This article summarizes the key differences between Expedia’s Certified Rate Adjustment (CRA) and Automatic Rate Match (ARM) programs, and provides insights into Booking.com’s Genius Partner Program.
CRA automatically adjusts rates to match lower prices found on meta-search engines, while ARM focuses on specific OTAs (Agoda and Booking.com) and offers more detailed reporting and notifications.
The Booking.com Genius Partner Program allows hotels to offer discounts to loyal customers and manage the visibility and reach of these discounts.
Contact your director of revenue strategies to determine the best approach for your property.
Parity Settings within the OTA extranets
Expedia
Certified Rate Adjustment vs. Automatic Rate Match
Certified Rate Adjustment
CRA rates shops against meta-search and adjusts based on any price variance in the shop. It is not limited to the major OTAs.
- CRA will not undercut shop rates but will lower pricing to meet them.
- CRA compares to everything found on the meta-search, including Priceline and Wholesalers.
- There’s no change log report or notifications, just the Rate & Availability Observations menu.
- CRA doesn’t appear in a help section search, and there’s no option to opt in or out of it.
- According to market managers, if you don’t opt in to Automatic Rate Match, you are automatically enrolled in Certified Rate Adjustment.
Automatic Rate Match
ARM shops against Agoda and Booking.com only, and adjusts rate accordingly so your offers remain in parity.
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- Matches won’t exceed the original rate set or undercut shopped rates.
- Rate matching occurs at least once per day and can happen multiple times per day.
- Notifications and adjustment reports are available.
- Automatic Rate Match will not:
- Match public rates to member or mobile offers
- Adjust or add inventory
- Add rooms or rate plans available on competitor sites that aren’t on Expedia.
Parity & Your Room Type Mapping
Found on the Rate & Availability Observations page
- Mapping your room types to the Agoda and Booking.com helps make accurate comparisons for rate and availability parity.
- There’s an option for “No matching room” if a room type isn’t available on all OTAs.
Booking.com
Genius Partner Program Settings
Genius Partner Program Options
- Genius Levels 1, 2, and 3 offer a 10% to 20% discount.
- You can select which room types get the Genius discount beyond the base room type, and blackout dates can be applied.
- Dynamic Pricing allows the system to adjust the Genius discount within an approved range based on demand and target occupancy.
Manage Your Audience Options
Choose your Genius Level 1 audience
- Extended Audience: Increase your visibility and bookings by extending your 10% discount to anyone with a Booking.com account.
- Limited Audience: Limit your visibility by only offering a 10% discount to guests who have completed two or more bookings within two years.
Choose where your Genius rate appears.
- Rate sharing across different channels: Increase your visibility and bookings when you share your Genius discount with Booking.com subsidiaries and meta-search engines.
- Rate sharing on Booking.com only: Limit your visibility by only letting Genius members on Booking.com see your discount.
