When clients ask to connect to a channel OTA (Online Travel Agency), first check if you have enough information to proceed with mapping the connection. If you don’t have all the details, follow up with the client for the missing information.

Airtable Record Setup

1. Search for the company shortname that’s listed in Close first, to see if a record already exists. We want to avoid duplicated records.
2. Add any helpful information to the Airtable record in the notes column to assist in the setup process (such as items to connect, if they’ve opted out of pricing over API, pricing and commission, OTA product links, etc.).
3. Use the 🏷️ AirTable Tag Glossary to add the correct status and issues tags. Add the SLA to New records according to this help page.

Verify the API Service Fee is set up for all channel API connection requests (except Google and Booking.com):

1. Check that a Billing Method has been added (for clients with dashboard payment processors in the US/PR, please check the rollout dates in #api-fee-noram). If the billing method has not been added, send the macro

Connectivity::API Connectivity – Billing Method not enabled (EN/PT/SP).

2. For US/PR clients only, check in Advanced Company Settings that ‘Allow API Bookings to be charged an API fee’ has been checked by the client. If it has not been checked, send the macro

Connectivity::API Connectivity – Allow API Bookings to be charged an API fee not enabled (US/PR only).

3. For all clients, check in Advanced Company Settings that ‘Enable API Booking Creation’ is checked. If not and a billing method has been added, check this box.
4. Check that the API fee rate has been added. If the fee is incorrect and/or is set to 0%, but a billing method has been added, follow the outlined steps here to notify PayOps.

To initiate an Airbnb Connection:

1. Send the macro Connectivity::API Connectivity – Airbnb – Connect Now.
2. Check AT for an existing record. If none are found, add a record to Airtable with a “Requested” status.
3. After the client authorizes Airbnb on their Fareharbor dashboard, an email will be automatically sent to the Zendesk queue that includes the supplier’s Airbnb Host ID.
4. Once we receive the triggered email, we will have access to the supplier’s Airbnb account in the Airbnb Partner portal. From there, we can log in and check if there are active products in their account.

For Accounts with Active Activities:

1. Use the macro Connectivity::API Connectivity – Viator/GYG/Google/Airbnb – Added to AT.
2. Update the AT record to the ‘New’ status and add the Host ID to the Company Name column.

3. Check the following:

   • Currency Mismatch: Check that the default currency used by the location set on each activity matches the currency on the supplier’s dashboard. If all Airbnb activities have a currency mismatch issue, send the “Airbnb – Currency Mismatch” macro and set the status to ‘on hold” with an issue status of ‘currency mismatch’ in Airbnb.

   • Item Match Issues: If you are unable to easily identify which Airbnb products should connect to which FareHarbor items, ask the client for a list of matching FH items to Airbnb products. Then, update the Airtable status to ‘New’ with the ‘Confirming items’ issue status tagged.

   • Multiple Dashboards: Airbnb Airtable records should be named with the Airbnb account name and Host ID. If the same Airbnb account is being connected to an additional dashboard, then name the AT record ‘Airbnb Account Name (Second Dashboard).’

For Accounts with Inactive Products:

1. Inactive activities are those without the LISTED and M13_EXPERIENCE_UPGRADE_REQUIRED statuses. If all activities on an account are inactive, move to step 2.
2. Send the macro Connectivity::API Connectivity – Airbnb – No Active Products. Move the AT record to the ‘Disabled’ status with an issue status of ‘No Active Products’.

Client Requests

No FHDN Affiliate

If a supplier reaches out looking to connect with Booking and does not have an FHDN affiliate added to their dashboard:

• Add their record to AT with a “Requested” status
• Select the “Client outreach – Booking” toggle in AT
• Once added to AT, forward their request to Channel Support who will add the FHDN affiliate to the suppliers dashboard.

FHDN Affiliate Added

If a supplier reaches out looking to connect with Booking and does have the FHDN affiliate added to their dashboard:

• Add their record to AT with a “New” status
• Select the “Client outreach – Booking” toggle in AT
• Once added to AT, send the “Added to AT” macro

OB/CS Requests

If a request is received from OB or CS, first check whether an AT record already exists:

• If there is, update the existing record
• If there is no matching records, create a new AT record and set the status to “New”
• For opt-ins, if the currency listed within the FHDN API affiliate is not USD, GBP, or EUR, make sure the record is added to AT and updated with a “Disabled” status and the “Unsupported Currency” issue status

No communication is needed for new requests from OB or CS unless the “Client outreach – Booking” checkbox is selected on the AT record.

To initiate a Viator Connection:

1. Send the macro Connectivity::API Connectivity – Viator – Connect Now.
2. After the client adds FareHarbor as their reservation system in Viator, the Account ready for Viator connection email is automatically triggered to the New Connection Zendesk queue.
3. Once we receive the triggered email from Viator, we will have access to the supplier’s Viator account in the extranet. From there, we can log in and check if there are active products in their account.

For Active & In Review Products:

1. Remove Viator from the Requester field in Zendesk and add the client’s email instead.
2. Use the macro Connectivity::API Connectivity – Viator/GYG/Google – Added to AT.
3. Update the AT record to the ‘New’ status.

4. Check the following:

   • Setup Issues: Quickly check if the Viator products have group pricing and/or opening hours/coordinated start times vs having fixed start times in FareHarbor. When sending the ‘Added to AT’ macro, include the Connectivity::API Connectivity – Channel API – Per Group vs. Per Person Capacity and/or Connectivity:: API Connectivity – Channel API – Viator Open Hours/Coordinated Start Times macro as needed. Then, update the Airtable status to ‘New’ with the corresponding issue status tagged.

