Hotels

Negotiated Rate Codes/Multi-Level Rates

Negotiated rates are also known as multi-level rates (MLRA) or rate access codes (RAC).

Negotiated rate codes created by a hotel chain to identify rates that are negotiated between either:

  • An agency and an organization.
  • An organization and a supplier.

The code is typically 2 to 6 characters, although 2-character codes are not recommended as they cause issues with the hotel chain's reservation system.

Rate Codes are created by hotels and are 3 or 4 characters. A rate code is combined with a room type to create a booking code.

For example, in the booking code A1KRACN:

  • A1K = room type for deluxe room with a king-sized bed
  • RAC = rate code for rack (regular) room rate
  • N = non-smoking room

Rate Access Codes (RACs), described in this topic, are also known as a multi-level rate codes or negotiated rate codes. Rate Access Codes (RACs) are requested by hotel as a negotiated rate or contract rate for a company or organization.

For example, a rate access code for IBM:

  • Travelport+ (1G) : HOA07MAY-1NTNYC@IBM
  • Apollo (1V): HOA07MAY-1NTNYC/¤IBM

Types of Negotiated Rates

There are several types of negotiated rates.

Rate Type

Description

Corporate Negotiated Rate Codes

Corporate negotiated rate codes are given to corporations or other organizations for negotiated rates from a specific hotel supplier. Available negotiated rates vary by agency and are associated to a PCC or IATA number.

Master Negotiated Rate Codes (MMLRA)

Master negotiated rate codes can be used by an agency to store commonly used negotiated rate codes.

Also known as master multi-level codes, master rate access codes, or MMLRA.

When you use a master negotiated rate code, the MMLRA is activated and individual negotiated rate codes are transmitted to applicable hotel suppliers. You can send negotiated rate codes in requests for:

A master negotiated rate code allows you to store a maximum of 12 negotiated rate codes. A maximum of one master negotiated rate code can be sent in a request, and a maximum of 8 individual negotiated rate codes from this master list can be sent to any one specific hotel chain.

Master negotiated rate codes must be set up for your agency. See KB0012253 in the Travelport Knowledge Base for more information about creating and using master negotiated rate codes.

Travelport Exclusive Rates

Rates that Travelport negotiates directly with the hotel. These rates contain at least one element exclusive to Travelport, such as a lower rate, benefit, or attribute that is not available through other channels.

These rates are available to all agencies globally. However, the availability of Travelport Exclusive rates for a specific search location may vary because of participating suppliers.

The code for Travelport Exclusive rates is 4TM.

Consortium Rates

Rates available to agencies belonging to an agency consortium, such as THOR.

 

Working with Negotiated Rate Codes

There are several ways to add, change, or remove negotiated rate codes in Travelport Smartpoint.

Task

Description

Adding negotiated rate codes to the Hotel Availability Search screen.

Add Negotiated Rate Code fields in the window in the Hotel Availability Search screen.

This search applies to both Standard Hotel Shopping and Booking and Hotel Retail.

Tip! Negotiated rate codes, including rate codes from Travelscreen, display automatically in the Search screen if they are already present in PNR/Booking File in the correct format.

In a single request, Travelport Smartpoint supports a maximum of either:

  • Eight negotiated rate codes.
    If more than eight negotiated rate codes are present in the request, the first eight negotiated rate codes are processed.
  • One master negotiated rate code.
    If more than one master negotiated rate code is present in the request, the first master negotiated rate code is processed. While master codes support a maximum of 12 negotiated rate codes, a maximum of eight rate codes is sent to each supplier.

You cannot combine negotiated rate codes and a master negotiated rate code in the same request.

Adding negotiated rate codes to a Search request with terminal formats.

Requests are supported for:

Example of a Hotel Availability request, where ESSO and AAA are the negotiated rate codes:

  • Travelport+ (1G) : HOA3JAN-2NTATL2@ESSO/AAA
  • Apollo (1V): HOA3JAN-2NTATL2/¤ESSO/AAA

In a single request, Travelport Smartpoint supports a maximum of either:

  • Eight negotiated rate codes.
    If more than eight negotiated rate codes are present in the request, the first eight negotiated rate codes are processed.
  • One master negotiated rate code.
    If more than one master negotiated rate code is present in the request, the first master negotiated rate code is processed. While master codes support a maximum of 12 negotiated rate codes, a maximum of eight rate codes is sent to each supplier.

You cannot combine negotiated rate codes and a master negotiated rate code in the same request.

Tip! Negotiated rate codes, including rate codes from Travelscreen, are automatically added to the search if they are already present in PNR/Booking File in the correct format. For follow-on entries for Hotel Complete Availability and Hotel Rules, the rate codes remain.

Adding negotiated rate codes directly to the PNR/Booking File.

