This article describes the Expedia channel connection in RMS, including the data exchanged between Expedia and RMS.

Overview

Expedia is an online booking channel that you can connect to RMS via the Channel Manager. Once connected, Expedia and RMS exchange availability, rate, restriction, and reservation data automatically.

This article outlines which data is sent and received between Expedia and RMS, and provides a reference for the supported and unsupported functions of the integration.

Please Note! RMS is highly configurable. Some Terminology, User Access & Permissions, Images, Labels, and Functions used in these articles may differ from your setup. For more information, see Understanding RMS Help Centre Articles. 

Connecting Expedia to RMS

To connect Expedia as a channel in RMS, follow the general Channel Connection process. This involves activating the channel in the RMS Channel Manager, mapping your properties, categories, and rate types, and then enabling the connection.

Availability, Rate & Reservation Data Exchange

The following tables show which availability, rate, restriction, guest, and reservation data is sent and received between Expedia and RMS.

Additional Features

You can set up the Expedia connection with a Pricing Model of Occupancy-Based Pricing, Per Day Pricing, or Full Pattern Length of Stay.

The following additional features are available with the connection to Expedia.

Auto Replenishment

• Auto Replenishment is a feature managed by Expedia and cannot be deactivated by RMS.
• Using Auto Replenishment enables Expedia to automatically increase the Property's inventory for a Category once a Cancellation has been processed by Expedia.
• Expedia will calculate available inventory for the Property in this scenario outside the inventory updates provided by RMS and make the adjustment.

Oversell Allotments

• Properties using Oversell Allotments in RMS may encounter the following scenarios in conjunction with Expedia's Auto Replenish feature.
  • If Expedia overbooks a date through an Oversell Allotment and a reservation is then cancelled for the same date and Category, Expedia's auto-replenishment adds the cancelled room back to its own count. That room no longer exists in RMS, even if the Oversell Allotment has since been removed.
  • RMS sends a date to Expedia as closed when the Category has no availability left in RMS, so Expedia cannot sell the room it added back. A Manual OTA Resync replaces Expedia's availability count with the RMS figure.

Mapping Multiple Accounts

When setting up a connection to Expedia, users can configure multiple Expedia accounts while mapping by Property (Category level).

You do this in the Channel Management – Channel Mapping screen in RMS:

1. In RMS, go to Setup > Online Bookings > Channel Management.

2. Change Channel Connection Status from Connected to All.

3. Double‑click 'Expedia' to open the channel setup screen.

4. In the Channel Mapping screen, complete the Connection Information section:

   • Ref No = Expedia Hotel Code

5. When multi‑account is supported and configured:

   • You can set up Connection Information for multiple Expedia accounts while mapping by Property (Category).

   • Use the Account Label field (mandatory) to give each account a unique, descriptive name (e.g. Account 1, Account 2, Motel, Resort).

   • The Account Label is not communicated to Expedia; it is used only in RMS so staff can easily identify and switch between accounts in the Channel Mapping screen.

     

Reservation Category Changes

• Expedia does not receive updates of Category changes on a reservation in its system.
• If a Property changes the Category of an Expedia reservation in RMS and this reservation is later cancelled, the auto replenish feature will add inventory in Expedia for the originally booked Category.
• Properties should contact their Expedia market manager for any enquiries related to Auto Replenishment.

Credit Card CVV Information

• CVV information is not provided to RMS with Expedia Collect reservations, so RMS Vault will not hold CVV information for these reservations. To obtain this information, the property should refer to the Expedia Confirmation Email.

Hotel Collect, Expedia Collect & Package

• Hotel Collect Rate Plans set up in Expedia are rate plans that can be managed by RMS on the property's behalf.
• Expedia Collect & Package Rate Plans set up in Expedia will require mapping selections in Channel Management setup for reservation delivery purposes. Tick No Update on these mapping rows, because Expedia derives their pricing and availability from the Hotel Collect Rate Plan in the Expedia extranet.

• If the property is operating with a combination of Hotel Collect & Expedia Collect, the Rate Amount on each reservation depends on which of the two models the booking was made under.
  • Hotel Collect reservations will arrive in RMS with the Gross Rate amount on the reservation. The property takes full payment from the guest, and Expedia invoices the property separately for its commission.
  • Expedia Collect reservations arrive in RMS with the Net Rate under Expedia's original standard, so the Total Rate on the reservation is the amount Expedia will pay the property after its commission. In markets on Expedia's updated Expedia Collect model, which include Australia and New Zealand, the reservation instead arrives at the full amount the traveller paid. Expedia sets which model applies; it is not a setting in RMS. See Expedia Hotel Collect, Expedia Collect and Package rate plans.

Expedia identifies the payment model in the rate plan ID: an ID ending in the letter A is a Hotel Collect rate plan, and a purely numeric ID is Expedia Collect. RMS shows the same distinction as (Hotel Collect), (Expedia Collect) or (Package) beside each Expedia rate plan in the Retail Web Site Category column of the mapping.

If RMS sends rates to a rate plan whose rate acquisition type on Expedia does not accept them, Expedia rejects the update with error 3142, and RMS ticks No Update on that mapping row itself, then raises an "Expedia - Critical Configuration Issues" alert in the Message Centre listing the rows it changed.

Before you untick No Update on that row, check the rate plan in the Expedia rate plan export: only rate plans with Interface Rates set to Yes, Rate Plan Status set to Active, and no Parent Rate Plan should receive updates from RMS. See Booking.com or Expedia rates do not match the rates in RMS for the full checks.

Minimum Length of Stays

• RMS sends Minimum Nights (MLOS) to Expedia: for each date, the minimum number of nights for a guest arriving on that date. RMS does not send Minimum Nights (Soft Close) restrictions to Expedia.
• To verify which length of stay method the property is set up for in Expedia, contact Expedia via the email addresses below:
• New Connections: eqcss@expedia.com
• Existing Connections: hothelp@expedia.com

Related Articles

• Channel Agent Commission Setup on a Channel Management Connection
• Channel Connection
• OTA Commission with a NET Multiplier
• Booking.com or Expedia rates do not match the rates in RMS
• Expedia Collect / Hotel Collect: Channel mapping must be unique