   • Handling Multiple Products: If you are unable to easily identify which Viator products should connect to which FareHarbor items, ask the client for a list of matching FH items to Viator products. Then, update the Airtable status to ‘New’ with the ‘Confirming items’ issue status tagged.

   • Multiple Viator Accounts or Dashboards: Viator Airtable records can be named with the Viator account name and number. If the same Viator account is being connected to an additional dashboard, then name the AT record ‘Viator Account Name (Second Dashboard).’ If this is an additional Viator account for a dashboard, then name the AT record ‘Viator Account Name (Second Account).’

Drafts, Inactive & No Products:

1. Send the macro Connectivity::API Connectivity – Viator – No Active Products. Move the AT record to the ‘Disabled’ status with an issue status of ‘No Active Products’. a) Remove FareHarbor as the reservation system in Viator – for the reason, select other and type ‘no active products’.

To initiate a GYG Connection:

1. Check the dashboard to see if the client has more than one public, non-retail item listed.
2. If yes, send the macro Connectivity::API Connectivity – GetYourGuide – Outreach for Product Info.
3. Add the AT record to the new queue with an issue status of ‘confirming items’ if needed.
4. Once the client sends a list of items they’d like to connect, or if there’s only one item on their dashboard, send the macro Connectivity::API Connectivity – Viator/GYG/Google – Added to AT.
5. Add the request to the ‘New’ AT queue with the information about items the client would like to connect and the below information, if applicable:
   • GYG supplier page: Add the GYG supplier page to the AT field ‘GBP or OTA Link’. If the products have not been submitted in the GYG supplier account and are therefore not active, add the note “no active products.”
   • Confirm Tour Types: If shared/public and private tour options exist on the same FareHarbor item, you can ask the client to confirm which they are selling through GYG.
   • Pricing Preferences: If the client requests to connect to availability only, rather than also connecting to the pricing API, note this in the AT record. If they provide the pricing they have listed in GYG, either copy the info into the AT record or note ‘GYG pricing’ next to the ticket link.

To initiate a Google Connection:

1. Locate the Google Business Profile link and associated Place ID.
2. In the Google Actions Center, confirm that the Place ID is eligible for a TTD connection.
3. If the account is ready to map to Google Things to do, send the macro Connectivity::API Connectivity – Viator/GYG/Google – Added to AT.
4. Add the record to AT with a ‘New’ status. Link the GBP in the ‘GBP or OTA Link’ field.

GBP/Mapping Issues:

• Can’t find the Google Business Profile associated with the dashboard? Use the macro Connectivity::API Connectivity – Google – TTD – Google Business Profile.

• Not eligible: If the GBP is ineligible for OBM (Operator Booking Module) and for POI (Point of Interest), send the macro Connectivity::API Connectivity – Google – TTD/OBM Not Eligible.

• Item list: If the dashboard has more than 10 items, ask the client if they’d like to send a list of FareHarbor items they’d like to connect. Add the connection to the AT new queue with a ‘confirming items’ issue tag.

• Restricted business category: Inform the client that they are not eligible for the connection due to Google TTD policies.

To initiate an Expedia Connection:

1. Expedia connections are not added to AT until we receive the mapping file from the Expedia API team. To start the process, send the client the following message:

   • ‘To initiate an Expedia API connection, please reach out to Expedia to start the integration. Expedia’s API Support Team will then reach out to us to directly to start the connection process with your products. In case you are not already in touch, we’ve linked their contact form here. Please let us know if you have any questions!’

2. One a mapping file has been received from the Expedia team, add a record to Airtable using the ‘New’ status. Include the Excel file from Expedia in the ‘Expedia Mapping File’ field.

AirTable records with a 1. ‘requested’ status and 2. connections with a ‘mapped-issue’ status follow the process outlined below (except for Booking.com). We follow-up every 3 business days regardless of tier or API.

For requested Airtable records:

Day 1: Initial Outreach – Connectivity::API Connectivity – Viator – Connect Now – Connectivity::API Connectivity – GetYourGuide – Outreach for Product Info

Day 3: Follow-up – Connectivity::API Connectivity – New Connection Follow Up – Follow-up 2 (Viator/GetYourGuide)

Day 6: Account on Hold – Connectivity::API Connectivity – New Connection Follow Up – Follow-up 3

For claimed records:

Day 1: First outreached (move record to mapped issue queue) – Use relevant macro (e.g. open hours macro)

Day 3: Follow-up – Connectivity::API Connectivity – New Connection Follow Up – Follow-up 2 (Viator/GetYourGuide)

Day 6: Account on Hold – Connectivity::API Connectivity – New Connection Follow Up – Follow-up 3

• Check for Missing Information: If at any point the information provided by the client isn’t enough to proceed, reach out and request more details.
  • When unsure of item matching, reach out to the client. You can send them a list of the Expedia activity names when available and ask for the matching FH items.
  • For clues in product matching, check the FH item listing description, number of participants and customer types, pricing, FH booking calendar for start times and availability durations. In Viator you can also check for details in the product description.
• Review and Double-Check: Before moving tickets to the next stage, ensure that all necessary fields and tags have been added to the AT record to prevent delays.
• Email Subject Lines: Include the OTA name(s), start with [Action Required] or [Action Needed] when action is required from the client.
• New Connections Zendesk Tags: Check that correct and complete tags are added to tickets i.e. requested, added to at, connectivity customer types, api resource, api_fee, item mismatch, start time mismatch, tiered pricing.
• Look out For Resources and Booking Restrictions on the Dashboard Settings Level.
• If the request requires action from another team, split the ticket as needed:
  • For the Connectivity Live and External teams, create a new ticket. In the internal notes, include the Original Ticket link, Company Shortname, and a brief description of the request.
  • For Support and Channel Support tickets, use the internal support request form.