Copy of Expedia Direct | Setup

Expedia Direct Connection Setup

Set up a Expedia Direct Connection with your BookingCenter PMS

The BookingCenter Expedia Direct Connection gives you with booking integration and automatic synchronization of availability, rates and restrictions. Set up is quick and easy in Expedia Partner Central with Expedia QuickConnect® (EQC) . Learn more at Expedia QuickConnect®: How does it Work

Follow these steps to get started

STEP 1: Create a support ticket with BookingCenter 

Go to support.bookingcenter.com and create a ticket with the Subject "Expedia Direct Connection".  We will communicate any neccessary clarifications, questions or issues to you on this ticket. Please do the same and we will have all correspondence in one place.Note: To set up an OTA direct connection, you must first be setup with with our Online Distribution. If you are not signed up, please complete the sign up steps at Online Distribution Enrollment |  First Step to Selling Online

STEP 2: Enroll with Expedia Partner Central 

Enroll directly with Expedia Partner Central at: joinexpediapartnercentral.com Work with your Expedia Market Manager to complete required set-up information. BookingCenter cannot assist with this process. Expedia will only work with the property directly until you have been accepted in their Direct Connect program.You will need to download and fill out EQC Enrollment Form - BookingCenter  to give to your Market Manager.

STEP 3: Determine these items with the Expedia Market Manager

1. Please tell your Market Manager that you are selecting BookingCenter.as your Expedia Quick Connect partner.

2. Setup Property and Room Type information such as, room type descriptions, images, amenities, etc. in the Expedia Partner Central extranet.

2. There are two Expedia Programs to participate in. You may choose one or both.  What you select will be communicated to BookingCenter directly by Expedia.

• Expedia Collect - Expedia will collect the monies from the guest and provides the hotel with a one-time use credit card.  The commissions owed to Expedia are collected on the front-end of the reservation by Expedia.  Property must participate in EQR. 

• Hotel Collect - Expedia gives a guest guarantee, but the hotel will collect the monies from the guest and then paying Expedia their commission after the reservation has been fulfilled.  Property must participate in ETR.

3. 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.

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

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 4: Establish an EQC Connection

Once you have finished the enrollment and setup steps, go to Establish an EQC Connection for step-by step instructions on how to activate your connection.