How to Connect Zaui with TripAdvisor/Viator

Overview

TripAdvisor/Viator is an OTA specializing in tours, activities, and attractions. Founded in 1999, it is one of the oldest and largest tours and activities marketplaces in the world. Acquired by TripAdvisor in 2014, Viator powers the Things to Do (Experiences) on TripAdvisor, enabling over 415 million monthly travel planners to book directly on the world's largest travel site. 

If you are working with TripAdvisor/Viator or perhaps are planning to, you can automate your relationship with them using API Connectivity and Zaui's Channel Manager. 

API Connectivity will allow your Zaui system and TripAdvisor/Viator to talk to each other. Specifically, TripAdvisor/Viator will be able to:

• Pull a list of activities that are available for booking;
• Retrieve information regarding the availability of those activities;
• Create new bookings;
• Updated and cancel existing bookings in your Zaui system

Save time and money - no more email booking requests from TripAdvisor/Viator and manual booking entry!

This article will cover the following topics:

• Registering with TripAdvisor/Viator and Creating your products
• Creating TripAdvisor/Viator as an Agency in Zaui
• Enabling TripAdvisor/Viator channel in Zaui
• Mapping Products in TripAdvisor/Viator to Zaui activities
• Important FYI's 

Registering with TripAdvisor/Viator and Creating your products

You must have a Supplier Account with TripAdvisor/Viator and your products listed with them in order to use API Connectivity. 

If you don't already have an account, you can sign up here. Once you create an account and provide information about your business and contact details, a TripAdvisor/Viator representative will reach out via email in the next 2-3 business days to ask a few clarifying questions and negotiate their commission/net rates. 

Please note Zaui is not involved here and cannot assist in this process. Should you require assistance with the registration process, please contact suppliers@viator.com.

Once registered, you will be able to create and configure your products with TripAdvisor/Viator using their Management Center in order to connect them to corresponding activities in your Zaui system. We recommend you include high-quality photos and describe your product in detail. It’s also a good idea to check a few well-performing competitor listings on TripAdvisor/Viator and follow a similar (or better!) model. It is important, however, that your TripAdvisor/Viator product date ranges and times exactly match date ranges and times of corresponding activity in your Zaui system. Check this link or contact TripAdvisor/Viator if you need assistance with creating this product.

API Connectivity with TripAdvisor/Viator currently only automates inventory (availability) updates as well as booking creations, amendments, and cancellations. Product content (descriptions, pictures) and rates on TripAdvisor/Viator are NOT automatically updated with information in your Zaui system. We recommend you regularly check your product listings on TripAdvisor/Viator to ensure all information is correct and up-to-date.

Creating TripAdvisor/Viator as a Company in Zaui

All bookings created via API Connectivity automatically appear in Zaui as PAID with Voucher payment type, therefore it is important TripAdvisor/Viator is set up as a Wholesale Company in your Zaui system.

To set up TripAdvisor/Viator as a Wholesale Company:

1. From the navigation bar, select Resellers > Companies > Company List. If TripAdvisor/Viator (TripAdvisor Experiences) is not on the list of companies, click Create Company from the shortcuts panel. If it is on the list, click on it to view details.
2. Fill out the Company Information section (only Company Name is required, other fields are optional).
3. In the Rate Type section, select Wholesale Discount/Invoice type and leave all boxes unchecked.
4. In the Rate Codes section, assign a rate code to TripAdvisor/Viator based on your negotiated commission/net rate with them and define to which products it applies. This will ensure your reports account for the correct Net Rate. Learn more about rate codes here.

Enabling TripAdvisor/Viator channel in Zaui

By default, API Connectivity is disabled to protect your business information. As a business manager/owner, you need to enable this for each Channel Partner and define any applicable rules. 

To enable TripAdvisor/Viator channel:

1. From the navigation bar, select Resellers > Channel Partners.
2. Click on TripAdvisor/Viator on api.zaui.io on the list of channel partners. 
3. In the Map reseller to account field within the Channel Information section, select the TripAdvisor/Viator company created earlier. 
4. Check the Enable Channel box to turn this channel on.
5. If you would like Zaui to also notify you via email every time TripAdvisor/Viator performs actions via API Connectivity (i.e. pulls a list of available activities, creates, updates, cancels bookings, etc.), check Enable Alerts box and enter email for notifications to be sent to.
   
   

   Some Zaui systems may display the old channel name TripAdvisor/Viator on api.zaui.io instead of TripAdvisor/Viator on api.zaui.io in Contacts > Manage Channel Partners. Select TripAdvisor/Viator on api.zaui.io if this is the case for you.

6. In Channel Rules and Controls section, define which activities you allow TripAdvisor/Viator to access via API Connectivity and what rules to apply. Learn more about Channel Rules and Controls here.
7. Don't forget to click on Save. 

The easiest way to find your Supplier ID is to log in to Viator Management Center and go to the top right-hand corner, where you will see your company name and Supplier ID next to it in brackets.

Mapping your TripAdvisor/Viator product to your Zaui Activity

1. On the TripAdvisor/Viator site, log in to Viator Management Center, click the Products tab, then click Manage next to the product you wish to connect to the Zaui activity. 
2. Go to the Product Connection tab on the product page, click Edit next to the product option you want to connect to. If all previous steps are completed correctly, you should see a list of activities from Zaui that you have shared earlier via TripAdvisor/Viator on api.zaui.io channel.
   Please note: the Product Connection tab in the Viator Management Center is only enabled for Users with the Permissions for Product API mapping.
   
   

   If you don't see a list of activities and instead see the Something went wrong. Error Code: TGD00024 message, it is likely that something is set up incorrectly in the TripAdvisor/Viator on the api.zaui.io channel, please see the previous section or contact connectivity@zaui.com for assistance.

   
3. From the list of Zaui activities shown, select one that corresponds to this TripAdvisor/Viator product option. Click Connect. This will return you to the product page, where the status of the product option will now show as Connected.
   
   

   If you see the Something went wrong. Error Code: TGDS00028 message when clicking Connect, please wait for 12 hours and try this step again.

Important FYI's

• API Connectivity with TripAdvisor/Viator currently only supports Standard, Interval, and Ticket activities in Zaui. Custom, Point to Point, and Rental activities, as well as Packages and Merchandise Products, CANNOT be connected to TripAdvisor/Viator.
• Your passenger types in Zaui must exactly match those listed on your TripAdvisor/Viator product listing for the connection to work. It is not possible to change the mapping for passenger types at this time. Zaui pricing options are cannot be connected.
• Make sure Zaui activity date ranges and start times on TripAdvisor/Viator are the same.
• If you are using Interval Activities, we recommend you set these up as Products with one option, that has all available start times within it. It is not recommended to build individual product options for each start time as this will result in confusing booking flow on TripAdvisor/Viator and is known to be causing connection errors.