Guest No-Shows: A Guide to Charging and Reporting in 2026

A typical summer scenario in Split or Dubrovnik: a reservation is confirmed, but the guest fails to appear at check-in. A no-show represents a direct loss of revenue and time for vacation rental hosts.

Most hosts face a guest no-show at least now and then. Resolving this issue requires speed, a solid understanding of platform rules, and strict compliance with local laws.

— 01The 24-Hour Rule: How Long to Wait for a Guest

Although the 24-hour waiting rule is frequently mentioned, on the Booking.com platform, a guest no-show can only be reported from midnight on the day following the scheduled arrival. Canceling a reservation before the platform's mandated deadline expires can result in host penalties.

There are numerous reasons for delays: canceled flights to Split Airport, border congestion, or car breakdowns. If your platform's rules require a 24-hour wait (e.g., from Monday at 2:00 PM), the property must remain ready and accessible until Tuesday at 2:00 PM.

During this period, it is advisable to try contacting the guest several times via the platform's official communication channel. Documented written communication is crucial in the event of a subsequent payment dispute. If the guest responds with a new arrival time, the reservation remains active.

— 02Communicating With Booking.com: How to Correctly Report a No-Show

Reporting a no-show on the Booking.com platform must be done exclusively through the extranet or the Pulse app, no later than about 48 hours after the planned check-out date (the extranet shows the exact deadline). A correct report cancels the commission for that reservation (commission is usually around 15% and depends on your contract and programmes such as Genius or Preferred).

The process is straightforward but highly time-sensitive. If a host forgets to click the no-show option, Booking.com will automatically charge the commission because the system assumes the stay was fully realized.

How to report a no-show in the extranet:

• Open the Reservations tab and select the specific guest
• Click the Mark as a no-show button
• Choose whether to charge the guest the no-show fee or waive it
• Confirm — no commission is charged for that reservation

— 03Charging a No-Show Reservation Through Pre-Authorization

The most secure way to get paid for a no-show is to secure funds before arrival — with a deposit or a card pre-authorization. A pre-authorization temporarily holds funds on the guest's account, but the hold only lasts a limited number of days (depending on the bank and card), so do it closer to the arrival date and only up to the amount your cancellation policy allows.

Many property managers in Istria and Dalmatia rely on cash payments upon arrival, which results in a 100% revenue loss during no-show situations. Utilizing a payment gateway solution or charging via Booking.com virtual credit cards (VCC) eliminates this risk. If a guest provides an invalid card, you can mark it as invalid in the extranet; if the guest doesn't provide a new one within the given time (usually 24 hours), you can cancel the reservation.

Comparison of payment security methods:

— 04Legal Background: eVisitor and Tourist Tax for No-Shows

If a guest has not physically arrived at the property, you do not register them in the eVisitor system, and there are no overnight stays on which the per-night tourist tax (turistička pristojba) is due. Registration in the eVisitor system is done using the guest's ID document after their actual arrival ^[1].

This rule frequently confuses hosts who successfully charge for a no-show reservation. Although you have collected cancellation fees, no physical stay occurred, meaning there is no obligation for tourist registration.

For hosts paying the annual flat-rate income tax (paušalni porez) and the tourist tax as a flat annual amount, a no-show does not change those amounts. Whether you must issue an invoice for a retained cancellation fee and how to record it depends on your status (flat-rate host, sole trader, VAT payer) — check with your accountant or the Croatian Tax Administration (Porezna uprava) ^[2].

— 05How to Prevent Future No-Show Situations

Stricter cancellation policies and mandatory deposits noticeably reduce no-shows in practice. Instead of fully flexible rules where a guest can cancel for free up to the arrival day, switching to partially non-refundable rates filters out uncommitted buyers.

Guests sometimes book three different apartments in Rovinj or Trogir on a flexible basis, only to show up at one. Systematic pre-arrival communication successfully disrupts this practice.

Effective prevention tactics include the following steps:

• Deposit collection: Requesting a 30% advance payment immediately upon reservation confirmation
• Non-refundable rates: Offering a 10% discount for bookings without refund rights
• Automated communication: Sending a message requesting the exact arrival time 48 hours before check-in
• Contact verification: Mandating an active WhatsApp or Viber phone number

Example: How the Numbers Work Out

Imagine a host in Makarska with an 800 EUR reservation for July, set for cash payment on arrival. The guest from Germany doesn't show up, and the contact number is unreachable. The host documents contact attempts through the platform and marks the no-show in the extranet.

Thanks to timely reporting, the host avoids paying commission (at 15%, that would be 120 EUR). However, without a card pre-authorization or deposit, the reservation revenue itself is lost.

The goal of every professional host is to minimize this type of financial blow. By combining clear policies, pre-authorization, and strict adherence to extranet procedures, revenue stability is ensured even when the apartment remains empty.