API Fee & Invoice Process

Wie kann ich API-Konnektivität aktivieren?

• USA und Puerto Rico: Aktivieren Sie das Kontrollkästchen „API-Buchungen mit API-Gebühr erlauben“ in Erweiterte Firmeneinstellungen > Buchungen > API-Buchungen vor Ihrem Gültigkeitsdatum. Stellen Sie außerdem sicher, dass eine Abrechnungsmethode unter Einstellungen > Bank & Zahlungen > Abrechnung vorhanden ist.
• Alle anderen Standorte: Fügen Sie einfach eine Abrechnungsmethode zu Ihrem Dashboard unter Einstellungen > Bank & Zahlungen > Abrechnung hinzu.

Wo befindet sich das Kontrollkästchen „API-Buchungen mit API-Gebühr erlauben“? Sie finden dieses Kontrollkästchen in Ihrem Dashboard unter Einstellungen > Erweiterte Firmeneinstellungen > Buchungen > API-Buchungen. Bitte aktivieren Sie es vor Ihrem Gültigkeitsdatum, um weiterhin automatisch API-Buchungen zu erhalten.

Ich habe Probleme, eine Abrechnungsmethode hinzuzufügen. Was soll ich tun?

Bitte versuchen Sie Folgendes:

• Melden Sie sich ab und wieder an.
• Versuchen Sie, sich in einem anderen Browser oder im Inkognito-Modus anzumelden.
• Externer Benutzer: Wenn Sie ein externer Benutzer mit mehreren Dashboards sind, melden Sie sich separat bei jedem an, um die Abrechnungsmethode hinzuzufügen.
• Unzureichende Berechtigungen: Überprüfen Sie, ob Ihr Dashboard-Benutzer die Berechtigung zur Verwaltung von Bankkonten unter Gruppenname > Einrichtung > Bankkonten verwalten hat. Ein FareHarbor-Mitarbeiter kann dies für Sie überprüfen.
• Unvollständige Kontaktinformationen: Stellen Sie sicher, dass eine E-Mail-Adresse in den Kontaktinformationen des Dashboards (nicht nur im Abrechnungsbereich) vorhanden ist.
• Kreditkartenprobleme: Wenn Sie eine Kreditkarte verwenden, wenden Sie sich an Ihren Kartenherausgeber, da es Einschränkungen geben kann, die das Hinzufügen verhindern.

Wenn keine dieser Lösungen funktioniert, senden Sie bitte ein Support-Ticket und fügen Sie Folgendes bei:

• Ihren Firmenkurznamen, Dashboard-Benutzer und Berechtigungsstufe.
• Einen Screenshot des Konsolen-/Netzwerk-Tabs Ihres Browsers (folgen Sie diesen Schritten).

Wie ist der Abrechnungszyklus für die API-Gebühr?

Ihre API-Rechnung wird bis zum 1. Tag jedes Monats in Ihrem Dashboard verfügbar sein und API-Buchungen abdecken, die im Vormonat abgeschlossen wurden (Verfügbarkeitsdatum). Die Gebühr wird am 6. des Monats abgebucht, mit einem Wiederholungsversuch am 13., falls die erste Abbuchung fehlschlägt.

• Beispiel: Für im Januar abgeschlossene API-Buchungen ist Ihre Rechnung ab dem 1. Februar verfügbar und wird am 6. Februar abgebucht.
• Wichtig: Stellen Sie sicher, dass Ihre Buchungen bis zum letzten Tag des Monats korrekt bepreist sind. Buchungen, die nach dem letzten Tag des Monats storniert oder geändert werden, werden für diesen Monat weiterhin berechnet, und es werden keine Rückerstattungen gewährt (z. B. wenn Sie eine Januar-Buchung am 4. Februar stornieren, wird sie weiterhin auf Ihrer Januar-Rechnung erscheinen).

Werden mir stornierte Buchungen oder Buchungen, die nicht über die API zustande kommen, in Rechnung gestellt?

Nur aktive, nicht stornierte Buchungen werden in Rechnung gestellt.

Werden mir strittige Buchungen in Rechnung gestellt?

Da die Zahlungen für Buchungen außerhalb von FareHarbor erfolgen, unterscheidet unser System nicht zwischen bezahlten und strittigen Buchungen. Daher werden strittige API-Buchungen, wenn auch selten, berechnet.

Was ist die Mindestschwelle für Rechnungen?

Rechnungen unterliegen einer Mindestschwelle, die auf den Einschränkungen von Stripe basiert, die auf ihrer Hilfeseite für Zahlungen angegeben sind. Wenn Ihre Rechnung unter diesem Schwellenwert liegt, wird der Betrag dem nächsten Monatsabbuchung hinzugefügt, bis der Mindestbetrag erreicht ist, und dann belastet.

Wie wird die API-Gebühr berechnet?

