How does booking exploit smaller businesses? That wasn't my experience at all.
As I said I like using them for most of my travel, I just choose to book directly when using a smaller provider vs Hilton etc to lower the small operators overheads, much like I go and pickup my takeaway order to avoid using UberEats.
https://www.theguardian.com/travel/2023/nov/10/booking-com-t...
I also try to always give preference to small hotels by booking them directly, but most of them are foolish and give better rates and terms through booking, and hard headed about it. Doing the opposite of what they should do from a business sense.