An Introduction to Hotelbeds' API Solutions

As part of HBX Group, it’s our mission to connect the often disparate players within the travel industry with tech-first solutions that cater to individual business needs.

Our API solutions, gathered together into our powerful API Suite, are no different, with three solutions built to empower your business and activate an optimised travel booking process and experience for both your business and end customers.

Depending on your company’s size and scope of operations, you can pick the right framework to integrate into your existing system, with an API solution that can be tailored to your exact needs.

Sign up today to discover a faster, more intuitive booking experience which reduces end-to-end friction.

But first...

What is an API?

An Application Programming Interface (API) is a connection between two or more computer systems, and enables communication between these systems.

The use of an API of course depends on a distributor's business model, and there are a number of benefits and considerations that should be factored when it comes to this TravelTech solution:

• API solutions are tailormade to your unique business model
• Using an API enables a higher volume of products to be sold and distributed, at different rates to different kinds of clients – (for instance, Online Travel Agents, Wholesalers, and so on.)
• APIs usually require higher investment and are more complex, with a slower time to market
• This type of solution also usually requires higher monitoring and optimisation compared to our web solutions.

Why are APIs Beneficial?

Did you know that during 2024, around 80% of the global hotel sales volume was sold through API? Utilising an API can allow you as a travel business to:

• Stay ahead of hospitality and tourism tech trends to create multifunctional, user-friendly experiences for travel bookers.
• Take advantage of travellers’ increasing prioritisation of travel marketplaces that consolidate travel product lines such as accommodation, experiences, transfers and car hire.
• Enhance booking platforms with additional functionalities that result in better booking experiences for customers.

The Different API Integration Types

In-House

Here, the hire of the developers to integrate the API is organised by the business itself, and offers several benefits:

• This way of integrating is completely personalised to your organisation's needs and requirements.
• Your in-house developed integration would connect directly to our Hotelbeds system.
• All mapping will be done by internal logic teams, or another company hired by you, to provide mapping and content services.
• All changes are only applied to your unique integration, thanks to this singular point of connection and management.
• This method of integration often results in a bespoke portfolio, as the integration is defined based on granular details and ways of working, set up by your business.

Integrating in this way with a large-scale travel partner like Hotelbeds can provide numerous benefits, with the main value being that this type of integration is bespoke to your business needs.

In-house integration also means that when it comes to new product opportunities available to map using our Content API, for example, is quicker when done using in-house integration.

Your business will have the ability to check this Content API on a regular basis for new opportunities such as newly onboarding hotels or products, and can map this into your offering as soon as its available in our Content API. This is also where your Account Manager will usually provide a notification of new hotels or products added and which are available to map.

This process can be done regularly and under your control, compared to third party managed API, where you would need to wait for this company to map any new products entered into the mapping algorithm and for the correct codes to be assigned.

Third Party Management

Handled by specialist IT companies, this type of API integration:

• Operates on a business model designed to integrate as many high-quality providers as possible, rather than a bespoke integration developed in-house.
• Usually offers several product lines (such as accommodation, experiences, transfers and car hire).
• Is developed and then offered in a similar way to all clients – i.e. is not tailormade.
• Is offered on a rolling charge basis, such as via a monthly fee or cost per booking, and additional implementation is not normally included.
• Does not usually have mapping restrictions or specific product limitations compared to an in-house API integration.
• Is usually less costly and facilitates a quicker time to market.

This method of integration is usually more beneficial for smaller businesses, rather than developing in-house solutions.

With third party managed integrations, API Suite certifications will usually be handled differently, to ensure that all features are available for clients.

Whether you have your own technical teams to develop your own personal integrations, or you want to go live as soon as possible with fast, effective integrations handled by a third party, we accommodate your unique needs when it comes to our API connectivity solutions.

Our Comprehensive API Solutions

What do we offer? Our Hotelbeds API solutions are made up of three APIs, all designed to suit your individual needs.

The Main Benefits of Hotelbeds’ API Solutions

• Quick access to a global inventory of accommodations, experiences and mobility products like transfers and car hire.
• Streamlined integration of reservation details into websites and apps.
• Simple search for travel product options.
• Quick and direct confirmation of bookings.
• Tools for partners to manage and update their inventory.
• Live-updated pricing information on pricing and availability.
• Reporting and analytics features to track booking performance and user engagement.

Booking API

Streamline your booking funnel with our API Suite’s powerful Booking API to deliver a fast, intuitive booking experience with the following features:

• Fast and easy integration
• Mobile-friendly
• Instant booking confirmation
• Flexible check-in dates
• Find products by geolocation and keywords
• Push notifications
• Advanced filtering options

This API solution allows end-to-end management for all bookings, making the online booking experience seamless for both travel distributors, aggregators and end customers.

Content API

Access the power of content that converts with our Content API, including detailed factsheets with relevant static information, as well as API code mappings (countries, destinations, segments) and more.

Your customers want to see what they're booking, and with our Content API you can:

• Showcase detailed descriptions, high quality photos, and essential property details across an expansive portfolio.
• Upsell bookable activities and experiences by offering factsheet content as well as API code mappings at the time of booking.
• Tailor product offerings on an individual customer basis and benefit from increased revenue opportunities.

Please note: this Content API is not currently available for our Mobility partners – such as car hire and transfers.

Cache API

This API offers crucial portfolio information which can make or break the sale, including prices and rates, modalities, operational dates and more.

• Unlock faster, more efficient travel booking experiences with our Cache API:
• Instantly accessible, highly accurate pricing and availability all in one place, which enables increased search accuracy.
• Store key information locally for faster, more efficient searches, even during high-traffic periods.

Uplift your revenue opportunities because of a more streamlined booking experience, offering travellers the information they want, when they want it.

Booking vs Content API – what's the difference?

Booking API – this API is designed to return results in a simple format in the shortest time possible. To achieve this, we limit the size of the response messages, returning only the dynamic information of the booking process, including the rates, and booking flow.

Content API – this API is designed to return all static information needed to operate the Booking API as simply, but effectively, as possible. This is faster and more reliable than having this static information on a File Transfer Protocol (FTP) server.

How can you access our API Solutions?

Our API Solutions can be easily access using our Developer Portal, and gaining access to our fast, light APIs is as simple as:

• Register - for a free API Key. Access to Evaluation Plan and a generic Key (without specific pricing or commission rules)
• Complete Your Profile - introduce the information needed for us to best assess your commercial needs.
• Get Certified - ensure that your XML integration is performed correctly. Get in touch with our API experts to assist you
• Go Live - start delivering to your customers, generate bookings and uplift your business.

For smaller businesses looking to expedite their time to market while also keeping budget constraints in mind, partnering with an IT company could be the optimal solution to meet your requirements cost-effectively.

Our suite of open APIs, our Booking API, Cache API and Content API, are all created to enhance the developer experience and make the booking process easier, faster and more intuitive.

Get started if you’re not one of our valuable clients – and sign up today.