SEATTLE — Expedia’s Travel Agent Affiliate Program (TAAP) has introduced a suite of new platform enhancements aimed at helping travel advisors work more efficiently, better serve their clients and unlock fresh revenue opportunities.
The updates are based directly on feedback from advisors worldwide and offer new capabilities for trip management, flexible payments and advisor compensation.
Among the key upgrades are improved deferred payment capabilities, a new bank transfer payment option and the expanded rollout of the agency service charge feature. Together, these features provide travel advisors with more control over how they manage and profit from their bookings.
“With 45% of travellers using an advisor to book most or all of their trips in the past year, it’s clear that the role of the travel advisor has never been more essential,” said Robin Lawther, VP of Expedia TAAP. “We’re seeing strong momentum behind our latest tools, which speaks volumes about the real-world impact they’re having on advisors’ businesses. Looking ahead, we’re continuing to invest in the platform – with new functionalities and enhancements on the horizon that will make it even easier for advisors to grow and thrive.”
Deferred Payment Enhancements
Expedia TAAP has enhanced its popular “book now, pay later” option, now allowing payments to be deferred up to 365 days in advance – an increase from the previous 280-day limit. This change is designed to support advisors working with clients who plan their travels well in advance, helping them secure deals early without immediate financial commitment.
The platform also now supports changes to deferred payment bookings. Using a new Hard Change feature, advisors can make key post-booking changes such as adjusting travel dates, occupancy or room type, directly with the platform. This eliminates the need to cancel and rebook, saving advisors time and allow for faster responses to their clients.
These enhancements are available in all 34 Expedia TAAP markets and apply to eligible hotel bookings.
Bank Transfer Payment Option
Advisors can now pay for hotel bookings via bank transfer, offering a flexible new alternative to other payment types. This is now live across some European markets including Germany, Italy, France, Spain, Belgium, Finland and the Netherlands. This new method provides more flexibility for agencies that prefer alternatives to credit card payments and is expected to simplify payment workflows for advisors operating in regions where card usage is less common.
Expanded Agency Service Charge Feature
Expedia TAAP has also expanded the availability of its agency service charge tool to over 20 markets, including Canada, the U.S., U.K., Mexico, Australia, Germany, France and the U.A.E.
The feature enables advisors to apply a discretionary service charge of up to 30% of the total lodging booking value directly within the Expedia TAAP platform.
According to Expedia TAAP, it’s a simple, flexible way for advisors to be rewarded for the time, expertise and personalized service they deliver – helping them grow their business while continuing to provide exceptional value to clients.
For more information, go to www.expediataap.com.
