1. What Is Commission?

Commission is a set percentage of the total booking amount that StayWorld Bookings charges for each reservation received through the Platform. It includes the room or property rate as well as any additional mandatory fees you charge - such as cleaning fees, service fees, and fees collected for no-shows or cancellations - and is applied once the Guest checks out.

In return for this commission, Partners gain access to:

• Listing visibility across StayWorld Bookings's Guest audience in Uganda and internationally.
• A fully hosted, mobile-optimised booking page at no extra cost.
• Automated booking confirmation and guest communication tools.
• Booking management, availability control, and analytics in the Partner dashboard.
• StayWorld Bookings's dispute mediation and fraud protection infrastructure.
• Payment processing via Mobile Money and card networks.

2. Commission-Based Model & Principles

StayWorld Bookings follows the same core commission principles as globally recognised platforms. Our model is built on the following principles:

• Price integrity - the price you set is the price Guests pay. StayWorld Bookings does not mark up your listed price for Guests. Commission is deducted from your payout, not added on top of the Guest's price.
• Simplicity - a single percentage applies per booking. There are no hidden listing fees, no setup charges, and no monthly subscription fees for standard Partner accounts.
• Performance alignment - we earn only when you earn. Our incentive is to bring you more bookings, not to charge you when you don't receive them.
• Transparency - your commission rate is disclosed in your Partner Agreement, visible in your Partner dashboard Finance tab, and itemised on every monthly invoice.
• Fairness - commission is waived in circumstances where you do not receive payment from the Guest (e.g., waived no-shows, invalid payment methods). See Section 5.

3. Commission Rates

StayWorld Bookings's standard base commission rate is 15% of the total booking amount. This is consistent with the global hospitality platform standard (Booking.com's global average commission is approximately 15%). The exact rate applicable to your property is confirmed in your Partner Agreement signed at registration.

3.1 Rate Variation

Your applicable commission rate may vary based on the following factors:

To find your specific rate, check the Finance tab in your Partner dashboard or refer to your Partner Agreement. If you have questions about your rate, contact support@stayworld.app.

3.2 Commission Calculation Example

Below is an example of how commission is calculated on a completed booking:

Commission is not charged on local government taxes (city tax, tourism levy) that are collected and remitted directly to the relevant authority. See Section 6.

4. What Commission Is Charged On

Commission is charged on the total amount you collect from the Guest for the reservation. This includes:

• Confirmed stays - the Guest has checked out and paid. Commission is charged on the full amount collected.
• Non-refundable bookings - commission is charged regardless of whether the Guest actually stayed at the property, because you collected (or are entitled to collect) the booking amount.
• Partially refundable bookings - commission is charged on the amount retained (not refunded) after the cancellation.
• No-show charges - where you charge the Guest a no-show fee, commission applies to that fee.
• Post-free-cancellation-period cancellations - where the Guest cancels after the free cancellation window and you collect a cancellation fee, commission applies.
• Overbookings - commission is charged because the property was made available on the Platform and a Guest made a booking in good faith. See Section 13.

5. When Commission Is Waived

You will not be charged commission in the following situations:

• Waived cancellation fees - you choose to waive the cancellation or no-show charge for a non-refundable or partially refundable booking. If you do not collect any amount from the Guest, no commission is due.
• Marked no-shows (with waived fee) - you mark the Guest as a no-show in the StayWorld Bookings Partner dashboard within 48 hours of the check-in date and choose to waive the no-show fee. If you mark a no-show but still charge the Guest, commission applies to the amount charged.
• Invalid or uncollectable payment - the Guest's payment method is invalid, you were unable to charge them, and you report this in the Partner dashboard within the required window. No amount was collected, so no commission is owed.
• New Partner overbooking grace - overbookings that occur within the first 30 days of your property going live on StayWorld Bookings, or where you have had fewer than 5 overbookings in the preceding 12 months. See Section 13.

6. Commission on Taxes & Fees

6.1 Local Government Taxes - No Commission

StayWorld Bookings does not charge commission on local government taxes - such as Uganda's tourism levy or any applicable city/district tax - that are collected and remitted directly to the Uganda Revenue Authority (URA) or a local government body. These must be disclosed separately in the listing and at checkout.

