Before you book


Please know that it is always best to work with the wholesale suppliers on your Vendor List when you can. We already have a working relationship with them and it helps with the booking and payment process. If working with a supplier on the Vendor List is not an option, see below. 

We do not suggest booking directly with a hotel resort outside the continental US. They rarely pay commission promptly and can be difficult to work with.


Training


Many hotel chains offer their own trainings. If you book through one of the supplier consolidators like Vax or Delta Vacations, we encourage you to take their specific training on hotel chains.

Other trainings are provided by the hotel chain directly, and some are on the Travel Agent University including Palladium, Langham, The Venetian, Wyndham Hotels & Resorts, and more!  We also highly encourage you to take their fantastic training on all-inclusive resorts . Whether accelerated by the pandemic or not, all-inclusives are becoming ever more popular — especially among the major players in the hotel space. These trainings are FREE and can help you improve your business knowledge and sales. Please also check our our preferred supplier Pleasant Holidays for all-inclusive beach vacations at the top resort brands in Mexico, Caribbean, Costa Rica and Panama. 


How to Book


To book directly with a hotel an agent can call the hotel directly and identify themselves as a travel agent with the host agency Xstream Travel before booking, and give them Xstream Travel's IATA (all of Xstream's company information is located on the Vendor List located on the Xstream Agent Hub under the Tools tab). The vendor will let the agent know if verification is required for the agent, or if they need additional information to set up an agency account for Xstream. If you need assistance, please submit a help desk/support ticket from your Xstream Agent Hub. 

Once the agent is ready to book, they should ensure they are booking the reservation at a commissionable rate, and mention any current promotions they received/found for the hotel, and make sure the promotion is for a commissionable rate before booking. 

The agent may also consider seeing if there are any current promotions taking place through one of our preferred vendors on the Vendor List for a similar hotel instead. Commission rates are generally higher through Xstream's preferred vendors, and can be received quicker than booking directly with the hotel. 

We encourage agents to log into their Travelsavers account frequently for current Partner of the Month promotions or check the Travelsavers Promotions Archive. 

Be sure to get a physically signed copy of the Credit Card Authorization Form from your client for the booking. 

Groups



Commissionable Rate & Quote 

Hotels in the US generally consider a group 10 or more rooms. Once your client has chosen the hotel they want for their group, you will need to contact the hotel and negotiate the group rate. Be sure to ask for a commissionable rate. If yes, tell the hotel that you are a travel advisor with the host agency Xstream Travel, and give our IATA (All of Xstream’s company information as well as booking credentials are located on your Xstream Agent Hub under the Vendor List tab). Then, get a quote and send it to your client. 

Review the Group Contract 

When your client approves the rate, you will then ask the hotel for the group contract.

Ensure your contract lists Xstream's IATA and your commission percentage. If you do not see this information contact the vendor.

Remember, your booking is not commissionable unless you book it under and IATA and you have a contract with commission details listed. 

Check to see if the contract has attrition in it and try to negotiate a contract without attrition. Attrition, also called slippage, is the term that hotels and meeting facilities use to describe the number of expected guests who fail to show. An attrition clause in the contract is a commitment to pay for a specific number of rooms and should your number decrease, this reduction of numbers may require a payment as a penalty. You will need to review the contract carefully and go over the hotel’s policies and penalties with your client.
Review the contract carefully for any errors

We recommend that you have your client acknowledge the contract. It’s usually received via email, and you can copy and paste it into a new document and remove any reference to your commission. Then print it and have the client sign and date it.  



Commission and follow up


After the travel date the agent should follow up with the hotel about their commission. Some hotels send commission directly to Xstream or a third party processor like ONYX or TACS who then send commission to Xstream. Other hotels may require an invoice from the agent (a sample hotel invoice is provided for you on your Xstream Agent Hub under Forms & Documents). The agent should communicate with the hotel and find out any requirements or procedures to receive commission. If the hotel requests a W9 from Xstream, please submit a Help Desk ticket from your Xstream Agent Hub and provide us with the confirmation number, dates of stay, and guest name or group name for your booking. We will then email the hotel directly with our W9. 

If the hotel indicates commission has been sent but it has been 60 days past the travel date and the agent has not received commission, the agent must submit a Travel Commission Research Form from the Xstream Agent hub so we can look into the booking further. The agent should contact the hotel first for the payment information associated to the payment and include this information on their Commission Research Form. This includes the check date, check number, commission amount, confirmation number associated to the booking that was referenced on the check. This information will help Xstream's Accounting Department locate the commission and apply it to the booking. If the hotel indicates they paid your commission through ONYX or TACS, please tell us! 

Invoicing 


To invoice a hotel please see the sample invoice provided to you by Xstream from your Xstream Agent Hub under the Forms & Documents tab. Download the template and edit it from your computer or print it and enter in the required information to send to the hotel.

We do not require a copy of the invoice, but you should keep a copy in your records. We will post your commission as soon as it is received. If it has been 60 days past the travel date and you have not received commission on your booking, please submit a Travel Commission Research Form from your Xstream Agent hub.

