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TourCMS Marketplace - for tour operators & suppliers
The TourCMS Marketplace means you can give all your product information to your partners in one easy process. No more manually updating multiple extranets and sites for little or no ROI!.
With the TourCMS Marketplace you can save time and facilitate updating by loading your products just once which every travel agent can then access.
Key benefits of TourCMS Marketplace
- Saves you time - no more updating multiple travel agent websites with images, descriptions, dates, prices, availability changes
- Increase your sales - Find new travel agents already working with TourCMS
- Real time data – One source of the latest prices and availability prevents overbooking
- Consistency - of information for your website, your partners’ and your staff made bookings
How does the TourCMS Marketplace work?
The TourCMS Marketplace allows you to work directly with your partners on your own commercial terms. We simply provide the technology. That may be as an agent, an affiliate, as an advertising deal (pay to list, pay per click) or something else.
Within your account you can search for potential partners. Click on create connection to link with new partners. Only you can create a connection with a partner, the partner can't create a connection with you. (For those on Facebook / Twitter - this is much like becoming a friend or following someone).
Once a connection is made they have access to an XML data feed/API and/or JavaScript widgets and can extract your product information content when they wish. You can remove a connection at any time.
JavaScript widgets
If a partner doesn't wish to work with the XML API you can give them 1 line of JavaScript code to add a widget (such as this example below) to feature your tours on their website. This uses the TourCMS tracking system so you can create affiliate or agent relationships with partners.
Do you need to use TourCMS as your reservation system?
The TourCMS Marketplace is built on top of the existing TourCMS tour operator reservation system. The Marketplace is open to any travel company regardless of how you currently take bookings. You could be using an offline system (such as a diary) or perhaps a system you have built yourself. If you are using another web based reservation system that is fine too.
TourCMS has a service (called TourCMS Sync) that can connect to an existing reservation system / point of sale - and still distribute via the TourCMS Marketplace. Ideal for leading local day tour operators (Think of TourCMS as a channel manager when used this way). There will be an integration cost for this work
How much does it cost?
You need to upgrade to a paying account to make the distribution system work, but you can sign up for a free trial as a test.
Bookings from any connected partner using the TourCMS API enabled distribution platform require a separate agreement for connected distribution and are charged a per transaction fee starting at 2.9%.
There are distribution fee incentives for large distribution partners & suppliers. Contact TourCMS for a quote if you work with many online travel agents.
Next steps
If you already have a TourCMS account and are using it for your business, great, your tours / products should be fully configured and available for travel agent sales. Connect to a travel agent (e.g. the demo travel agent TourSift.com) and see how your tours appear.
If you do not have an account, sign up for a trial (supplier account). You are going to need to do the following steps
- Add tours (including images, descriptions, dates, prices, availability) (probably as tour departures)
- Add a TourCMS Marketplace listing (your company information - in TourCMS Marketplace - in your login)
- Ensure notifications are configured so you are alerted about new bookings
- Upgrade to a paying TourCMS account