SSL certification renewal and root CA updateCopy link

As part of our ongoing commitment to security and compliance, we will renew the SSL certificate for our API endpoints and update the root certificate authority (root CA) that signs the certificate by the end of the year.

Affected APIs:

• Availability and Rates API
• Booking Notification API
• Booking Retrieval and Booking Confirmation APIs
• Deposit API
• Image API
• Product API
• Property API
• PARR API

If you experience SSL handshake errors for any of the above-mentioned APIs, please follow these steps:

1. Update your system to trust the new certificate authority. Steps to do this vary depending on your system and how it is configured. This may involve updating your runtime environment or system libraries.
2. If needed, you can download the new root CAs from DigiCert`'s website. Look for the "DigiCert TLS RSA SHA256 2020 CA1" and "DigiCert Global Root CA" links.
3. Consult your system administrator or IT support team to address any specific configuration issues.

If you have any issues calling our APIs after certificate deployment, contact your TRM or our technical solutions team for assistance.

Updated Expedia Collect model and changes to API specificationCopy link

The updated Expedia Collect model is expected to launch in the following markets on 8 October 2024 (countries and launch date are subject to change):

• India
• Iraq
• Jordan
• Lebanon
• Palestinian Territories
• St. Lucia
• Yemen
• Zambia

We will begin to communicate these updates with all lodging partners from these markets. To accommodate this new experience ahead of time, we strongly recommend all connectivity partners adopt/validate their reservation output or display on respective system(s) with their connectivity point-of-contact in Expedia Group.

Connectivity partners should be aware in the event where full adoption or verified validation of the updated Expedia Collect model is not completed ahead of market launches, this will negatively impact properties' reservations and reconciliation experiences.

The following is a list of markets where updated Expedia Collect is currently live:

• Albania
• Algeria
• Angola
• Anguilla
• Antigua and Barbuda
• Argentina
• Armenia
• Aruba
• Australia
• Azerbaijan
• Bahamas
• Bangladesh
• Barbados
• Belarus
• Belize
• Benin
• Bermuda
• Bhutan
• Bolivia
• Bonaire, Sint Eustatius and Saba
• Bosnia and Herzegovina
• Botswana
• British Virgin Islands
• Brunei
• Burkina Faso
• Burundi
• Cambodia
• Cameroon
• Cape Verde
• Cayman Islands
• Central African Republic
• Chad
• Chile
• Christmas Island
• Cocos Islands
• Colombia
• Comoros
• Cook Islands
• Cote d'ivoire
• Cuba
• Curacao
• Democratic Republic of the Congo
• Djibouti
• Dominica
• East Timor (Timor-Leste)
• Ecuador
• Egypt
• El Salvador
• Equatorial Guinea
• Eritrea
• Eswatini
• Ethiopia
• Falkland Islands
• Federated States of Micronesia
• French Guiana
• French Polynesia
• Gabon
• Gambia
• GCC (United Arab Emirates, Saudi Arabia, Bahrain, Kuwait, Oman, Qatar)
• Ghana
• Georgia
• Grenada
• Guatemala
• Guinea
• Guinea-Bissau
• Guyana
• Haiti
• Honduras
• Hong Kong SAR
• Iceland
• Indonesia
• Israel
• Japan
• Kazakhstan
• Kenya
• Kiribati
• Kyrgyzstan
• Laos
• Lesotho
• Liberia
• Libya
• Macau SAR
• Madagascar
• Malawi
• Malaysia
• Mali
• Marshall Islands
• Mauritania
• Mayotte
• Mexico
• Moldova
• Mongolia
• Montenegro
• Montserrat
• Morocco
• Mozambique
• Myanmar
• Namibia
• Nauru
• Nepal
• New Caledonia
• New Zealand
• Nicaragua
• Niger
• Niue
• Norfolk Island
• North Macedonia
• Norway
• Pakistan
• Palau
• Panama
• Papua New Guinea
• Paraguay
• Peru
• Republic of the Congo
• Russia
• Rwanda
• Samoa
• Sao Tome and Principe
• Senegal
• Serbia
• Seychelles
• Sierra Leone
• Singapore
• Solomon Islands
• Somalia
• South Africa
• South Korea
• South Sudan
• St. Barthelemy
• St. Helena, Ascension and Tristan da Cunha
• St. Kitts and Nevis
• St. Maarten
• St. Martin
• St. Vincent and the Grenadines
• Sudan
• Suriname
• Tajikistan
• Tanzania
• Thailand
• Togo
• Tonga
• Trinidad and Tobago
• Tunisia
• Turkmenistan
• Turkey
• Tuvalu
• Uganda
• Ukraine
• Uruguay
• Uzbekistan
• Vanuatu
• Venezuela
• Vietnam
• Wallis and Futuna
• Western Sahara
• Zimbabwe

Frequently asked questions (FAQs)

• What is updated Expedia Collect and its key benefits?