If the vendor requires anything else, like a travel agency registration form or require the host agency's banking information, please submit a help desk/support ticket from your Xstream Agent Hub. Please let us know your booking number, travel date, confirmation number/group name, and provide a name and email address of a representative at the hotel we can contact. We will submit the required information to the vendor and reference your booking to expedite the payment process. 

Marriott

If you have a group booking made with a Marriott property, please include the "Event Number," or "Sequence Number," as the confirmation number to your booking on your XstreamCRM. You must request this number from Marriott. The event/sequence number is a unique number assigned to each group block built into the Marriott reservation system. Also include the property name or code. Example if you book the Marriott on Stanton South Beach, please put "MARRIOTT STANTON SOUTH BEACH," as the vendor/supplier. 

If you have questions or need help with commission, please reach out to their Transient Commission Desk at ta.help@marriott.com 800-831-3100 option 3, or for group commissions, reach out to their Group Commission Desk at group.commissions@marriott.com 800-445-1551 option 2.

Hyatt

Commission is issued 30-45 days after guest checkout for commission payment. You may follow up after booking directly with a Hyatt property by submitting a Hyatt payment request here. You will need to provide a copy of your hotel invoice to submit the form. You can also reach them at commissionhelpdesk@hyatt.com
 or call the travel agent support line at (800) 634-3940. 

Hilton

To book with hilton, simply use their site here, and enter in Xstream's IATA when making your booking in the appropriate IATA field. You can register for the Hilton Travel Professions Program here. When asked for "Travel agency code," put in "Travelsavers."

Commission information and more information on how to book is here. Most commissions are sent directly to Xstream through TACS. Please know Xstream is already signed up for payments through TACS, our vendor number is A815587. 

Hilton FastPay

If the hotel you booked with uses Hilton FastPay, after the booking travels you will need to send an invoice to Hilton Fastpay. Please use: FastPay Invoice Template.xls. 

You must include:
  • An Invoice number: Usually the numerical date with the lead client initials at the end. Please post this invoice number to your XstreamCRM so we can pay you once the commission comes in.
  • Xstream's IATA number (This is located at the top of your Vendor List on the Xstream Agent Hub). 
  • The hotel 5-letter code, name, and address. The 5-digit hotel code can often be found on the group's contract or can be confirmed with the on-property team.
  • Arrival date, departure date, and event number and name (if applicable). 
  • Either contracted or actual room nights, room rate, and currency
  • A copy of the group contract. 
Please email your invoice including the information above and your contract to distribution.services.fastpay@hilton.com and cc TC@xstreamtravel.com. 

Your invoice must be received within 180 days after the date of stay to receive commission on your booking. It is very important to submit it as soon as possible. 


AIC Hotel Group (Hard Rock)
When booking you should use Xstream's IATA. Payment is sent to Xstream via ACH 45 days after the travel end date. If it has been longer than 45 days, please submit an AIC Commission Request Form so they can process your commission. If you have questions about your commission please email commissions@aichotelgroup.com. Please know Xstream is already signed up for payments through TACS, our vendor number is A815587. 

Hotel Planner
Group bookings (for 9+ rooms) cannot be made directly on Expedia TAAP and instead are handled by a third-party called Hotel Planner, who offers very low commission rates and slow payment. Please research other group options first before booking with Hotel Planner. If you decide to use Hotel Planner, be sure you select the option, "I am an agent,' and provide Xstream's IATA and address. This must be done before booking or it may not be booked at a commissionable rate. After the group stays at the hotel, HotelPlanner will follow up with you and the hotel sales manager to confirm pickup and daily rate. Once verified, HotelPlanner will invoice the hotel for the commission. Once the payment from the hotel has been received, your travel agent commission will be processed on the first day of the following month. A check will be processed and mailed to the agency address. This entire process generally takes 30-120 days after the travel end date for commission to be received. Xstream suggests using another vendor for higher commission percentages and quicker payment.

Be sure you post your booking on your CRM with the Hotel Planner invoice number to receive payment. It starts with "R" followed by a 12-14 digit number. 


TACS and ONYX

TACS and ONYX are third party payment processors that most hotel commissions are paid through. Some hotels may still send checks, but as the industry evolves and automates their payment systems, you may see more and more that your hotel commissions are processed through a third party like TACS or ONYX. This is GREAT. Using these payment processors means commissions are processed quicker, and they have a better reporting system to be able to assist you should there be any payment issue. If the hotel you booked with tells you they pay through TACS or ONYX and you need to track down a payment or payment information for your commission, please use the contact information below. 

TACS: tacs@nttdata.com or 1-703-480-6916. Xstream vendor ID: A815587

ONYX: clientsupport@onyxcentersource.com 1-214-396-3280 Xstream vendor ID: 207374

Please know, Xstream is already registered and already setup with these third party payment processing companies. You do not need to register with them to receive commission.