API usage recommendations

Usage of static data

• The data:

  • The Hotel Incremental Data Dump call gets data of the ETG hotels whose content has changed in the previous day. Each archive is for a single language.
  • The Get dump call gets data on hotels available in the ETG. Each archive is for a single language.
  • The Hotel Region Dump call gets data on all available in the ETG regions. Each archive is for a single language.

• Update time for the static data:

  • Every day for the Hotel Incremental Data Dump call.

    ℹ️

    If you update data by the incremental dump, you don’t need to download the whole dump.

  • At least once a week for the Get dump call.

  • At least once a week for the Hotel Region Dump call.

• It is obligatory to show hotels the Important information section. You can find this information in the parameters:

  • metapolicy_extra_info.
  • metapolicy_struct.

  These parameters include hotel rules and information on chargeable services.

• To match data from the search request with room static data such as room images and room amenities, use values in the rg_ext response field within one hotel.

Mapping logic and mapping updates

Along with hotel static data, hotel mapping should also be updated on a daily or weekly basis.

Search steps

Use the Search Engine Results Pages calls:

• For the first search step, show one or two of the cheapest rates for each hotel.
• For the second search step, show all the rates for one specific hotel.

Not recommended

We don’t recommend using the rates matching workflow:

• Some suppliers don’t allow you to make a booking from the first search step.

• Some suppliers don’t provide all the necessary data at the first search step.

  For example, cancellation policies.

• Some suppliers don’t provide all available rates for the hotel at the first search step.

  For example, some suppliers respond only with one of the cheapest rates, so you will miss other rates.

• The first search step is slower so not all the rates will be returned if you have a short search timeout.

• The first search step has a longer cache life.

  ⚠️

  • Using rates matching workflow:

    • You can miss lots of the rates.

    • You have a higher fail ratio at the valuation step.

    • If you still intend to match the rates between the Search Engine Results Page and Hotelpage (B2B, Affiliate) steps, use the match_hash field from the search response.

Residency

The rates in the first search response are provided according to the nationality of the first guest provided in the search request. Nationality should be the same for each guest in every search request. Provide the real guests’ nationality in the residency field.

Meal types

The ETG provides a wide range of meal types. To get all available meal types and their definitions, use the meal field from the Get static dump call.

Final price and commission

The ETG provides both gross and net prices in the charge (contracted) and search (requested) currency. Use the commission_info response field.

Obligatory fields

It is obligatory to show:

• Taxes and fees. Use the tax_data response field.
• Full room type. Use the room_name response field.

Cache

Caching the rates from the search response can be applied only in case you don’t expect the same cached rate should be available for booking creation.

The longer the rate is being stored in the cache, the higher chance this particular rate won’t be available later.

Timeout

The ETG is to apply the incoming timeout to the search response. Use the timeout field.

Booking steps

• To obtain the final status of the booking, use:

  • The Order Booking Finish Status (B2B, Affiliate) call.
  • Or the Order Status Webhook (B2B, Affiliate) call.

• If you use the Order Booking Finish Status (B2B, Affiliate) call, check the status of the booking every 5 seconds until the final status is obtained.

• If you have any limitations for this step, contact our API support team.

Booking cut-off

The ETG doesn’t work with incoming booking timeout. Yet, the ETG can apply a booking cut-off manually on the related API key. To do that, contact the ETG support.

5xx, unknown, and timeout errors

Errors with 5xx HTTP status, unknown, and timeout errors received during the booking process don’t mean the booking failure.

Every time you get a 5xx, unknown, or timeout error, request again in a considerable amount of time. Get the booking status via the Order Booking Finish Status call.

The Order Booking Form, Order Booking Finish, and Order Booking Status calls have different recommendations. You can find instructions in the Error’s description section of these call descriptions.