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Section

Setting up a Booking.com Direct Connection with MyPMS

Follow the steps below to assure your successful enrollment in the XML Interface in between Booking.com and BookingCenter.  We are here to assist, but please note that the initial steps are between your property and Booking.com. 

STEP 1: Create a support ticket with the Subject "Interested in Booking.com Direct Connection". 

We will communicate any necessary clarifications, questions or issues to you on this ticket. Please do the same and we will have all correspondence in one place.

STEP 2: Set up an account with Booking.com If you already have a Booking.com account, continue to Step 3.

To set up a Booking.com account:

  • Enroll directly with Booking.com via their Direct Connect Program by filling out the necessary paperwork found at: https://admin.bookings.org/hotelreg/which-country.html.
  • Work with your Booking.com Market Manager to complete required set-up information. BookingCenter cannot assist with this process. Booking.com will only work with the property directly until you have been accepted in their Direct Connect program.
  • Go to Step 3 for steps to be completed with the Market Manager.

STEP 3: Please complete these steps with the Booking.com Market Manager

  • Please tell your Market Manager that you are participating in their Direct Connect program using BookingCenter as Provider ID: 477.
  • You need all your room rates based on Double Occupancy and all other rates will be derived from those.  If you have different rates for a single guest, please define that with your Market Manager.  If you have different rates for more than 2 guests, please define that with your Market Manager.
  • You need to turn OFF the auto-replenish for two settings:  for cancellations AND for closed-out rooms.  For smaller properties especially, this is key to control potential overbookings.
  • If you have any current promotional programs through Booking.com, you will need to suspend those until our Booking.com Direct Connection is confirmed.

NOTE: Once this is completed, the Booking.com team will activate the ‘Channel Manager’ link on your Booking.com extranet

STEP 4: Start the XML Signup Process in your Booking.com Extranet

  1. Go to Property Info, in the left menu under Property Level, click on Channel Manager. When it says "if you already have a channel management provider", Click Start .
  2. Step 1 - Select Your Provider: In "Search for Providers", enter and select BookingCenter. The Channel Manager Provider is BookingCenter (477).
  3. Select Connection Type: "Two-way Reservations and Availability"
  4. Click Next to complete Step 2. Once Step 2 is completed, BookingCenter will receive an email to request connection and mapping.

STEP 5: Complete Mapping and Activate Connection

  1. BookingCenter will create a new Agent Channel - BKGDIR which will appear in Agent Relationships.
  2. We will complete mapping in the BKGDIR Channel based on the Room Types and Rates mapped in your Booking.com Extranet. Please be sure that these are correct in your Booking.com Extranet.
  3. While we are completing the mapping, you can check the status of the connection request in the Booking.com extranet under the "Channel Manager" link.
  4. Once mapping is complete, BookingCenter will confirm the connection and you will receive an email notification to activate the connection. See Step 5.

STEP 6: Activate Connection

  1. You will receive email notification that the connection has been confirmed and given instructions on how to activate the XML connection.
  2. To activate the connection, Go to Property Info, in the left menu under Property Level, click on Channel Manager.  In Step 4 - Confirm, click the blue button "I Confirm..." to activate the XML connection.
  3. When BookingCenter receives notification that your connection is activated, then we will upload rates and availabilty and you will be LIVE.

When all six steps have been completed, your connection will be LIVE.

Remember, that you need to confirm to activate the connection in Step 6.

Things you should know about Promotional Programs

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Expedia Direct Connection Activation Steps

If you already have enrolled with Expedia and set up  youraccount setup, you are ready to start the connection process to your BookingCenter software. 

If you need to enroll with Expedia Partner Central, go to  Expedia | New Account Setup

Find answers to questions on managing rates, availability and more on your BookingCenter PMS at Expedia Direct Connection FAQ | Bookings, Availability, Rates

For help with Expedia Partner Central, go to Expedia Partner Central Help

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STEP 1: Please complete these items with your Expedia Market Manager (to be completed by property)

  • Be sure that all rates on all your rooms should be set to "Occupancy Based", NOT "Pricing per day".
  • Review the Room Type descriptions set up the in the Expedia Extranet. The descriptions can be different in the  Expedia Extranet than they are in BookingCenter since we will map by Room Type ID. We will just need to know which matches to the MyPMS Room Type ID if the descriptions are different.
  • There are several Expedia Programs to participate in and that BookingCenter supports. What you select will be communicated to BookingCenter directly by Expedia. See Expedia programs. 
  • There are two options for price structure:

    • Sell Rate-  You will sell your rooms to Expedia at your Standard Rate.  There is no negative Net Loading on your rate.  Instead, you will enter a contract with Expedia that will define the percentage of commission you will pay Expedia after the reservation has been checked-out.

