Additions include more payment flexibility
Expedia Travel Agent Affiliate Program (TAAP) announced the launch of several new platform enhancements designed to help travel advisors work more efficiently, better serve their clients and unlock new earning opportunities. These updates introduce tools that, according to the announcement, simplify trip management, expand payment flexibility and offer new ways to increase revenue.
TAAP, a division of Expedia Group, is a retail booking platform that connects travel agents to Expedia Group’s global portfolio of hotels, vacation rentals, flights, packages, car rentals and activities.
Among the latest additions are enhanced deferred payment capabilities, a new bank transfer payment option and the expanded rollout of the agency service charge feature. Together, said the announcement, these enhancements give advisors more control over how they manage bookings, get paid and deliver value to their clients, helping them grow their business with greater ease and confidence.
Robin Lawther, vice president of Expedia TAAP, said that with 45% of travelers 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.” He added, “We’re seeing strong momentum behind our latest tools, which speaks volumes about the real-world impact they’re having on advisors’ businesses.”
Among the enhancements:
* TAAP has enhanced its “book now, pay later” feature, with new capabilities that give travel advisors greater flexibility, control and efficiency when managing client bookings. Advisors can now defer payment for trips up to 365 days in advance (previously 280 days), making it easier to secure early-bird deals and support clients who plan well ahead, without requiring immediate payment.
* A new Hard Change functionality was developed specifically to support bookings made with deferred payment — something that wasn’t possible before. Advisors can now make key post-booking changes, such as adjusting travel dates, occupancy or room type, directly within the platform. This enhancement eliminates the need to cancel and rebook, saving time and enabling faster responses to client needs.
* 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.
* The agency service charge feature is now live in more than 20 markets, including the US, UK, Canada, Mexico, Australia, Germany, France and the United Arab Emirates. This feature enables travel advisors to apply a discretionary service charge of up to 30% of the total lodging booking value directly within the Expedia TAAP platform.