  Updated Expedia Collect provides more transparency and critical information on the pricing breakdown and amounts involved, such as the exact amount for properties to collect from Expedia Group, and vice versa the remittance amount to Expedia Group, amongst other details. In short, updated Expedia Collect greatly improves properties' billing and remittance experiences.

• The updated Expedia Collect experience will replace the Net rates provided by Expedia Collect reservations with the full reservation amount (i.e. total amount paid by the traveler) regardless of remittance type a property is on (e.g. Gross or Net).

  Eligible connectivity partners participating in the Connectivity Partner Program may also be recognized on full adoption as well as communicating with properties on updated Expedia Collect.

• What if I don't work with or partially work with properties in these markets?

  Updated Expedia Collect is a global initiative with additional markets planned for 2023 and beyond. We strongly recommend a complete adoption or validation ahead of time to ensure a continued smooth experience for properties.

  While newly introduced fields are only available for properties in markets where updated Expedia Collect is live, your system should be able to handle reservations both with and without the enhancements.

  Please contact your connectivity point-of-contact in Expedia Group to ascertain how reservations would be displayed in these different scenarios. Alternatively, you may also refer to the respective Booking API (either Booking Retrieval OR Booking Notification) to understand these differences.

• What if I am unable to adopt the enhancements?

  If for unforeseen circumstances where verified adoption/validation of updated Expedia Collect is not possible for properties in upcoming/launched markets, remittance instructions are accessible from the SpecialRequest attribute (i.e. <SpecialRequest code="5">, see here for Booking Retrieval or Booking Notification) in text form regardless of adoption status.

  We are still required to pass along the base rate inclusive of compensation and applicable taxes/fees applied in the Booking XML payload. Additional details will always be available in Expedia Partner Central if needed.

• What is the recommended timeline, and what does the certification process involve?

  We recommend full completion of adoption/validation minimally 14 working days prior to launch date in ensuring sufficient time for respective teams to holistically review and provide guidance.

  The adoption/validation process consists of test reservations with variations of newly introduced fields. Please contact your connectivity point-of-contact in Expedia Group on any testing requirements.

• If I had adopted these enhancements previously, what action should I take?

  If the certification process had been verified with your connectivity point-of-contact in Expedia Group, there are no further actions required. Connected properties can leverage on the updated Expedia Collect experience as soon as it is launched in additional markets.

Announcing 2026 Connectivity Partner Program benefits and qualification metricsCopy link

We are excited to announce the new qualification metrics and benefits of Expedia Group's 2026 Connectivity Partner Program to give our connectivity partners a head start on working towards securing Elite or Preferred status.

Running for the fifth consecutive year, the Program is designed to recognize, promote and reward top connectivity partners in the Expedia Group marketplace. We made some changes to our qualification metrics to help our partners grow and achieve great results. And the reward is better than ever before!

See qualification metrics we're measuring in 2025 for achieving a status in 2026.

Don't miss your chance to participate in the Connectivity Partner Program. Contact your Account Manager today for details or email us at connectivitypartner@expediagroup.com.

Introducing aggregate review scoresCopy link

We are thrilled to announce that we have improved the ability to manage post-booking review communication for lodging partners through updates to the reviews capability of our Lodging Supply GraphQL API. With this release, lodging partners will gain deep insight into aggregate review scores for their properties that will help them improve their performance and stand out in our marketplace.

What’s new for the reviews capability?

You can now query the average review score for a property, including all rating categories, and you can filter reviews by one or more Expedia Group points of sale.

Want to learn more?

Explore documentation: Reviews via API

Introducing messaging via APICopy link

We’re excited to announce the release of the messaging capability in our Lodging Supply GraphQL API. This provides software providers with a set of features that will greatly simplify lodging partners' ability to manage traveler communication and increase traveler trust.

What can you expect from messaging via API?

• Retrieve message threads for a property
• Retrieve a message thread or message by ID
• Add a message to a message thread

Ready to get started?

Explore documentation: Messaging via API

Announcing 2025 Connectivity Partner Program benefits and qualification metricsCopy link

We are excited to announce the new qualification metrics and benefits of Expedia Group's 2025 Connectivity Partner Program to give our connectivity partners a head start on working towards securing Elite or Preferred status.

Running for the fourth consecutive year, the Program is designed to recognize, promote and reward top connectivity partners in the Expedia Group marketplace. We made some changes to our qualification metrics to help our partners grow and achieve great results. And the reward is better than ever before!

See qualification metrics we're measuring in 2024 for achieving a status in 2025.

Don't miss your chance to participate in the Connectivity Partner Program. Contact your Account Manager today for details or email us at connectivitypartner@expediagroup.com.

Introducing reviews via APICopy link

The release of the reviews capability of our GraphQL API will bring a comprehensive set of tools to connectivity providers looking to streamline their reputation management process. This capability will allow lodging partners to easily manage and gain insights from their reviews.