6.2 VAT - Commission Applies

Where VAT is included in the Guest-facing booking amount (i.e., the total amount the Guest pays at checkout includes VAT), commission is charged on that VAT-inclusive amount, in line with standard platform practice and applicable Ugandan tax law. Partners who are VAT-registered should account for this in their pricing and VAT return filings. We recommend consulting a qualified accountant or the Uganda Revenue Authority for guidance specific to your situation.

6.3 Optional Add-Ons & Fees

Optional add-ons offered at checkout (e.g., airport transfers, guided tours, meals) that are pre-paid through the Platform are included in the total booking amount for commission purposes. Optional services paid directly by the Guest to the Partner outside the Platform checkout are not subject to commission.

6.4 Cleaning & Resort Fees

Mandatory cleaning fees, resort fees, and similar charges that are disclosed at checkout and collected as part of the total booking amount are included in the commission calculation. Fees that are charged directly by the Partner at the property (outside of the Platform checkout) are not subject to Platform commission.

7. Visibility Programmes & Boosted Commission

7.1 Preferred Partner Programme

Partners who opt into the StayWorld Bookings Preferred Partner Programme agree to a higher commission rate (typically +3% to 5% above their base rate) in exchange for enhanced visibility in search results, a "Preferred" badge on their listing, and eligibility for priority placement in StayWorld Bookings promotional campaigns.

Participation in the Preferred Partner Programme is voluntary and can be reviewed or withdrawn with 30 days' written notice to StayWorld Bookings. The higher commission applies only to bookings made while participation is active.

7.2 Visibility Booster

Partners may opt into time-limited Visibility Booster campaigns, where they agree to a temporarily elevated commission rate for a defined period in exchange for increased search ranking and promotional exposure. The commission rate and campaign duration are agreed in advance and do not affect bookings outside the campaign period.

7.3 How to Check Your Programme Participation

You can view your current programme participation and total applicable commission rate in the Boost Performance section of your Partner dashboard. If your invoice shows a commission rate higher than your base rate, check this section first before contacting support.

8. Monthly Invoice Cycle

8.1 Invoice Generation

Commission is invoiced on a monthly basis. At the beginning of each month, StayWorld Bookings generates and sends a commission invoice covering all reservations whose Guest check-out date fell within the previous calendar month.

Example: A Guest checks in on 31 January and checks out on 1 February. The commission for this reservation is included in the March invoice (covering February check-outs), not the February invoice.

8.2 Invoice Delivery

Commission invoices are:

• Sent to the Partner's primary registered email address.
• Available in the Finance tab of the Partner dashboard, with a detailed per-reservation breakdown.
• Generated on either the 3rd or 6th of the month, depending on your location, one day after the reservation reconciliation window closes.

8.3 Reconciliation Window

Partners have until the 2nd or 5th of the following month (depending on location) to mark any reservation changes in the Partner dashboard - including no-shows, cancellations, and date modifications - before the invoice is generated. Changes marked after the invoice is generated will be reflected in the following month's invoice.

9. Reviewing Reservations Before Invoicing

Partners are expected to review all reservations listed on their upcoming invoice before it is generated. This is your responsibility under the StayWorld Bookings Partner Agreement. To avoid being charged commission on reservations that should be exempt (e.g., no-shows where the fee was waived), you must:

• Log into the Partner dashboard before the reconciliation window closes.
• Mark all relevant no-shows, cancellations, and date changes within 48 hours of check-out.
• Verify that the reservation status and collected amounts shown are accurate.

StayWorld Bookings will send a reminder notification to Partners in the days preceding the reconciliation window close. It is your responsibility to act on this reminder.

10. How to Pay Your Invoice

10.1 Automatic Deduction from Payouts

Where StayWorld Bookings collects payment on your behalf (i.e., the Guest pays through the Platform), commission is automatically deducted from your monthly payout before disbursement. In this case, you will receive the net payout amount and the invoice is settled automatically - you do not need to make a separate payment.

10.2 Manual Invoice Payment (Pay-on-Arrival Bookings)

Where you use a pay-on-arrival arrangement and collect payment directly from the Guest, you are responsible for paying the commission invoice manually. Available payment methods for invoice settlement:

Invoice payment instructions, including the StayWorld Bookings bank transfer details and mobile money payment number, are included on each invoice and in the Finance tab of your Partner dashboard.

