Expedia TAAP updates create payment flexibility for advisors

Travel Weekly

6 days ago

Expedia's Travel Agent Affiliate Program (TAAP) is making payment options more flexible for travel advisors with its latest round of updates.
Expedia has added new capabilities to its "book now, pay later" feature. Previously, TAAP users could defer payment for trips up to 280 days in advance. That window has been extended to 365 days.
That, Expedia said, enables advisors to book travel for clients who plan ahead, or lock in early-bird deals, without requiring immediate payment.
Additionally, advisors can now make post-booking changes within TAAP, meaning they don't need to cancel and rebook when adjusting travel dates, occupancy or room type.
The updates are available in all 34 of the markets served by Expedia TAAP.
Market-specific TAAP updates
TAAP also rolled out some market-specific updates. For some European markets, including Germany, Italy, France, Spain, Belgium, Finland and the Netherlands, advisors can now pay for hotel bookings with bank transfers.
Expedia has also rolled out its agency service charge feature, enabling advisors to include service charges on the TAAP platform, to more than 20 markets. The feature has been live in the U.S. since earlier this year. Advisors in the U.K., Canada, Mexico, Australia, Germany, France and the United Arab Emirates utilize the feature, as well.
"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," Robin Lawther, vice president of TAAP, said in a release. "We're seeing strong momentum behind our latest tools, which speaks volumes about the real-world impact they're having on advisors' businesses."
Lawther also teased that more enhancements are coming.