Wir berechnen die Gebühr als Prozentsatz des „Gesamten an Affiliate gezahlten Betrags“ für API-verbundene Buchungen. Dieser Gesamtbetrag beinhaltet Steuern und entspricht den Industriestandards. Manuell von einem Dashboard-Benutzer erstellte Buchungen werden nicht berechnet, selbst für Affiliates, deren Buchungen typischerweise über API erfolgen.

Woher weiß ich, welche Partner mit der API-Gebühr belastet werden?

Mit der API verbundene Partner haben normalerweise „- API“ in ihrem Namen. Unser Fakturierungstool ist jedoch so konzipiert, dass manuelle Buchungen von der Gebühr ausgeschlossen werden, selbst für diese Partner.

Wo finde ich meine API-Gebührenrechnung?

Ihre API-Gebührenrechnung ist in Ihrem Dashboard unter Berichte > Buchhaltung > Zahlungsabwicklungsdokumente ab dem 1. Kalendertag jedes Monats verfügbar. Rechnungen sind nur über das Dashboard zugänglich und werden nicht per E-Mail versandt.

Wie kann ich meine API-Gebührenrechnung herunterladen?

1. Navigieren Sie zu Berichte > Buchhaltung > Zahlungsabwicklungsdokumente.
2. Klicken Sie auf die Dokumenten-ID der Rechnung.
3. Klicken Sie mit der rechten Maustaste auf das Dokument und wählen Sie Drucken.
4. Wählen Sie Als PDF speichern als Ziel.
5. Klicken Sie auf Speichern.

Wie erstelle ich einen Bericht über API-Buchungen?

Um die in der API-Gebühr enthaltenen API-Affiliates und Buchungen zu überprüfen, rufen Sie den Bericht API-Gebührenabgleich unter Berichte > Buchhaltung > API-Gebührenabgleich auf.

Können die Details auf meiner API-Gebührenrechnung geändert werden?

Rechnungsdetails werden von Stripe abgerufen. Um sie zu aktualisieren, müssen Sie Ihr Stripe-Konto erneut verifizieren und die Details bei Bedarf über Stripe anpassen. Aktualisierte Details werden in zukünftigen Rechnungen angezeigt.

Wie wird die Steuer auf der API-Gebührenrechnung behandelt?

Verbrauchssteuern wie Umsatzsteuer, Mehrwertsteuer und GST sind in der Regel nicht auf API-Gebührenrechnungen enthalten, da es sich hierbei um B2B-Transaktionen handelt. In den meisten Fällen sind Unternehmen selbst für die Selbsteinschätzung und Abführung jeglicher anfallenden Steuern über ihre eigenen lokalen Steuererklärungen verantwortlich. Ist Ihr Unternehmen jedoch nicht steuerlich registriert, kann die Transaktion als B2C behandelt werden, wobei die Steuer am Verkaufsort erhoben und direkt auf der Rechnung ausgewiesen werden kann.

EMEA – Niederlande

Wenn Ihr Unternehmen in den Niederlanden ansässig ist, wird die niederländische Mehrwertsteuer in Ihrer API-Gebührenrechnung enthalten sein.

EMEA – Außerhalb der Niederlande

Befindet sich Ihr Unternehmen innerhalb der EU, aber außerhalb der Niederlande, wendet FareHarbor die EU-Reverse-Charge-Regeln an: * Wenn eine gültige Umsatzsteuer-Identifikationsnummer während Ihrer Stripe-Verifizierung angegeben wurde, wird die Mehrwertsteuer nicht in Ihrer Rechnung enthalten sein. * Wenn eine gültige Umsatzsteuer-Identifikationsnummer während Ihrer Stripe-Verifizierung nicht angegeben wurde, wird die Mehrwertsteuer gemäß den niederländischen Umsatzsteuerregeln in Ihrer Rechnung enthalten sein.

Nordamerika

Aufgrund der Art unserer Dienstleistungen und der lokalen Steuergesetze erhebt FareHarbor keine (Umsatz-)Steuer auf API-Gebührenrechnungen, die an Anbieter in den Vereinigten Staaten ausgestellt werden.

APAC – GST Nachfolgend finden Sie den Ansatz von FareHarbor zur GST in Australien und Neuseeland, gemäß den lokalen Regeln für nicht ansässige Anbieter digitaler Dienste:

• Wenn Sie bei Ihrer Stripe-Verifizierung eine gültige GST-Registrierungsnummer angegeben haben, enthält FareHarbor keine GST auf Ihren API-Gebühren- oder Bearbeitungsgebührenrechnungen. Sie sind für die Eigenverrechnung der GST gemäß Ihren lokalen Steuergesetzen verantwortlich.
• Wenn Sie keine gültige GST-Registrierungsnummer angegeben haben, ist FareHarbor verpflichtet, die GST gemäß den geltenden Steuergesetzen auf Ihrer Rechnung auszuweisen.

