Our Channel Management feature is extremely powerful and can greatly simplify your channel advertising. Learn how it works by reading our Channel Management Overview article. The most powerful part of our Channel Management is the API Integrations we have with certain channel partners.
OwnerRez has partnered with TripAdvisor to provide an integrated API connection between the two systems. This allows OwnerRez users to easily distribute your existing property content, rates, rules and availability directly to TripAdvisor and receive back booking and guest information inside OwnerRez automatically.
- Who can use the TripAdvisor API integration
- What you can do with the TripAdvisor API integration
- Connecting the TripAdvisor API integration
- Pros and Cons of TripAdvisor API
Who can use the TripAdvisor API integration
TripAdvisor requires a minimum of 15 property listings to use the API connection. If you have fewer than that, you can ask, but most likely will be rejected.
TripAdvisor has recently been refusing all new API connections regardless of number of properties. Existing API connections, including transfers between channel management systems, are unaffected and remain useable.
What you can do with the TripAdvisor API integration
There are some functional limitations to the API side of TripAdvisor but they are basically the same as the platform side of TripAdvisor. Moving to the API side will not change those limitations.
For instance, you may know that when moving to the API side of Vrbo, you are allowed to use your own credit card processing because Vrbo will pass the guest's card credit to OwnerRez when the booking occurs. TripAdvisor does not operate this way. TripAdvisor continues to be the merchant of record for all payments past, present and future.
Here is a list of all API functions, whether TripAdvisor API supports it and details about that support.
| API Function | TripAdvisor | Description | Caveats & Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| Property Content | Yes | The descriptions, amenities, photos, location and layout (rooms) of the property are pushed automatically to TripAdvisor any time they change in OwnerRez | |
| Rates | Yes | Rent, fees, discounts and tax amounts are pushed automatically to TripAdvisor any time they change in OwnerRez | |
| Rules | Yes | Minimum night stays, restrictions (pets, max guests), cancellation policy, house rules, etc. are pushed automatically to TripAdvisor any time they change in OwnerRez | |
| Availability | Yes | The active calendar of what is already booked versus open and available is automatically pushed to TripAdvisor any time it changes in OwnerRez | |
| Reviews | Yes | Reviews that the guest writes on TripAdvisor are pushed to OwnerRez | |
| Bookings | Yes | Bookings that occur on TripAdvisor are automatically pushed to OwnerRez (without the guest's credit card) | |
| Credit Cards | No | TripAdvisor will not pass the guest's credit card to OwnerRez for processing, so it will not be stored on file with their booking in OwnerRez | |
| Guest Info | Yes | When the booking comes into OwnerRez, it includes the guest's contact information such as the real phone number and email address | Email address is a proxy (pass-through) email address. The guest's real email address is still not transmitted, even using the API. Use this method to get it directly from the guest. |
| Quotes | Yes | The ability to send a different or custom rate (ie. "special offer") to the guest before they book on TripAdvisor | |
| Inquiries | Yes | Requests or general contact that the guest makes through TripAdvisor will be pushed to OwnerRez for response |
If you're wondering how these TripAdvisor functions compare to the other API channels, check out our comparison matrix of the functional differences between API channels.
Connecting the TripAdvisor API integration
We've written a detailed step-by-step connection document for the TripAdvisor API. Please follow this closely as it outlines each step of the process with pictures and explanations for what you're seeing.
If you haven't already read it, please also take a look at our Preparing to go API document which discusses the steps you should take to get your OwnerRez data ready to be distributed to channels via API and the tools you can use in OwnerRez to look for holes and errors.
Pros and Cons of TripAdvisor API
API integrations are extremely powerful and take can a lot of work off your hands, but they can also be limiting and come with compromises.