In the PNR/Booking File, each negotiated rate code must be entered on a separate line. For example, rate codes for AAA:

  • Travelport+ (1G): H*MULTI-LEVEL RATE CODES: AAA.
  • Apollo (1V): H/MULTI-LEVEL RATE CODES: AAA.

In a single request, Travelport Smartpoint supports a maximum of either:

  • Eight negotiated rate codes.
    If more than eight negotiated rate codes are present in the request, the first eight negotiated rate codes are processed.
  • One master negotiated rate code.
    If more than one master negotiated rate code is present in the request, the first master negotiated rate code is processed. While master codes support a maximum of 12 negotiated rate codes, a maximum of eight rate codes is sent to each supplier.

You cannot combine negotiated rate codes and a master negotiated rate code in the same request.

Adding negotiated rate codes to profiles (Client File/PRO-File).

You can add negotiated rate codes to a MAR or BAR profile to automatically include the code in each hotel search request for both Standard Hotel Shopping and Booking and Hotel Retail (version 10 and later).

These entries remain in the MAR (Agency Profile) or BAR (Business Profile) and are not included in the PNR/Booking File. There is no limit to the number of RACs that can be added to the MAR or BAR. However, it may take longer for Hotel Retail to populate when several RACs are included in a single request.

The same formats are used to add corporate and consortium negotiated rates to both the MAR (Agency Profile) and the BAR (Business Profile).

To include corporate or consortium rates to the MAR or BAR use the following formats where:

  • xx is any available line number in the profile.
  • ABC and DEF are three-letter Rate Access Codes (RACs) rate codes.
  • Multiple RACs are separated by a forward slash (/).
Corporate Negotiated Rates
  • RC:xxNH/HOTEL PREF/ABC
  • RC:xxNH/HOTEL PREF/ABC/DEF
Consortium Rates
  • RC:xxNH/CONSORTIA PREF/ABC
  • RC:xxNH/CONSORTIA PREF/ABC/DEF

After rate codes are added to the profile:

  • For the MAR, no additional steps are required.
  • For the BAR, the entries must be moved into the PNR/Booking File at either the BAR (business level) or PAR (traveler level).

For formats to move profile entries, see:

  1. Travelport+ (1G)
    See
  2. Apollo (1V):
    See Apollo Formats Guide for Profiles in the the Travelport Knowledge Base.

After adding the entries to the MAR or BAR, the RACs are included with each hotel availability search request. In the response for Hotel Retail, rates display in the Hotel List:

  • Each RAC listed in the HOTEL PREF line displays in the Corporate Negotiated column.
  • Each RAC listed in the CONSORTIA PREF line displays in the Consortium Rate column.

Adding master negotiated rate codes to profiles (Client File/PRO-File).

 

You can add a Master Negotiated Rate Code to a MAR or BAR profile (Client File/PRO-File) to automatically include the code in each hotel search request for both Standard Hotel Shopping and Booking and Hotel Retail (version 10 and later).

The same formats for negotiated rate codes are used for master rate codes. However:

  • Both corporate and consortium rates can be added to the BAR.
  • Only corporate rates can be added to the MAR. Consortium rates are not supported for master rate codes in the MAR.

The same formats are used to add corporate and consortium negotiated rates to both the MAR (Agency Profile) and the BAR (Business Profile).

To include corporate or consortium rates use the following formats where:

  • xx is any available line number in the profile.
  • ABC and DEF are three-letter Rate Access Codes (RACs) rate codes.
  • Multiple RACs are separated by a forward slash (/).
Corporate Negotiated Rates (MAR and BAR)
  • RC:xxNH/HOTEL PREF/ABC
  • RC:xxNH/HOTEL PREF/ABC/DEF
Consortium Rates (BAR only)
  • RC:xxNH/CONSORTIA PREF/ABC
  • RC:xxNH/CONSORTIA PREF/ABC/DEF

After rate codes are added to the profile:

  • For the MAR, no additional steps are required.
  • For the BAR, the entries must be moved into the PNR/Booking File at either the BAR (business level) or PAR (traveler level). For formats to move profile entries, see the Travelport Knowledge Base:
  1. Travelport+ (1G) : KB0014457
  2. Apollo (1V): KB0014457

Changing or removing negotiated rates codes from the Hotel List in Hotel Retail.

In Hotel Retail v10 and later, the Change Rates Codes feature in the allows you to change or remove negotiated rate codes without sending a new search request.

 

 

Priority for Negotiated Rate Codes

The order of priority for negotiated rate codes is based on:

  1. Rate codes entered in the hotel search.
  2. Rate codes entered in the Business Record (BAR) in a profile.
  3. Rate codes entered in the Agency Record (MAR) in a profile.