10.3 Payment Due Date

Commission invoices are due within 14 days of the invoice date. Late payment may result in the consequences described in Section 11.

11. Unpaid Invoices

If a commission invoice remains unpaid beyond the due date, StayWorld Bookings may:

• Temporarily reduce your listing's visibility in search results.
• Temporarily suspend the listing from accepting new bookings until the outstanding balance is cleared.
• Deduct overdue commission amounts from future payouts where StayWorld Bookings is processing Guest payments on your behalf.
• Charge a late payment fee as specified in your Partner Agreement.
• Refer the outstanding balance to a collections process if it remains unpaid for more than 60 days.

To reinstate a suspended listing, log into the Partner dashboard, go to the Finance tab, and settle all outstanding invoice balances. Your listing will typically be reinstated within 1 business day of payment being confirmed.

If you are experiencing financial difficulty and cannot meet an invoice payment, contact support@stayworld.app before the due date to discuss a payment arrangement. StayWorld Bookings will make reasonable efforts to accommodate Partners in genuine financial hardship on a case-by-case basis.

12. Disputing a Commission Charge

12.1 Grounds for Dispute

You may dispute a commission charge if you believe:

• A reservation included in your invoice was not validly completed (e.g., the Guest did not stay and you did not collect any amount).
• A commission rate higher than your contracted rate was applied.
• A reservation was included in your invoice twice (duplicate charge).
• A waived no-show or cancellation was incorrectly included.
• A technical error resulted in an incorrect commission calculation.

12.2 How to Raise a Dispute

To dispute a commission charge, contact support@stayworld.app within 30 days of the invoice date with:

• Your invoice number and the specific reservation reference(s) you are disputing.
• A clear explanation of why you believe the commission charge is incorrect.
• Any supporting evidence (e.g., screenshot of waived fee, no-show marking, booking cancellation record).

StayWorld Bookings will acknowledge your dispute within 2 business days and aim to resolve it within 10 business days. Disputes raised after 30 days of the invoice date may not be accepted.

12.3 Dispute Outcome

If your dispute is upheld, the adjusted amount will be credited against your next invoice. StayWorld Bookings does not issue cash refunds for commission; credits are applied to future invoices. If your dispute is not upheld, StayWorld Bookings will provide a written explanation of the reasons.

13. Commission & Overbookings

Commission is charged on overbookings because the room or property was made available on the Platform and a Guest made a reservation in good faith. Overbookings - regardless of whether they arise from a calendar management error or a double-booking - are treated as confirmed reservations for commission purposes.

In addition to the commission charge, Partners who overbooking a confirmed Guest are required to cover reasonable Guest relocation costs (e.g., cost of equivalent or superior accommodation for the number of nights affected), as set out in the Partner Booking Policy.

13.1 New Partner Grace Period

Commission is waived on overbookings where:

• Your property has been live on StayWorld Bookings for fewer than 30 days at the time of the overbooking, OR
• You have had fewer than 5 overbookings in the preceding 12 months.

This grace period is designed to allow new Partners time to establish reliable calendar management practices. It does not waive the obligation to cover Guest relocation costs.

13.2 Preventing Overbookings

Partners are strongly advised to keep their availability calendar accurate and up to date at all times. StayWorld Bookings provides calendar management tools in the Partner dashboard. Persistent overbookings may result in account review, listing restrictions, or removal from the Platform.

14. Commission Rate Changes

StayWorld Bookings reserves the right to amend its standard commission rates. Any change to commission rates will be communicated to affected Partners via:

• Email to the Partner's primary registered email address.
• An in-app notification in the Partner dashboard.

StayWorld Bookings will provide at least 30 days' advance notice of any commission rate increase. Rate changes apply only to bookings made on or after the effective date of the change. Existing confirmed bookings are not affected - the commission rate that applied at the time of booking confirmation remains in force for that booking.

Rate reductions may be applied immediately and without prior notice, to the benefit of Partners.

15. Contact

For all commission-related questions, invoice disputes, or payment arrangements:

StayWorld Bookings reserves the right to update this Commission Policy at any time. The effective date at the top of this page reflects the most recent revision. Material changes will be notified to Partners with at least 30 days' advance notice.