPA-type (cost per acquisition), ensuring revenue is properly generated on a conversion basis.
Unexpected Discovery: Flight Bookings Too
What surprised me was that multiple flight bookings occurred alongside accommodations. Each flight booking generates $0.6-$0.73 in commission, and these are also current projected amounts.
Stay22’s script apparently auto-converts not just accommodation links but flight-related links as well. This was an unexpected revenue source I hadn’t anticipated before implementation – a pleasant surprise.
Payment Structure: The Reality
Regarding payments, the currently withdrawable amount is $5.06. You might wonder, “You generated $336 but can only withdraw $5?” There are reasons for this. First, $336 represents current projected revenue, not final confirmed amounts.
Stay22’s payment timing is “7 days after checkout date,” and many bookings are still “PENDING” status as they’re for future stays. Only bookings where checkout has been completed become “READY” status and eligible for withdrawal.
Additionally, minimum withdrawal amounts are set at $100 for PayPal and $500 for wire transfers. At the current pace, I should reach $100 next month and receive my first payment.
Technical Aspect: LMA Script Was Truly “Automatic”
From a technical perspective, the LMA script has exceeded expectations. All 46 bookings show “LMA Script,” confirming that existing links are automatically converting to Stay22 routing without any manual link updates.
I simply pasted the code into my header during setup and haven’t done anything since. Yet I receive new booking notification emails almost daily – this is genuinely impressive.
The dashboard is user-friendly, providing easy access to Bookings, Analytics, Page Analytics, Payments, and other necessary information. Data transparency is excellent, allowing me to track which articles and links generated bookings.
Some Concerns, Being Honest
Of course, not everything is perfect. After four weeks of use, I’ve noticed some concerns.
First, some bookings have been cancelled. One case involved a $23.52 commission cancellation. While this is common in the travel industry, it’s an important example showing that projected revenue doesn’t always become confirmed revenue. This needs to be understood as a fluctuation factor.
Also, flight bookings don’t display accommodation names, making it unclear which supplier the booking came from. More detailed information would help with analysis, though this might be a luxury complaint.
Comparison with Direct Booking.com Partnership
Compared to the original direct Booking.com partnership, Stay22 excels in revenue source diversification. The risk of depending on a single company is reduced, and multiple OTAs automatically optimize to direct users to the best booking site.
Direct commission rate comparison is difficult, but overall revenue performance seems maintained or improved. However, this assessment is based on current projected revenue and needs reevaluation with final confirmed revenue. Most importantly, zero link update effort is an overwhelming advantage.
For Those Considering Stay22
Honestly, based on four weeks of experience, I can strongly recommend Stay22. Especially for travel bloggers troubled by Booking.com’s migration issue, I believe it will almost certainly deliver positive results.
However, there are several points to understand. Revenue confirmation requires checkout completion, and projected revenue may fluctuate due to cancellations or booking changes. This means immediate cash conversion isn’t possible. Also, the $100 minimum withdrawal amount means smaller bloggers may wait longer for their first payment.
Still, considering the projected revenue performance of $5,000 from 60K monthly PV, there’s no reason not to implement it. Of course, final confirmed revenue may vary due to cancellations, but these numbers remain quite attractive. If you’re interested, please register through this link.
Conclusion: Results Beyond Expectations
Four weeks after implementing Stay22, I’m honestly surprised by results exceeding expectations. The projected revenue performance of $336 from 60K PV, the convenience of utilizing existing links as-is, and risk distribution across multiple OTAs exceeded my imagination. However, I want to emphasize again that these revenues are current projected amounts and may fluctuate due to cancellations or booking changes.
I plan to receive my first payment next month, so I’ll report on the actual payment process then. I also intend to track longer-term performance over 3 months, 6 months, and beyond.
What began as turmoil from Booking.com’s forced migration notice has ultimately led to discovering a better solution. Fellow travel bloggers facing similar situations, let’s navigate this change together!
This report is based on my 4-week actual experience. Revenue may vary depending on individual sites and readership.