    • Net Rate-  This is also referred to as Expedia’s Merchant Model.  (If you want to sell on Travelocity, you have to participate on this program.)  You will sell your rooms “wholesale” to Expedia by negatively net loading your Standard Rate.  This is done in your MyPMS Agent Relationships.  You will need to discount your room approximately 20-25% (-20 or -25 in the Net Loading column).  Expedia will not charge you a commission in the rear of the reservation.  Instead they will sell your room for what they can get and keep the difference.

  • Promotional Programs:  We recommend that you begin first with the standard programs with Expedia: ‘Expedia QuickConnect Room ’ or ‘Expedia Hotel Collect Room ’ until you have experience managing the Expedia agent, and then add additional programs when/if needed

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NOTE: If you are already 'live' in Expedia, it is VERY important that you continue to manage the Expedia Partner Central manually until you hear that the BookingCenter interface has been 'certified' by Expedia.  A closing message will be updated to your Support Ticket to denote the time when the interface is completed.  At that time, the rate and availability will come from BookingCenter.  However, until you hear from us, Expedia will be pulling rates and availability from the Expedia Partner Central.  These reservations will not automatically download into your BookingCenter software.

STEP 2: Establish an Expedia Quick Connection (EQC) Connection (to be completed by property)

Once you have finished setup steps, you need to establish BookingCenter as your system provider.  

  • Go to Expedia | EQC Connection forstep-by step instructions on how to choose BookingCenter as your Expedia Quick Connect System Provider.
  • After this is submitted BookingCenter will receive notification and complete the mapping in

 STEP 3: Complete Mapping and Activation (to be completed by BookingCenter)

  1. BookingCenter will create a new Agent Channel according to the Expedia program in which you are enrolled: Agent EXPDIRHC=Expedia Hotel Connect and EXPDIRHC= Expedia Collect. These agents and the Room Type/Rate allocated will appear in Agent Relationships.See MyPMS Agent Allocations 
  2. We will complete mapping to the Expedia Agent in MyPMS based on the Room Types and Rates mapped in your Expedia Partner Central. Please be sure that these are correct in your Expedia Partner Central. 
  3. Once mapping is complete, BookingCenter will update your rates and availability and your connection will be active.  
  4. You will receive email notification that the connection has been activated. Please check your Extranet for any discrepancies with room types, rates or availability. 
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  • Booking.com offers numerous promotions and as we progress, you will need to communicate to your Market Manager that in order for the connection to work, you MUST ONLY use their "Instant Promo Mapping based on the Standard Rate."  If you do any other promotional tool, including the Booking.com Promo Wizard, these promotions will not be mapped to your BookingCenter software, and this can lead to overbookings.  Please note that these Instant Promo Mappings will assume the policies of your Standard Rate, as set in Booking.com.  
  • If done correctly, BookingCenter will never handle your promotions or the details of your promotions.  Instead they will flow into your MyPMS with the same agent as Standard Rate.  However, you will see the promo reflected in the price you set inside Booking.com for the promo.
  • For example, a stay 3 nights, save 30% is perfect because the 30% discount will be based on the Standard Rate that is already loaded, and will dynamically be applied when booking 3 nights inside Booking.com.  Please know that any other ways to set promotional rates will NOT work correctly from your BookingCenter software via the interface.  If you have any promotional questions, those need to be addressed with your Booking.com Market Manager.  

Once again, if you have any current promotions with Booking.com prior to your interface with Booking.com, you need to put those on hold during the interface. After your interface has been validated, you can then make use of the "Instant Promo Mapping based on the Standard Rate" to set promotional programs within Booking.com.

 * Desktop PMS Customers, please visit:  https://support.bookingcenter.com/index.php?/Knowledgebase/Article/View/598

 

 

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