Die Berechnung der API-Gebühr und die Behandlung der GST sind separate und unterschiedliche Prozesse, die von verschiedenen Prinzipien geregelt werden:

• API-Gebührenberechnung: FareHarbor berechnet die API-Gebühr basierend auf dem uns übermittelten Gesamtransaktionswert (TTV). Der TTV spiegelt den vollen Betrag wider, der dem Verbraucher berechnet wird. Dies gewährleistet Konsistenz über Märkte hinweg und stimmt mit der kommerziellen Vereinbarung von FareHarbor mit dem Anbieter (typischerweise ein fester Prozentsatz des TTV) überein.

• GST-Behandlung: Die GST wird getrennt von der Gebührenberechnung ermittelt und unterliegt dem lokalen Steuerrecht. Als nicht ansässiger Anbieter ist FareHarbor nicht verpflichtet, GST auf Rechnungen zu berechnen, wenn der Anbieter eine gültige GST-Registrierungsnummer vorgelegt hat.

  • Obwohl in diesen Fällen keine GST zur Rechnung hinzugefügt wird, berücksichtigt FareHarbor die anfallende GST dennoch in unserer internen Steuerberichterstattung und Compliance-Verpflichtungen über den Reverse-Charge-Mechanismus.

Diese Struktur spiegelt den Ansatz wider, der für Buchungsgebühren verwendet wird: Transaktionswerte können GST enthalten, aber von FareHarbor an Anbieter ausgestellte Rechnungen möglicherweise nicht, abhängig von Ihrem Geschäfts- und Steuerregistrierungsstatus. Diese Unterscheidung gewährleistet: * Transparente und konsistente Gebührenberechnung, * Einhaltung regionaler Steuergesetze und * Ein einheitliches Finanzmodell für alle FareHarbor-Dienste.

Wie wird FareHarbor Zahlungen für API-generierte Buchungen einziehen?

FareHarbor wird Zahlungen für API-Gebührenrechnungen automatisch über die in Ihrem Dashboard hinterlegte Abrechnungsmethode einziehen. Die Einzugsverfahren variieren je nach Region/Währung:

• Euro (€): SEPA-Lastschriften. Befolgen Sie diese Anweisungen, um SEPA einzurichten.
• USD ($) (US-Bankkonto): ACH-Lastschriften. Wählen Sie Ihr bevorzugtes ACH-Konto unter Bank & Zahlungen > Abrechnung.
• Andere Währungen & Dashboards mit PayPal als einzigem Zahlungsdienstleister: Kreditkarte hinterlegt.

Warum führt FareHarbor diese Gebühr ein?

Wir führen diese Gebühr ein, um die erheblichen Investitionen zu decken, die zur Aufrechterhaltung und Verbesserung unserer API-Integrationen mit Online-Reisebüros (OTAs) erforderlich sind. Dies stellt sicher, dass wir weiterhin zuverlässige, effiziente Verbindungen bereitstellen und neue Funktionen entwickeln können, um Ihre sich entwickelnden Anforderungen zu erfüllen.

Welche Buchungen unterliegen der API-Gebühr?

Die 2% API-Gebühr gilt für API-generierte Buchungen, die an oder nach Ihrem Gültigkeitsdatum abgeschlossen wurden (z. B. 1. Mai 2024 für Unternehmen in Griechenland).

Gibt es Ausnahmen von der API-Gebühr?

Ja, die API-Gebühr gilt nicht für Folgendes:

• Direktbuchungen: Buchungen, die direkt über Ihre Website vorgenommen oder manuell in FareHarbor eingegeben wurden.
• FareHarbor Distribution Network (FHDN): Buchungen aus unserem großen Netzwerk von Affiliates.
• Google Things to Do: Buchungen, die von der Google-Plattform stammen.
• AL-Desk-Buchungen.
• Affiliate-Buchungsbuttons: Buchungen, die über das FareHarbor-System auf der Website eines Affiliates getätigt wurden.
• Affiliate-Portalbuchungen: Buchungen, die von Ihren Affiliates über deren spezielles Portal generiert wurden.
• Affiliate-Promo-Codes: Buchungen, die mit speziellen Promo-Codes für Affiliates getätigt wurden.
• Buchungen, die nicht über die API erfolgreich waren.
• Stornierte Buchungen.

Wie kann ich meine API-Gebühr reduzieren?

Um Ihre API-Gebühr zu senken, empfehlen wir Ihnen, sich auf die Erhöhung Ihrer direkten Online-Buchungen zu konzentrieren. FareHarbor bietet verschiedene kostenlose Dienste und Ressourcen (wie den FareHarbor Blog), um Ihnen zu helfen, Ihre Online-Präsenz zu erweitern und die Konversionsraten zu steigern.