What can you expect from reviews via API?

• Retrieve reviews for multiple properties by property and unit ID.
• Easily respond to traveler reviews within software for a given property.
• Receive real-time notifications when a traveler leaves a review for a given property.

Refer to the documentation for full details.

Announcing 2024 Connectivity Partner Program benefits and qualification metricsCopy link

We are excited to announce the new qualification metrics and benefits of Expedia Group's 2024 Connectivity Partner Program to give our connectivity partners a head start on working towards securing Elite or Preferred status.

Running for the third consecutive year, the Program is designed to recognize, promote and reward top connectivity partners in the Expedia Group marketplace. We made some changes to our qualification metrics to help our partners grow and achieve great results. And the reward is better than ever before!

See qualification metrics and benefits for 2024.

Our 2022 Elite partners endorsed the Program for its market-leading quality and engagement:

"Prefer this program to others in the industry." - Sabre

"In recent years, I feel like even more care and attention is provided with the introduction of the partner program. Where other providers seem to have slacked off in their engagement with us, Expedia has stepped it up." - SHR

Don't miss your chance to participate in the Connectivity Partner Program. Contact your Account Manager today for details or email us at connectivitypartner@expediagroup.com.

Introducing property status via API and compliance via APICopy link

The bundled release of property status and compliance within our Lodging Supply GraphQL API brings a robust set of capabilities to software providers looking to onboard and validate their properties faster. These new capabilities will automate the process of checking active property status and retrieving content and compliance requirements in your software.

What can you expect from property status via API?

1. Go live with new properties faster
2. Reduce call volume to your support teams about questions
3. Provide actionable tools so partners can self-serve
4. Allow partners to maintain visibility into the current state of their listings

What can you expect from compliance via API?

1. Manage Expedia Group regulatory information in one place within software for a given property or jurisdiction (excluding Japan)
2. Provide real-time requirements for a given property or jurisdiction (excluding Japan)
3. Assist in validating status against Expedia Group requirements automatically
4. Increase operational efficiency by streamlining and enhancing the Expedia Group onboarding process

Ready to get started?

Explore documentation: Property status via API and Compliance via API.

Quarterly performance scorecards are now available onlineCopy link

We are making progress on improving the experience for our connectivity partners by making it easier to access performance metrics with Expedia Group. Starting today, quarterly scorecards are available online and can be accessed at any time!

How to access quarterly performance scorecards:

1. Go to https://developers.expediagroup.com/supply/lodging/scorecard
2. Enter SYS_ username and password
3. If asked, complete the two-factor authentication, which is tied to the system administrator’s email and phone number
4. Review your Q3 scorecard

Your online quarterly scorecard will be updated a few weeks after the end of each quarter, and data from previous quarters will be available to allow partners to compare their performance metrics over time. We recommend partners bookmark the scorecard login page for future reference.

As we approach the end of the year, we encourage all eligible partners to review the 2023 Connectivity Partner Program qualifying metrics and use scorecard data to track their progress toward earning status next year.

Partners who do not have access to their system login information or have multiple system logins and are unable to access their online scorecard can email us at connectivitypartner@expediagroup.com for support.

Update to Connectivity Partner Program 2023 qualification metricsCopy link

We are updating two qualification metrics for the 2023 Connectivity Partner Program out of an abundance of concern for isolated data issues we have identified.

• Connectivity activation time will not be measured during Q1 and Q2 2022 as a performance metric to qualify for the 2023 Connectivity Partner Program. However, we have corrected the issue and connectivity activation time will be measured for Q3 and Q4 2022.
• API usage will no longer be counted as a performance metric to qualify for the 2023 Connectivity Partner Program.

Learn more about the Connectivity Partner Program and qualification metrics here.

New search and sort factors coming soon to Expedia Group sitesCopy link

Our shared ambition is to deliver great experiences across the entire traveler journey on Expedia Group. To help achieve it, we are taking the first steps to reimagine our marketplace. As a valued connectivity partner, we are excited to work with you to bring this vision to life.

• Making the traveler experience a key driver of visibility: Starting in August, properties’ position in search results will be impacted by factors related to the strength of their offer and the guest experience they provide.
• Adding new tools in Partner Central: Properties can now view personalized opportunities and recommendations to improve their search and sort factors in Partner Central. Learn more here.

Contact connectivitypartner@expediagroup.com for more information about how our new search and sort factors may impact your connected properties’ performance on Expedia Group.

Introducing new brand guidelinesCopy link

Here at Expedia Group, we’re proud to have one the strongest brand families in the travel industry. After all, we’ve spent countless hours meticulously crafting each brand and its reputation. But to maintain our position in the industry, it’s important that our brands’ visual and written identities are consistent, even on our connectivity partners’ websites and marketing materials.

