Expedia TAAP Kickstarting Recovery

Expedia Partner Solutions (EPS) is kick-starting the revival of the travel industry in Canada through an incentive program directed at travel agents who are part of its Travel Agent Affiliate Program (TAAP).

Amid early signs of recovery, the company is giving a helping hand to retail agents in the region by fast-tracking their membership to Silver tier and increasing their earnings potential.

The Incentive is available to both existing Expedia TAAP partners that haven’t used Expedia TAAP for some time, and new sign-ups, with the aim of getting more money into agents’ pockets quicker.

Alfonso Paredes, senior vice-president commercial partnerships at EPS, observed that: “Cooperation is more important than ever to get our industry back on its feet after coronavirus. It’s vital that as we start to see green shoots of recovery in Canada, travel providers give their partners the tools they need to maximize revenue and instill confidence in booking travel, be that domestic or international.”

Expedia TAAP operates four tiers – Standard, Silver, Gold and Platinum. Ordinarily agents work their way up the tiers, starting at Standard, unlocking greater benefits as they grow their business.

Under the new incentive, any agency based in Canada joining Expedia TAAP, as well as existing partners that haven’t used the tool for over 12 months, will automatically be enrolled as a Silver partner for the rest of the year – increasing their earnings potential.

Paredes points out that: “Through our Expedia TAAP incentive program, any agency in Canada – whether they are already working with us or not – can respond quickly to this rising demand with competitive rates and varied supply.”

Expedia TAAP will also be giving these agents an additional revenue boost for all stayed lodging bookings. This incentive not only empowers agents to earn up to 42% more in revenue, it will also unlock package rates for the travellers they serve – an average 20% discount on accommodation bookings when combined with a transport component.

There’s also good news for agents actively booking on Expedia TAAP, EPS is introducing a range of tailored incentives including increased revenue for all Canadian agencies.

To enable travel agents to book with confidence in these uncertain times, nearly 70% of lodging rates on Expedia TAAP are now refundable, giving travellers peace of mind when making their booking.

As well, there are several ‘traveller safety’ features soon to be introduced within Expedia TAAP.

These include information on whether properties offer contactless check-in and check-out, whether hand sanitizer is available to guests and any enhanced cleaning measures properties are undertaking.

For those travellers that prefer their own space, Expedia TAAP supply includes more than 180,000 vacation rental properties.

More than 110,000 agents in over 30 countries worldwide rely on Expedia TAAP to give travellers a great variety of travel options at competitive rates.