• Erfahren Sie mehr über API-Konnektivität bei FareHarbor und unsere neuesten API-Funktionsveröffentlichungen auf dieser Hilfeseite.
• Entdecken Sie Möglichkeiten zur Steigerung Ihrer direkten Online-Buchungen auf dem FareHarbor Blog.

Slack Channels

• #api-fee-global: used to share grouped updates about the global initiative
• #api-fee-questions: available for all employees to ask their questions related to the API Fee
• #api-fee-noram: used to share updates about rollouts in NORAM exclusively – will be closed after the end of the rollout
• #api-fee-apac + #api-fee-europe: historical data about the APAC and EMEA rollouts – archived

Calendar

Previous rollouts

In 2023-2024, the API Fee was rolled out to most of our clients as per this calendar:

In 2025, the API Fee was rolled out in the USA and Puerto Rico:

Eligibility

Eligibility will be based on the Processor Country (location of the bank account) of a dashboard.

• Processor Country is in a monetized region: Dashboard will be charged for the API fee.
• Processor Country is in a non-monetized region: Dashboard will not be charged for the API Fee.

Example: My company is based in the Netherlands but the Processor Country is in France. The API Fee will be effective March 15, 2024.

Exception: In LATAM/Caribbean, the vast majority of our clients are registered in a different country than where they physically operate due to Stripe’s limitations to verify these accounts and we therefore use the Dashboard Primary Location instead of the Processor Country.

API Fee structure

All clients are charged a 2% fee on API-generated bookings. The fee is calculated on the “Total Paid to Affiliate” which is the booking total including tax.

Commercial Exceptions

Enterprise clients and clients with a high volume of OTA TTV (typically, over $1M OTA TTV yearly) may be able to negotiate an introductory rate, also called Commercial Exception. Please get approval from your manager before offering a Commercial Exception and refer to the Commercial Exception Process Help Page for more details on how to submit one.

After approval in AppSheet, the Payment Operations team will be solely responsible for modifying changing rates in the dashboard. The team will follow the data present in the lead’s Custom Fields in Close.

The below exceptions are automatically granted:

• Guam and French Polynesia are exempted from the API Fee until further notice.
• USA/PR Paid Legacy FHS: For T2 & T3, the API Fee is waived for the full 2025. Their Effective Date is therefore January 1, 2026.
• Hawaii has a set pricing:
  • Tiers 0-2: No change – 2% fee, with no change to opt-in timing.
  • Tier 3: API Fee waived until end of October, set 1.5% fee from November 1, 2025 onwards. In case of a Paid Legacy FHS, the fee kicks-in in January 1, 2026.
  • Tiers 4 & 5: API Fee waived until end of October, set 1% fee from November 1, 2025 onwards.

Hawaii T3+ and Legacy FHS T2-3 Commercial Exceptions have been bulk-submitted on behalf of the AM team in AppSheet and should therefore appear in the API Fee Close CF.

Finding the API Fee

• In the FareHarbor Dashboard, under Advanced Settings -> Bookings -> API bookings. The field is only visible to FareHarbor Admin users, and only if ‘Allow API bookings’ is selected.
• In Close, in each shortname’s group Custom Field Group under API Fee & API Fee Update Date.
• In the AppSheet, only previously requested Commercial Exceptions will appear.

FareHarbor Rewards

In Portugal, France, Italy, Spain and Greece only, a select list of clients is eligible for a reward on total revenues (booking fee and API fees) generated according to the chart below (called “FareHarbor Rewards”). Outside of these markets, no FareHarbor Rewards will be granted.

How can I see which of my clients’ affiliates will be charged for?

While we are able to pinpoint affiliates whose bookings will typically be charged an API Fee for, some bookings might be coming manually for API affiliates and will therefore not be invoiced for.

To find the affiliates your client will be charged for:

1. Look at the clients’ affiliate list

   • Look at the list of affiliates under Settings > Affiliates
   • Look for all affiliates that have “API” in their Affiliate name

2. Run a booking source report by Availability Date, filter by Source: Network, group by Booking Created By, and discard bookings not generated via API.

Activations & Reactivations

Clients can opt-in to API Connectivity by:

• EMEA, APAC and NORAM Extended Markets: add a Billing Method
• USA/PR: Check the box “Allow API Bookings to be charged an API Fee”

Clients will need to request the Connectivity team to be connected via email at support@fareharbor.com.

Reconnections following a failed debit

Clients that were disconnected due to unpaid API Fee invoices and ask to be reconnected will need to get their invoices settled first. You can request a manual debit as follows:

1. Request the manual debit in #payment_operations using the workflow “Manual API Fee Debit Request”;
   1. In “invoices to debit”, add the Invoice ID found in Payment Processing Documents > Document ID. If there are several unpaid invoices, you can submit a single request and separate the several Invoice ID with a comma.
2. PayOps will debit unpaid invoices from the FareHarbor Dashboard (please debit and don’t do instalments as we can’t link those to invoices);
3. PayOps will click “Debit Done – Inform PayExp” which will post a message in #payment-experience-public. PayOps will add the Debit ID and Invoice ID in the thread of that new message.
4. PayOps will inform of the status of the debit:
   1. If debit fails, PayOps will reach out to the client to resolve
   2. If debit succeeds, PayOps will confirm to Connectivity who will in turn reconnect the client
   3. If debit status needs more time to update (i.e doesn’t succeed or fail straight away), PayOps will inform Connectivity who will in turn reconnect the client

Deactivations

Companies who do not wish to pay the API Fee can opt-out of API Connectivity, which requires the Connectivity Team to disconnect their API connections in their Dashboard.