To help you use our brands correctly when displaying them alongside your own, we’ve developed a new set of brand guidelines.

About the guide

Our new guide outlines how to use Expedia Group and our family of brands’ logos in a variety of contexts with visual examples.

Download the updated Expedia Group Brand Guidelines here.

Questions?

If you have any questions about the guide, please reach out to your account manager.

Agreement

By using the Expedia Group family trademarks and resources, you agree to follow the direction in our brand guidelines, our Terms of Use, and all other Expedia Group rules and policies.

Enhanced reservation retrieval functionality and new tutorialCopy link

We are excited to announce enhanced functionality and tooling that will improve your experience with the reservation retrieval feature of the Lodging Supply GraphQL API. With this latest release, we continue to expand the functionality of our reservation capabilities available on the Lodging Supply GraphQL API in order to improve the usability and enhance the product experience.

What are the reservation retrieval feature enhancements?

• Enhanced querying capability – You can query by specifying one or more reservation IDs, giving you more flexibility during the reservation retrieval process.
• Eligibility check for reconciliation – This feature enables partners to determine reconciliation actions that are available for their reservations. It is intended to function alongside our reservation update capability, which will allow partners to reconcile reservations via GraphQL and will be available later this year.

To review the detailed technical documentation, please visit this page.

What is the new reservation retrieval tutorial?

The new reservation retrieval tutorial will allow you to explore the capability and basic functionality in a self-paced environment. You will find information to get started with authentication, endpoint, and queries. Check out the new tutorial here.

What if I have questions?

If you have reviewed the new tools and documentation and still have questions, please reach out to your Technical Relationship Manager.

Discover new self-service toolsCopy link

We are excited to announce a suite of new tools offered through EG connectivity hub: GraphQL tutorial and promotions tutorial. These tools can help streamline your integration process and allow you to develop at your own speed through a self-paced learning environment.

What can I expect from the GraphQL tutorial and promotions tutorial?

• The GraphQL tutorial introduces GraphQL concepts to help developers streamline the integration process.
• The promotions tutorial introduces the promotions capability to developers and assists in code generation.

Do I still need to use technical documentation?

Yes! The technical documentation on connectivity hub is crucial to the success of your integration. These new tools are meant to complement the documentation and do not replace it.

What if I still have questions?

If you have reviewed the new tools and documentation and still have questions, please reach out to your Technical Relationship Manager.

2023 Connectivity Partner Program benefits and qualification metricsCopy link

Expedia Group’s Connectivity Partner Program is designed to recognize our top connectivity partners and reward them with exclusive benefits. Today, we are pleased to announce the details of our 2023 program, giving ample time for our connectivity partners to work toward Elite or Preferred status.

For the 2023 Connectivity Partner Program, both Elite and Preferred partners will be eligible for the following potential benefits, unless otherwise noted.

2023 Connectivity Partner Program benefits¹:

• Business & financial incentives
  • Enhanced account management and technical support
  • Quarterly business reviews
  • Exclusive financial incentive program
• Product collaboration & first access
  • Early access to APIs and capabilities²
  • Product reviews
• Premium promotion
  • Promotion as Preferred or Elite Connectivity Partner
  • Tailored marketing opportunities (Elite only)
  • Premium event invitation (Elite only)

How to qualify

Connectivity partners can secure Elite or Preferred status in the 2023 Connectivity Partner Program by reaching specific goals and business and technical metrics under the categories listed.³ For the 2023 program, we’ve created the traveler experience category, which includes property optimization initiatives intended to improve the performance of our mutual lodging partners and deliver better experiences for travelers. The full list of 2023 program qualifying metrics are below.

2023 Connectivity Partner Program qualifying metrics

2023 Connectivity Partner Program minimum requirements:

• System type: Channel Manager, Property Management System (PMS), and/or Central Reservation System (CRS)
• Expedia Group API license agreement acceptance
• Technical requirements:
  • Availability/Rates API with support for Expedia Traveler Preference (ETP)
  • Booking Retrieval/Notification API with support for Expedia Virtual Cards (EVC) and Value Add Promotions (VAP)
  • PCI compliance (where applicable)

Timeline

The 2023 Connectivity Partner Program will operate on an annual basis according to the timeline listed below.

• January - December 2022: Qualification measurement period for 2023
• January 2023: Elite and Preferred partners announced for 2023

Contact your Connectivity Account Manager to understand your company’s standing and any action needed to qualify for the 2023 program.

View the current list of Elite and Preferred Connectivity Partners on Welcome.

¹The list of benefits offered in the program is subject to change by Expedia and benefits with additional qualifying criteria or availability considerations are noted.
²Expedia will determine in its sole discretion whether any API or capability is offered to connectivity partners qualified to receive this benefit.
³Expedia will determine in its sole discretion whether connectivity partners are accepted or can remain in the program.

