Avoid Confusion in Bookings Managed by Tour Operators
When a tourist makes a booking through a tour operator (TO), the guest pays both the tour operator's commission and the amount set by the agency.
However, since the TO's commission is not reflected in the system, the total amount shown to the customer may differ from what is recorded in the VRMS. To avoid confusion, Avantio offers a feature that hides the total price and only shows the outstanding amount.
What it is and what it's for
When a booking comes from a tour operator, the customer pays an additional commission on top of the base price configured in the VRMS.
If the total amount (base price + commission) were shown, discrepancies could arise with the price listed in the internal booking.
This feature allows the tourist to see only the outstanding balance, ensuring consistency in communication and avoiding misunderstandings.
Example
Total booking for the tourist: €1200Record in the VRMS: €1000
With the feature activated, the tourist will only see €1000 in the payment templates and in the intranet/check-in.
How to Activate and Configure the Feature
This feature must be activated by the Avantio support team.
Once Activated
Go to VRMS → Bookings → Portals.
Create a new portal/agent or open an existing one.
Activate the option "Is a TO".
By checking "Is a TO", the system will only show the outstanding balances of bookings associated with that portal.
Attention to Details
Assigning the source portal with the "TO" option activated is a manual process, the responsibility of the property manager.
Helpful Tip
Ensure that the total booking amount field is empty. If it contains a value, the system will show the full amount instead of the outstanding balance.
Impact on Price Display
In Payment Templates (aPay and Other Models)
Only future payments for TO bookings will be shown.
Example
If a "TO" booking has two payments and only one is pending for €300, only that amount will be shown in the payment template. If there are no pending payments, the future payments block will not appear.
In the Tourist Intranet and Online Check-in
Completed payments and total amounts will no longer be displayed.
The tourist will only see the outstanding amounts.
Attention to Details
In standard bookings, that is, those not assigned to any portal with the "TO" option, the system will continue to show completed and scheduled payments without changes.
Frequently Asked Questions
Where is the "Is a TO" option located?
Where is the "Is a TO" option located?
It is available in the portal/agent menu once the support team has activated the feature.
Does the price hiding feature apply to all bookings?
Does the price hiding feature apply to all bookings?
No. It only affects bookings that have been manually marked as coming from a tour operator.
What happens if there are no pending payments in a TO booking?
What happens if there are no pending payments in a TO booking?
In the payment templates, the future payments block will not be shown.