1. Disconnecting API Connectivity:

* If the clients never used API Connectivity: uncheck “Enable API Bookings Creation” located in Advanced Company Settings. * If the client used API Connectivity previously: forward the disconnection request to the Connectivity team on their email at support@fareharbor.com. The Connectivity Team will disable permissions for API Affiliates connected to the Dashboard and leave the clients’ Billing Method active as we continue to charge the client for bookings initiated (booking date) prior to the opt-out date and completed (availability date) the month prior until no more API Bookings need to be billed for.

2. Notifying the API partners:

During a new region rollout: The Strategic Partnerships API team informs API Partners as follows:

• First email: on external comms date, a general memo is sent to all affected API partners, notifying them of the upcoming change;
• Second email: a few days after the disconnection date (the same as effective date), the specific list of clients that were disconnected is sent to each API Partner.

After a new region rollout: the Connectivity team member will inform the partner as part of the disconnection process.

Accounting calendar

1. On the 1st day of each month, API invoices are created automatically and immediately available in the Dashboard under Reports > Accounting > Payment Processing Documents.
2. On the 6th day of each month, clients are debited automatically on their Billing Method, provided the amount to debit is over the minimum threshold.
3. If the debit fails, the system will try again 7 days after the initial debit.

Invoicing

Invoicing eligibility

API Bookings are invoiced every 1st day of the month based on these variables:

• Booking was completed (availability date) between the first and the last day of the previous month.
• Booking was created (booking date) on or after the Effective Date in the clients’ region.
  • in the US, the Effective Date will be between April 1 and July 1 depending on the Tier.
• Booking was created by an API user.

Clients will be invoiced as follows:

• Active Clients using API Connectivity will be invoiced as per the logic above.
• Active Clients previously using API Connectivity who decided to stop will be invoiced every month for bookings initiated (booking date) between effective date and disconnection date, and completed (availability date) on the previous calendar month, until all eligible API Bookings have been invoiced. Offboarded Clients previously using API Connectivity will follow the same logic.
• For Active Clients who never used API Connectivity, no invoice will be generated.

Verify the invoice

Generate an API Bookings report using the API Fee Reconciliation Report in Reports > Accounting. The API Fee invoice amount is calculated off column “Total Paid to Affiliate”.

Updating business information on invoices

When clients update business details such as the owner name, tax ID, business name, or address on their FareHarbor Dashboard, these changes must be properly recorded to ensure that invoices reflect the most current information. Follow the instructions below to update these details and ensure they appear accurately on future payment processing invoices.

Updating the business tax ID

Clients can update their tax ID directly on the Dashboard or request assistance from a FareHarbor representative.

To update the business tax ID:

1. Navigate to Settings > Info and Policies > Logo & Contact.
2. Update the Tax ID field as needed.
3. Click Save changes.

Updating the business name and/or address

Clients can update their business name or address directly on the Dashboard or request assistance from a FareHarbor representative.

To update the business tax ID:

1. Navigate to Settings > Bank & Payments.
2. Click on Update within the second step (Enter customer verification information) of the Payment Setup Checklist.
3. Make the necessary changes to the business name and/or address.

Important note: Any updates made will appear on the next month’s invoice, not the current month’s one. If the update does not reflect in next month’s invoice, please escalate to Payment Operations (#payment_operations in Slack).

Debits

Debits are initiated on the 6th of each month for Dashboards with unpaid invoices. If a debit fails, the system will re-initiate a debit 7 days later.

Debit methods (a.k.a Billing Method)

• Dashboards processing in Euro will be automatically debited using SEPA Direct Debits.
• Dashboards processing in USD will be automatically debited using ACH Debits.
• All other currencies + PayPal-only dashboards will be automatically debited using Card on File.
  • All other currencies include AUD, GBP, NZD, etc…

Failed debits

See process for failed debits here.

Reconnecting a client following a failed debit

See in Activations & Reactivations.

Disputed Debits

In the case of a disputed debit, the payment method used to debit the disputed amount is invalidated and our team is no longer able to collect future invoice payment using that same mandate. The disputed payment status will also not change from “succeeded” to “failed” and it is hence not possible to debit again to recover the disputed amount as no amount shows as pending.

Fighting a disputed debit for PayOps

Disputes should be handled as usual by PayOps.