Announcing benefits for the 2022 Connectivity Partner ProgramCopy link

Expedia Group’s Connectivity Partner Program is designed to reward and recognize our top connectivity partners. Our inaugural program launched in 2021 and we look forward to continuing the momentum into the next year.

Program benefits for 2022¹

Expedia Group Preferred and Elite Partners gain access to:

• Business advantages
  • Financial benefits² (Elite only)
  • Priority access to support teams
  • In-depth performance reviews
  • Key insights & optimization recommendations
• Product collaboration & first access
  • Product roadmap previews
  • Early access to APIs
  • Pilot invitations³
• Premium promotion
  • Promotion as Preferred or Elite Connectivity Partner
  • Exclusive co-marketing opportunities (Elite only)
  • Special guest at EG Partner events³ (Elite only)

¹List of benefits is subject to change
²Subject to qualification
³Subject to availability

How to qualify

Connectivity providers can secure Elite or Preferred Partner status by meeting specific goals and business metrics under the categories listed. Please work with your connectivity account manager to get details on any actions needed to help you qualify.

Program qualification criteria for 2022

• Production: Stayed room nights
• Connection experience:
  • API / feature certification
  • New API / feature adoption speed
  • PCI compliance
  • API success rates
  • API usage
• Onboarding experience: Connectivity activation time
• Property experience: Property optimization initiatives
• Engagement:
  • Leadership level engagement
  • Survey participation

Timeline

The 2022 program qualification period will end in December 2021. The program will operate annually, running from January – December 2022.

Upcoming 2022 program dates:

• July – December 2021 — Program qualification measurement period for 2022
• Est. January 2022 – Elite and Preferred partners announced for 2022 program

Contact your Connectivity Account Manager if you have any questions on the 2022 program benefits and the qualification criteria.

Announcing our 2022 Connectivity Partner ProgramCopy link

Expedia Group’s Connectivity Partner Program is designed to reward and recognize our top connectivity partners. Our inaugural program launched in 2021 and we look forward to continuing the momentum into next year.

What’s changed?

Connectivity providers could be eligible for Elite or Preferred program status based on a variety of metrics. For the 2022 program, we’ve updated the qualification metrics based on feedback from connectivity providers and business stakeholders.

• Improved transparency with opportunity to earn Preferred Partner status with clear minimum qualifying metric thresholds.

• Introduced a new optimization initiative metric tailored for your connected properties and developed by your account manager.

• Reward your efforts for property-level performance with new API success rates and usage metrics.

• Simplified production metrics by focusing on stayed room nights only.

How to qualify

We’re sharing high-level 2022 qualification metrics to provide connectivity partners as much time as possible to work toward goals of securing Elite or Preferred status. Please work with your account manager to get details on your account and any action needed to help you qualify.

See the full list of 2022 qualification criteria below (updated or new metrics indicated by *).

• Production: Stayed room nights*

• Connection experience:

  • API / feature certification

  • New API / feature adoption speed

  • PCI compliance

  • API success rates*

  • API usage*

• Onboarding experience: Connectivity activation time

• Property experience: Property optimization initiatives*

• Engagement:

  • Leadership level engagement

  • Survey participation

Timeline

The 2022 program qualification period will end in December 2021. The program will operate annually, running from January – December 2022.

Key 2022 program dates:

• June 2021 — Program criteria announced

• July – December 2021 — Program qualification measurement period for 2022

• Est. January 2022 – Elite and Preferred partners announced for 2022 program

Benefits

Connectivity providers who qualify for Elite or Preferred program status will be eligible to access a variety of benefits as a part of the program. Specific details of the 2022 program benefits will be communicated at a later point, but broadly the benefits will include:

• Business advantages and financial benefits

• Product collaboration and first access

• Premium promotion

Don’t miss your chance to qualify for Elite or Preferred status next year!

Contact your Connectivity Account Manager to get more information on the 2022 program and the qualification details.

Introducing reservation retrieval via APICopy link

The launch of reservation retrieval via API will make it easier for properties to migrate onto your connectivity solution from another, allowing them to seamlessly map existing reservations to your system. This will also benefit properties by enabling them to retrieve booked and cancelled reservations through a check out date range query of Expedia Group point-of-sale reservations directly in your connectivity solution.

What can you expect from reservation retrieval via API?

• Make it easier for properties to view, read and retrieve reservation information

• Streamline new property onboarding to your connectivity solution

• Remove manual effort required to import and manage a property’s existing reservations

Ultimately, reservations retrieval via API will help you show immediate value to allow new properties and help them to get up and running on your connectivity solution faster.

Ready to get started?

Explore the documentation here or download the launch kit.

Custom cancellation policies are hereCopy link

We’ve heard feedback from you and your properties that more flexibility is needed when it comes to cancellation policies. To provide your properties with this flexibility, especially in uncertain times, we have developed the option to move from two to three-tiered cancellation policies within the Product API and it’s ready for you to integrate.

