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HOSPITALITY GLOSSARY DEFINITION

Return On Ad Spend (ROAS)

Reviewed: 2026-10-10 ยท Authority: Scale My Hotel Advisory ยท Verified Standards
PLAIN-ENGLISH DEFINITION

Return On Ad Spend (ROAS) measures the gross booking revenue generated for every currency unit invested in paid digital advertising campaigns.

CALCULATION FORMULA & UNIT MEASURE ROAS = Gross Direct Booking Revenue from Ads / Total Ad Spend

Why It Matters for Independent Operators

ROAS quantifies advertising efficiency. A campaign delivering 8x ROAS generates โ‚น80,000 in gross direct bookings for every โ‚น10,000 invested in advertising.

Practical Scenario & Calculation

Illustrative Scenario

[Illustrative Scenario] A resort invests โ‚น25,000 in targeted Google Search ads and tracks โ‚น2,25,000 in direct confirmed bookings. ROAS = โ‚น2,25,000 / โ‚น25,000 = 9.0x.

How Operators Can Apply This Concept

Set target ROAS thresholds based on your OTA commission rate. If OTA commission is 20%, an ad campaign must achieve greater than 5x ROAS to be more cost-effective than third-party distribution.

Common Misunderstanding to Avoid

ROAS measures top-line revenue, not net profit. An 8x ROAS on a low-margin package can be less profitable than a 5x ROAS on a high-margin extended stay villa.

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Methodology & Source Standards: Digital Performance Marketing Industry Standards.

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