Recovering the disputed amount

The process to recoup the disputed funds from the client is as follows:

1. Upon reception of disputed debit notification from Stripe, PayOps will reach out to the client and:
   • Ensure they understand what the original debit was for,
   • Inform them that they need to reverify their billing method (it can be the same card/account),
   • Inform that FareHarbor will proceed with a debit of the disputed amount when this is done.
2. Once the billing method is reverified, PayOps will notify the @accounting team to reinitiate the payment using the workflow “Accounting Action Request” in #api-fee-global.
3. Once the debit is processed, PayOps will tag @payments-experience in the same thread to request them to link the new debit to the invoice.

Discrepancies

Flagging the discrepancy

To confirm a discrepancy, post in #api-fee-questions and we will confirm or help investigate.

Correcting the discrepancy: refund request

If a discrepancy was confirmed by our team, follow the process:

• If debit was not yet initiated:

  1. Notify @payments-experience to disable automated debits by tagging them in the Slack thread confirming the discrepancy.
  2. Submit a credit note + debit request in #api-fee-global using the workflow “Accounting Action Request”. The @accounting team will create a credit note for the AM to send to the client.
  3. The @accounting team will manually debit the correct amount using the Bank & Payments section and inform @ironbank of the manual debit ID to link to the invoice IDs for reconciliation purposes. This step will prevent our accounting system from trying to debit the invoice amount in the future.
  4. @payments-experience will link the debit to the invoice ID and re-enable automated debits for the affected company.

• If debit was already initiated: If the debit succeeded, follow the steps below. If it is still pending, wait until the status changes to succeeded or failed and act accordingly:

  1. Submit a credit note + refund request in #api-fee-global using workflow “Accounting Action Request”. The @accounting team will create a credit note for the AM to send to the client.
  2. The accounting team will then refund the client for the invoice difference using the Bank & Payments section.

Communicating the correction

1. The @accounting team will provide the Account Manager with a credit note highlighting the difference (adjustment) brought to the original invoice.
   • No new invoice with the correct amount can be issued in respect to the GAAP (Generally Accepted Accounting Principles).
   • The credit note will not be attached to the Payment Processing Documents section of the FareHarbor dashboard as uploading manual documents is not currently supported.
2. The Account Manager will be responsible for sharing the credit note with the client via email, using the “API Fee – Credit Note notification” template. The template will need to be edited before sending:
   • Add initial invoice ID from the dashboard, section “Payment Processing Documents” and the amount of that initial invoice
   • Add credit note ID provided by the @accounting team and the amount of that credit note
   • Add resulting amount to be invoiced by adding the invoice amount and the credit note amount (the latter should usually be a negative amount)
   • Attach credit note to the email as we are not able to attach it to the dashboard at this time

International bank transfer fees (APAC-specific)

Some companies in APAC might incur international transfer fees as we use our bank account located in Europe to debit API Fees, but rest assured that we debit in the local currency of the company. When these occur, FareHarbor is covering the international fee by issuing a reimbursement to the client. Proceed as follows:

• Collect client’s request, including a screenshot of the transaction stating clearly that the fee was incurred following the FH API Fee debit, and by how much.
• Send the request to @Rowena Dacanay via PM who will in turn submit the “Accounting Action Needed” workflow in #api-fee-global, pinging Christine Maedche for approval.
• Once approval is granted, Rowena will fill the reimbursement form tasking @accounting to credit the funds to the client’s bank account.
• If approved, the requesting team member will confirm the refund to the client.

Should this scenario spread across more markets, we will update the process.

Offboarded Companies

Offboarded Companies who previously used API Connectivity will continue to be invoiced and debited for until all eligible API Bookings have been charged. We will debit using the Billing Method available, and in case of no Billing Method present the @accounting team will use all means available to get payment as stated in our API Fee Terms.

Note: these additional payment methods require manual work and we are therefore not able to offer them as regular API Fee payment methods at this time.

Escalations

Please handle escalations as per usual practice.

Where are you currently charging? The API Fee has been introduced in all of our markets, except French Polynesia and Guam.

What is the API Fee covering? The API transaction fee covers the costs of setting up and maintaining the connections you have with OTAs (Online Travel Agencies) you work with, including expenses related to system maintenance, support, and infrastructure required to ensure smooth connectivity and improved services. A more exhaustive list is available on the API Fee Help Page.

