Setting up Expedia Local Expert

Expedia is no longer accepting new partners. Only partners, those with Expedia Local Expert accounts, can use the integration with Checkfront. As a result, this integration is now only available to Operators with existing partnerships.

 

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Plan Availability: ✓ Soho | ✓ Pro | ✓ Plus | ✓ Enterprise  | ✓ Flex |
Locate: Manage > Integrations > Channels > Expedia Local Expert
Prerequisites: 

• Your account must have access to items (Inventory > Items), which is a key feature of our classic version of Checkfront. 
• This integration is not yet supported with products (Inventory > Products), which is a key feature of our newest version of Checkfront. 

New to Checkfront - Products ✨ Products (Inventory > Products) is the successor feature to Items (Inventory > Items) and is available in our newest version of Checkfront. Not yet on our newest version and interested in upgrading? Please contact our Technical Support team for more information. Discover more product-related help articles here: Products (New).

 

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Local Expert, by Expedia, enables your Customers to plan, reserve, and book activities using the inventory in your Checkfront account. Bookings made through Expedia are updated in your Checkfront system, keeping your inventory in sync and up-to-date.

 

If you are looking to connect to Expedia Lodging, then this is done by using our integration with myallocator.  Follow this guide to get started with myallocator: Myallocator: Setup in myallocator.

 

Expedia Local Expert Account An Expedia Local Expert account is required to activate this integration, so if you do not currently have an account, then visit https://join.localexpertpartnercentral.com to apply for one. Your application is then reviewed by a member of the Expedia team to assess your company’s eligibility for Local Expert. Once approved by Expedia, you may return to enable the integration within Checkfront.

 

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To configure the integration in your Checkfront account, navigate to the Integrations area (Manage > Integrations), hover over the Expedia tile in the Channels section, and click on the tile to open the activation window.

 

If you already have an Expedia Local Expert account, then when the activation window opens, go ahead and click on the blue Activate button, as seen in the screenshot above.  

The activation window updates with multiple configuration options to better streamline the integration to your requirements.  

 

A green button labelled Send Activation Email to Expedia displays within the Add-on Setup modal.

Click on the button to inform Expedia of your interest in linking your Local Expert account with your Checkfront account. An Expedia representative then reaches out to discuss the integration and let you know if any further information is required.

When the email is sent, the activation window changes to reflect this by labelling the green button Activation Email Sent!.

 

There are additional options to consider in the modal:

 

If you check this option, then a POS payment applies to all bookings in Checkfront which originate in Expedia.  

 

This option gives you control over the default booking status of reservations made through Expedia. When a booking arrives in your Checkfront Booking Manager, it automatically assigns the status you choose here.

Please note, that selecting Paid does not automatically register a payment in the Checkfront invoice. You need to have the Apply POS Payment option checked for that.

 

These options determine the minimum and maximum age for each of Expedia's ticket types.

You do not need to use each ticket type. Ticket age ranges must not overlap when applied to the same item, with the exception of the Traveler ticket type.

If multiple ticket type age ranges overlap on an item, then only one of the parameters is used to determine the item's prices.

The special Traveler ticket type is used when items have group pricing or lack any other applicable ticket types. It is never used with other ticket types.

 

These options determine how your Checkfront item parameters map to Expedia's ticket types when generating your items' prices.

 

From a Checkfront standpoint, your work is now done. The rest of the activation completes on the Expedia end.