With custom cancellation policies, your properties are not only able to maximize revenue by offering more options for all traveler preferences but also gain traveler trust, as traveler plans may change.

How it works:

• Your properties now have the option to specify up to three cancellation penalty windows per rate plan. This can be performed via Rate Plan POST/create, Rate Plan PUT/full overlay, and Rate Plan PATCH/partial update.

• To encourage travelers to book during these uncertain times, we highly recommend you simplify your policies and offer flexible, refundable rate plans with 24-hour cancellation policy.

If you’re interested in updating your Product API integration with these enhancements, visit the “Cancellation and change policy” section of Requirements and best practices in the Product API documentation to get started.

If you have any questions or need additional help, please contact your Account Manager.

Enhancements to Expedia Quick Connect Availability and Rates APICopy link

Enabling multiple requests on the same property

Previously, Expedia Quick Connect (EQC) only allowed updates to availability and rates on one integrated connection at a time for each property. We’re pleased to announce that now, Expedia Quick Connect partners can send multiple, concurrent requests to update availability and rates on the same hotel.

Benefits to this change:

• Faster processing time

• Increased capacity

• More accurate, real-time data

• Lowered risk of error

If you are not queuing up Availability and Rates requests for the same property in your current EQC interface, then no action is needed to leverage this functionality. If you are queuing messages per property, you may want to remove this logic to take advantage of this enhancement.

Note: Do not perform more than one simultaneous request against the same product and date. For any given product on a particular day, do not attempt to send two concurrent messages. Always wait for a message to be responded by Expedia before sending a subsequent message.

Increasing the number of updates sent in messages

Previously, Expedia Quick Connect (EQC) Availability and Rates API only allowed 3,000 updates to be sent in one message. We have extended the number of updates to 5,000 to increase efficiency and allow for quicker processing.

To take advantage of this enhancement in updates that can be sent through the API, you will need to make integration changes that maximize for this new capacity.

For more information, take a look at the documentation.

Expedia Group Connectivity Partner Program benefits launching Q2 2021Copy link

To recognize top lodging connectivity partners, we’re excited to announce the upcoming launch of the Expedia Group Connectivity Partner Program. To gain access to exclusive benefits, connectivity partners can qualify based on their standing across various engagement quality and technical criteria metrics.

Expedia Group is releasing the program criteria and benefits outlined below to provide time for partners to prepare before the full program launch in April 2021. The program provides generous benefits for two qualifying tiers, which may include business advantages, special product access, collaboration, and premium promotion through co-marketing.

See below for an overview of program benefits and qualifications, along with a short video outlining complete program details. Contact your Connectivity Account Manager to understand what you need to focus on to qualify.

Program Qualifications

Connectivity providers will be eligible for Elite or Preferred program status based on a variety of metrics. However, Expedia will determine in its sole discretion whether connectivity partners are accepted or can remain in the program.

Metrics focus on:

• Partnership value

• Engagement quality

• Connection quality

• Property quality

• Onboarding quality

Exclusive Benefits¹

Expedia Group Preferred and Elite Partners gain access to:

• Business advantages

  • Financial incentives² (Elite only)

  • Priority access to support teams

  • In-depth performance reviews (Elite only)

  • Key insights & optimization recommendations (Elite only)

• Product Collaboration & First Access

  • Product roadmap previews

  • Early access to APIs

  • Pilot invitations³

• Premium Promotion

  • Promotion as Preferred or Elite Connectivity Partner

  • Exclusive co-marketing opportunities (Elite only)

  • Special guest at EG Partner events³ (Elite only)

¹List of benefits is subject to change
²Subject to qualification
³As available

Watch this short video for program details.

Contact your Connectivity Account Manager to understand your company’s standing and any action needed to be eligible.

Introducing promotions via APICopy link

The launch of Promotions within the GraphQL API will enable properties to manage their own promotions within your software. Promotions via API will streamline the process for properties to set up the most widely used promotion types and unlock the ability to manage promotions at scale.

What can you expect from promotions via API?

The Promotions capabilities within the GraphQL API provide provide properties with the ability to

• Create promotions based on

  • A single discount that is applied to all nights of stay

  • A multi-night promotion to reward those who have longer stays

  • Day of the week promotions to manage occupancy fluctuations with deals for certain days only

• Offer same day deals for a one-time discount off any room

• Offer early booking discounts to incentivize guests to book early

With promotions via API, properties will be able to create, modify, and query for one or more promotions that are active within your platform. Note that any promotion type not included above will continue to be managed through Expedia Group’s Partner Central. We will explore prioritizing additional API functionality and expand supported promotion types in the future.

Important: Which property types are supported by promotions via API?

Please note that large chains are not supported by promotions via API. Except for large chains, all other property types can take advantage of promotions via API within your platform once you integrate.