What will change for me? I’m going to get the same service as when it was free. We are committed to increasing the pace of our support time, investing in improving our API connections and providing more dedicated service to you. More specifically, the API Fee allowed us to accelerate our development speed and release critical new- and updates to affiliate-specific features since its first launch in Portugal in 2023. A few examples of newer affiliate features:

• Airbnb API Integration – May 2025
• Custom Fields mapping for OTAs – Sept 2024
• Google ratings for External API – Q2 2024
• Reminder emails for API bookings – Q2 2024
• Affiliate rules introduction – Dec 2023
• Affiliate rules feature updates: capacity-based (Jul 2024), permanent affiliate restriction (Sep 2024), time of day (Oct 2024)

Why are you charging your clients and not the OTA? We develop API Connections and tailor our services based on our clients needs and feedback. Whether API connected or not, the OTA will still get their bookings and the API connection helps to dramatically ease the operations for your company to manage your distribution. OTAs are valuable partners we connect with to enhance your experience and share your direct feedback to help shape the future of these connections.

Why are you basing the fee on the total including tax? Bonus: It’s illegal. After deep research on the matter conducted by our legal team, we are charging the API Fee on the total including tax to align with industry practices.

Why are you charging a percentage and not a flat fee? The percentage aligns with all the rest of our pricing model. The booking fee, the payment link fee, the private event fee, everything is a percentage.

We also provide value in a myriad of aspects such as mapping connections, improving/strengthening our API, working closely with OTA to increase matching endpoints, looking for new partners, developing new features, improving these features etc… and we’ve been accelerating the speed of all of the above since August 2023, when we started charging the API Fee in Portugal and collected something to reinvest.

Our API is helping operators of all sizes and ticketing price, and finding the right the right amount for a flat fee would be a lot of guesswork and any number would be too much for smaller ticket prices, so we think a percentage is more fair to everyone. And charging a small flat fee wouldn’t allow us to provide all of the above at the quality we aspire to reach at some point.

Also while we are usually trendsetters, we are very late to the party as we are the last booking software to start charging for an API connectivity that is far superior to most competitors, and the only ones having a client-facing team dedicated to API questions.

How is the fee calculated? For companies subject to a 2% API Fee: If Company A gives 20% commission to an OTA and receives a $100 booking, $80 will be paid to the client, $20 will be kept by the OTA and the client will be charged $2 to pay to FareHarbor.

We understand the importance for businesses to take control of their online channels and establish meaningful connections with customers with the final option to maximize tickets sold and profitability. Our team is committed to supporting you in identifying opportunities and offering additional services that can enhance your online presence, enabling you to reach a wider audience and drive more conversions at the right profitability level. We believe that for tour providers, balancing both direct and OTA channels is crucial to 1) reduce risk, 2) maximize ticket sales and 3) drive profitability by tapping into a diverse customer base and leveraging the reach and marketing power of different channels. We are here to provide guidance and assistance every step of the way.

Can we negotiate the fee with clients who push back? At this time, we are only allowing an invited list of clients to negotiate the fee.

Can clients raise their rates on OTAs to cover the fee? If clients want to raise their rates on the OTA to cover the API fee we can give them the general guidance. First ask the client to please check their contract with the OTA if it actually has a parity clause. Second, it’s common knowledge that even if OTAs have a parity clause in their terms, they are not likely to enforce it. And if they do, they are likely to start with a warning. It’s up to the activity provider what to do with this info.

What happens if the client does not agree to the API Fee by their Effective Date? Will we charge for it anyway? We will be removing their API connectivity so bookings will not be able to be made via the API. Clients can still manually enter bookings in their FareHarbor Dashboard and tag the affiliate, but API bookings will not be able to be created, canceled or rebooked.

Invoicing & Reporting

How will the booking appear in the Dashboard? Bookings will appear as they normally do.

Will we base our fee out of OTA prices that come through the API or what we have set in the Dashboard? What is set in the Dashboard. With the implementation of pricing APIs coming this will eventually get fixed, but we’re confident prices are mostly accurate.

Will the API fee on bookings be included in the Reports section in FareHarbor’s internal report? The fee cannot currently be visible in reports, but they will see an invoice for the fee associated with their bookings in the Payment Processing Documents report.

Why is FareHarbor doing this?

FareHarbor builds its business model on a partnership and a win-win relationship with our clients. When making decisions that may impact you, we always consider how to align with your needs and strategies. Introducing the API fee ensures the alignment between FareHarbor’s overall strategy and your current and future goals. By charging a fee on API bookings, we can maintain and improve our level of service related to API connections. It’s important to note that you only pay the API fee if you utilize API connections and receive API bookings.

Why should I stay with FareHarbor now that you changed the API fee?

We understand the concern surrounding the API fee change, and we remain dedicated to your success. By introducing the API fee, we can maintain and enhance our level of service for API bookings. You will still benefit from a tailor-made dashboard, our high-converting booking system, our 24/7 technical support, and our range of free services to help you expand your online presence and boost online conversion!

As the largest reservation platform in the world, we offer access to over 20,000 vendors and more than 150,000 bookable activities.

Capterra and Phocuswright have rated us the #1 Tour & Activity Software, showcasing our commitment to excellence. With a team of over 800 employees across seven offices, we take pride in being a member of the Booking Holdings family.

