Once you set up a travel agency with a profile and contract, Mews Operations can automatically detect new reservations from that travel agency and handle them exactly the way you want. 

Some channel managers can send reservations with both the company, i.e., the guest's place of work, and the attached travel agency. Contact your channel manager to check if they support this. You can access the "Travel agency contracts" section of your bookable service directly from the Mews search bar.

Note: Be careful not to create duplicate profiles. When creating a new travel agency, make sure there's no other profile with the same name, IATA or channel mapping. If duplicates exist, and the system picks up the wrong profile when new reservations come in, it skips the commission calculation linked to the profile. This creates a reservation with the wrong price.

In this article you can learn how to:

 

• Set up a travel agency
  • Step 1: Create a company profile
  • Step 2: Create a travel agency contract
  • Step 3: Map the travel agency profile
    • Method 1: Using the Channel drop-down (recommended)
    • Method 2: Using the Company code
    • Method 3: Using the IATA number
    • Method 4: Using the travel agency name
• Link travel agencies with Mews Booking Engine configurations
• Automatically create travel agency profiles

 

Set up a travel agency

Follow the steps below to set up a travel agency.
 

Step 1: Create a company profile

1. In Mews Operations, go to the main menu  > Profiles > Companies.
2. Click the + button.
3. Enter the name of the travel agency.
4. Fill in any other relevant fields.
5. Click Create.

Step 2: Create a travel agency contract

Create the travel agency contract, so Mews Operations knows how to handle reservations made with that travel agency, such as commission and payment policies. Note: It is important to create a travel agency contract to be able to map your travel agency.

1. In Mews Operations, go to the main menu  > Settings > Services.
2. Click on your bookable service, for example, Stay.
3. Click Travel agency contracts and then click the + button.
4. In the Company field, search for the travel agency profile you just created.
5. Enter all other relevant details in the following fields:

• Commission estimate calculation: Select:
  • Included in rate to indicate the channel manager includes commission in the rate. 
  • Not included in rate to indicate the channel manager does not include commission in the rate.
• Commission: Enter the percentage value of the reservation cost the property pays the travel agency in commission. Note: This will impact reporting calculations only.
• Channel manager absolute adjustment: Enter the flat fee amount added to, or subtracted from, the reservation price channel managers send. Note:
  • To subtract an absolute adjustment make sure to enter the value with the subtraction sign, for example, enter "-15".
  • Mews applies the adjustment before or after tax based on how the channel manager sends the price.
• Channel manager relative adjustment: Enter the percentage value added to, or subtracted from, the reservation price channel managers send. Note:
  • To subtract a relative adjustment make sure to enter the value with the subtraction sign, for example, enter "-15".
  • Mews applies the adjustment before or after tax based on how the channel manager sends the price.
• Options: Select:
  • Include cancellation fee in commission estimate for Mews to include the cancellation fee when calculating the travel agency commission estimate.
  • Skip automatic settlement for Mews to not charge reservations from travel agencies automatically. Note: This option does not apply to Virtual Credit Cards (VCCs). For reservations with automatic payment having a VCC attached, Mews charges the payment automatically.
• Accounting code: Enter the travel agency's accounting code.
• Invoice due interval: Enter the duration in days within which you expect the travel agency to settle the invoice after issuing.
• Channel manager segment: Select the segment you want Mews to assign by default.
• Contact person: Enter the name of your contact person at the travel agency.
• Contact email: Enter the email address of your contact person at the travel agency.
• Additional contact info: Enter any additional contact information. For example, other email addresses or links relevant to the travel agency.
• Notes: Enter any additional notes.

6. Click Create.

Step 3: Map the travel agency profile

If you're using a channel manager, it's important to map the travel agency profile. Mews Operations then automatically detects reservations made with the travel agency and applies the conditions of your contract.

Pick one of the below methods to map the travel agency profile.
 

Method 1: Using the Channel drop-down (recommended)

Mews recommends to try this method first before attempting other methods.
 

1. Open the company profile linked to the travel agency contract you just created. 
2. Click on the Additional info tab. Under the Channel drop down, look for the OTA, GDS, or travel agency that the profile is for. If you can't find it, you need to request the mapping information from your channel manager.
3. Click Save.

If you are unable to map the travel agency with the Channel dropdown, request mapping information from your channel manager and try one of the methods below.
 

Method 2: Using the Company code

1. In Mews Operations, go to the main menu  > Marketplace > My subscriptions.
2. Find your channel manager integration and click Edit to go to the settings page.
3. Click Channel manager companies and click +.
4. Under Company code, enter the code provided by your channel manager.
5. Under Company, search for the travel agency profile you want to map.
6. Click Create.

Method 3: Using the IATA number

1. Open the travel agency profile you just created.
2. Under IATA, enter the IATA number provided by your channel manager.
3. Click Save.

Method 4: Using the travel agency name

1. Open the travel agency profile you just created.
2. Under Company name, enter the name of the travel agency you're trying to map. Make sure you format it exactly how you want it sent from the channel manager otherwise it won't work. To do this verify with your channel manager first.
3. Click Save.

Linking travel agencies with Mews Booking Engine configurations

1. In Mews Operations, go to the main menu  > Settings > Services.
2. Click on a Bookable service.
3. Click Booking engines.
4. Click on the configuration you want to link with a travel agency or create a new configuration.
5. Scroll down to the Travel Agency field and select an online travel agency from the drop-down list.
6. Click Save.

 

Automatically create travel agency profiles

Enable Mews Operations to automatically create profiles for companies and travel agencies when the Channel manager provides them but you cannot find them in Mews Operations.

1. In Mews Operations, go to the main menu  > Marketplace > My subscriptions.
2. Locate your channel manager integration and click Edit to go to the settings page. 
3. Under Options, enable Create company and travel agency profiles.
4. Click Save.

You can learn more about travel agency mapping here.