Promotions via API is supported by the GraphQL Explorer

Promotions via API is a capability within our GraphQL API, which includes other tools like the GraphQL explorer. The explorer is designed to help you quickly familiarize yourself with the GraphQL API and allows you to execute queries against test properties. To understand the performance of properties in production, you will need to engage with your Account Manager.

Ready to get started?

Explore the documentation here, or download the Provider Handbook and Developer Guide.

PCI compliance requirements at Expedia GroupCopy link

Expedia Group is committed to the secure handling and transfer of guest payment card information. We fully comply with PCI standards and also require that connectivity providers who partner with us comply with industry standards before we share any payment card information with their systems. In this post, we answer a few common questions to help demystify PCI compliance, and help you understand how industry regulations may impact your connection to Expedia Group. For more information, please contact your Expedia Group account manager.

What is PCI compliance?

The Payment Card Industry Data Security Standard (PCI DSS) council was established in 2006 by five major credit card brands. The council established a set of 12 specific requirements to meet six different goals, including building and maintaining a secure network, implementing strong access control measures, and protecting cardholder data. All companies that accept credit card payment information must be PCI compliant and provide Expedia with an Attestation of Compliance (AOC)

What is an AOC?

The Attestation of Compliance (AOC) is defined by the council as:

A form for merchants and service providers to attest to the results of a PCI DSS assessment, as documented in the Self-Assessment Questionnaire or Report on Compliance.

In other words, the AOC is proof that you comply with industry standards. Expedia Group must have a copy of a current and valid AOC on file for every connectivity provider.

How frequent should I provide an AOC to Expedia Group?

Once a year. We undergo a yearly audit with all connectivity partners to ensure they continue to comply with industry standards.

What is TLS and is it different than PCI compliance?

Transport Layer Security (TLS) is a cryptographic protocol used to establish a secure communications channel between systems. To partner with Expedia Group, you must be TLS 1.2 or higher

What happens if I can’t confirm my compliance with industry standards?

If you are interested in working with Expedia Group, you must provide proof of compliance in order to partner with us.

Connectivity partners must meet the following security requirements to receive payment card information from Expedia Group:

• Have a current and valid AOC on file with Expedia Group

• TLS 1.2 or higher

Failure to meet either of these requirements will result in Expedia Group blocking all payment card information from being shared. This means that all reservations shared between Expedia Group and the connectivity partner will not include payment information.

Questions?

The security of our customers and their data is a key priority for us and something we take seriously. Expedia Group is committed to working with each of our connectivity providers to ensure the systems we use to share information are safe and secure. If you have questions about your connection or about the type of information that Expedia Group is sharing, or not sharing, with your system – please contact your dedicated account manager.

Introducing: the new Expedia Group connectivity hubCopy link

Welcome!

We are excited to share the first phase of our new approach to connectivity, the Expedia Group connectivity hub. In the future, the connectivity hub will be your one-stop-shop for all things connecting your lodging partners. The start to this iterative approach is a new look and feel of the website and an enhanced documentation structure for our APIs-- but there's much more to come!

We’ve heard your feedback and appreciate your participation to help influence our product and feature roadmap. The ongoing enhancement plan for Expedia Group connectivity hub includes ways for us to better support your ability to integrate with us, as well as provide the best-in-class product offerings for your lodging partners.

Over the coming months, you will notice new features in the connectivity hub that are based on the things you ranked most important in our recent survey as well as direct feedback from our conversations with you. For example, coming very soon will be the number one requested tool—a GraphQL integration playground. With this self-service sandbox, you or your developers will be able to test GraphQL integrations up front and make any necessary edits in the testing environment before going live. And that’s just to start!

We hope you’re as excited as we are about both the new site and the things to come. Please take a look around and most importantly, stay tuned for more!

Questions or feedback?

We want to hear from you! Please feel free to reach out to your account manager!

COVID-19: Revive and ReliefCopy link

Expedia Group recently announced its commitment to help partners rebound from the impact of COVID-19 and fuel industry-wide recovery efforts.

Expedia Group’s recovery program is comprised of global initiatives to support industry recovery and property-level relief designed to help independent partners and small chains rebuild their business, attract high-value guests, and optimize cash flow.

You can view a summary of Expedia Group’s full recovery program here.

Specific to lodging partners, Expedia Group is committing $250 million in marketing credits and financial relief.

• For each property that participates in the program, we will reinvest 25% of the compensation earned in 2019 from the property into marketing credits for use with Expedia Group.
• We are also reducing compensation on all new bookings made within the three-month program period, regardless of the actual stay dates.
• Lastly, we are extending payment terms for Hotel Collect bookings to 90 days to provide additional financial relief.

The marketing credits and financial relief measures will become available to lodging partners based on recovery signals, including demand trends, from their specific markets. This approach will provide our partners with the support they need when it will be most beneficial. There are minimum requirements that partners need to fulfill to participate in the program.