Rest assured that your business is in capable hands, and we will continue to provide the highest level of service and support to ensure your continued success. If you have any further questions or require additional information, please don’t hesitate to contact our support team.

Can I absorb the booking fee now that you’re also charging me for API bookings?

We understand your concern about absorbing the booking fee. The introduction of the API fee was a decision made to maintain and improve our services for clients utilizing API connections. However, we still want you to succeed and generate as many bookings as possible directly through your website, which will not incur any cost. We encourage you to leverage our high-converting booking system, the powerful dashboard for managing your bookings, and our dedicated support team to optimize your online presence and maximize your revenue.

I always heard FH would never charge for your services because you only grow if I grow. How can I rely on you from now on?

We assure you that FareHarbor’s commitment to your growth remains unchanged. Our decision to introduce the API fee reflects our dedication to providing reliable and improved services to support your evolving needs. We still adhere to our partnership and win-win relationship, and our success is deeply intertwined with yours. We will continue to deliver a high-converting booking system, an exceptional dashboard and 24/7 technical support.

I want to disconnect the API immediately; which steps should I take?

If you wish to disconnect your API connection, please get in touch with our support team directly. They will guide you through the process and ensure a smooth disconnection of the API. We value your business and will provide the necessary assistance during this transition.

If you choose to disconnect immediately, the affiliate will send these bookings to you via email, and you will need to enter them manually into FareHarbor (our system). If you enter bookings manually, those bookings are not subject to the fee. To continue receiving API bookings in FareHarbor automatically, we recommend that you join FHDN or GTTD (Google Things to do). Joining these platforms will ensure seamless integration of bookings and save you the hassle of manual entry. Our support team can provide you with more details on how to join these platforms. By joining these platforms, you will ensure seamless integration of bookings and eliminate the hassle of manual entry. Our support team can provide you with more details on how to join these platforms.

I want to start accepting API bookings again; which steps should I take?

To get started with accepting API bookings, we recommend reaching out to our Support Team. We will be more than happy to assist you further with the necessary steps and provide you with a comprehensive understanding of our API connectivity options. They will work closely with you to ensure a smooth onboarding process and answer any questions you may have about the fees and pricing structure.

I feel cheated now that you’re changing your pricing model.

We understand that and we sincerely apologize for any negative emotions this changes may have caused. Our intention was never to deceive or betray your trust. The introduction of the API transaction fee was a decision made with careful consideration, aiming to enhance our services and better align with your evolving needs. We remain committed to your success and providing you with a high-converting booking system, an exceptional dashboard, 24/7 technical support, and the guidance of our Support Team.

Can you provide more details on the costs of managing clients working with OTAs and API integrations that the API transaction fee covers?

The API transaction fee covers the costs of setting up and maintaining the connections you have with the OTAs (Online Travel Agencies) you work with, including expenses related to system maintenance, support, and infrastructure required to ensure smooth connectivity and improved services.

More specifically, it will cover (but is not limited to) the human resources needed to ensure your connections are up to date, managed, accurate and flowing into one software for management in addition to things like downtime communications, help communicating with your Viator/GYG rep, ability to answer questions about those connections and other variables needed for a software and connections to continue performing so our clients don’t have to take care of it themselves.

How will the API transaction fee contribute to ensuring reliable connectivity and improved services for businesses?

The API transaction fee ensures reliable connectivity and improved business services by providing the necessary resources from FareHarbor to maintain and optimize the API infrastructure, helping to minimize disruptions, enhance system performance, and deliver a seamless booking experience for clients utilizing API connections.

Can you clarify the specific communication channels and advance notification methods used to inform clients about the API transaction fee?

We have transparently communicated the API transaction fee through various channels, including direct client communication via email and notifications within the FareHarbor dashboard. We have provided advance notification to ensure clients are well-informed about the fee and its implementation.

How does FareHarbor utilize the collected fees to support businesses with low online transaction volumes and enhance the services provided?

The collected fees from the API transaction fee support businesses with low online transaction volumes by enhancing the services provided. FareHarbor utilizes the collected funds to invest in system improvements, technological advancements, and customer support initiatives, ultimately benefiting these businesses and optimizing their experience with FareHarbor.

How will clients be notified about future updates or changes related to the API transaction fee?

We will communicate any updates or changes related to the API transaction fee through official channels. Clients can expect proactive communication and support who will address specific concerns and questions regarding the fee. Our commitment to transparent communication ensures that clients are well-informed about any updates or changes related to the API transaction fee.

Clients are asking if FareHarbor is financially stable because of all the recent pricing changes, how should I respond?

Reinforce that FareHarbor is continually investing in our people and our product. Last year alone we hired close to 120 employees, driven by our success and ambitious goals and never have had to do layoffs. We are reinvesting in our rapidly-growing Connectivity team and Engineering team due to increased demand for our industry-leading API services. Our recent product releases related to this service prove that we’re putting our money where our mouths are: affiliate rules, etc.