If you have questions about the Revive and Relief Program for lodging partners and how it is being implemented, please contact your Expedia Group Account Manager.

Additional resources to guide recovery strategies can be found in the Expedia Group COVID-19 resource center.

COVID-19: Cancellation policy update for stays after July 1, 2020Copy link

The ability to travel in the wake of COVID-19 is something we monitor constantly. And while we’re thrilled to see restrictions lifting in many parts of the world, our hearts go out to partners in countries still battling to control the pandemic. Once again, we’d like to update you on the adjustments we’ve made to our cancellation policies to reflect the current circumstances.

Bookings made on March 20,2020 and beyond will honor property cancellation policies

Reservations made after the risk of booking non-refundable and partially refundable rooms was widely known will not be subject to our COVID-19 force majeure policy. We will honor the property’s cancellation policies for both domestic and international reservations.

Moving away from a global policy for bookings made before March 20, 2020

Now that individual governments are relaxing controls and opening borders, we are evolving our policies to align with their decision-making.

• If travel restrictions have been lifted, we will honor the property’s published cancellation policies.

• However, if government requirements, flight cancellations or other COVID-19 restrictions remain in place, we will allow guests to cancel existing bookings.

  Previously, we gave properties the option to offer either vouchers or refunds for most non-refundable bookings cancelled under our policy. We are extending that decision (made by the property or their headquarters) to July and allowing them to change their selection in Partner Central.

Please continue to visit our COVID-19 force majeure pageto understand implications by market.

Helping with recovery strategies

As guests return to booking holidays, they will have more choices than ever before. To help properties and ensure they are ready to attract guests’ attention, we’ve created a COVID-19 Resource Center. It consolidates the latest insights on guest behaviors, travel trends and industry data, as well as tips and best practices for bouncing back. Feel free to share this resource with our shared customers.

If you have questions, please contact your Expedia Group Account Manager.

Updates to EQC connectivity error reportCopy link

It’s important that all connected systems meet standards and operate at top performance. A connection that performs well reduces a property’s risk of overbookings or relocations and helps avoid issues with the competitiveness of their rates and availability.

To help ensure that you understand the health of your Expedia QuickConnect (EQC) connections with Expedia Group and are aware of opportunities for improvement, we’re updating our EQC connectivity error report.

Based on feedback from our partners, we’ve made improvements to the report that enables you to:

• Understand what information is in the report and how to use it – including a dashboard view of your overall performance, a summary view that identifies the errors that are impacting your performance most and detailed views of errors and warnings for each API

• Use recommended solutions to troubleshoot and resolve issues quickly – additional information and technical documentation is also available at https://expediaconnectivity.com/developer.

As a reminder, to assist properties with finding the connectivity provider that best suits their needs, our Connectivity Provider Guide shares insights into your performance metrics; including Availability success and Booking success. You can view the guide at https://provider.expediapartnercentral.com/guide.

For more information or to subscribe to error reports, please contact us or your Expedia Group Account Manager directly.

Guest credit card authorization in EEA countriesCopy link

Starting in September 2019, the revised Payment Services Directive (PSD2) went into effect across all European Economic Area countries. This regulation is related to authentication of consumer credit card transactions. It is designed to make electronic payments more secure and reduce credit card fraud for consumers. This change will have the most impact when charging guest cards without having the guest physically present – for pre-stay deposits, or for cancellation or no-show fees. It will now be necessary to useStrong Customer Authentication (SCA) to validate credit card transactions.

For more information, please visit Expedia Group Partner Central or reach out to your account manager. If a property contacts you about opting in, please ask them to reach out to their Expedia market manager.

The information presented here is for informational purposes only. You should talk with your legal team and banking partners for further information about the requirements of PSD2 and SCA and its implications for your business. Expedia and its affiliated companies disclaim any liability or responsibility for declined or unsuccessful transactions, and any associated refunds, reversals, chargebacks, costs or expenses.

Unicode support launchedCopy link

Beginning in August 2019, guests will be able to enter their name and special requests in local language at the time of booking. This update will give guests an easier, friendlier booking experience. In turn, we project increased conversion potential for properties; which could lead to higher production.

This will apply to all domestic bookings made on Expedia.com andHotels.com in China, Hong Kong, Japan,Korea, and Taiwan.

For properties to benefit from this update, both the properties’ and your systems will need to supportUTF-8 encoding, which is an international encoding standard for different languages. If they don’t, don’t worry; you can opt-out of this feature by contacting your Expedia Group account manager or you can consider updating your integration to become UTF-8 compliant. Get more details and see sample messages in the online specifications for the Booking Notification API and Expedia QuickConnect Booking Retrieval & Confirmation API.

If a property contacts you to opt-out of this feature, please ask them to speak to their Expedia Group market manager.