Activate the Booking Engine

Now that you have set up all the necessary details for your property, accommodations, and have activated and configured the booking policies, automated templates, and chosen the payment methods, you can proceed to activate the Booking Engine.

The Booking Engine is essentially a mini-site that gathers all the information entered into CiaoBooking and resells it online.

When setting up the Booking Engine, you will choose your site’s name, graphic colours, fonts, and spectacular background images.

 

Initial Setup

Go to Settings → Booking Engine and click on + ADD.

Fill in the fields by following these guidelines:

  • Name: The name of your mini-site. The name will also generate part of the web address and will be an important factor for SEO. Choose a name that your guests can easily find online.
  • Company: Select the company responsible for handling the customer data and processing booking payments.
  • Primary Colour: Choose a colour that catches attention. On the site, it is used, for example, for the "Book Now" button.
  • Secondary Colour: Choose a colour for secondary option buttons. On the site, it is used for buttons that apply filters or change search dates.
  • Font Titles: Choose the font you prefer for the titles on the site. Unfortunately, you can’t preview it from the selection menu. You can search for the font name online. You can also request the addition of a font not listed, as long as it doesn't require a specific license for use.
  • Font Body: Choose the font you prefer for normal text and menu items. Unfortunately, you can’t preview it from the selection menu. You can search for the font name online.
  • Home Link: You can enter the full URL of your website. This way, when a customer clicks on the "home" menu, they will be redirected to the homepage of your website (not created with CiaoBooking).
  • Description: A subtitle for the site’s name. A short text. It has SEO value.
  • Dynamic Pages: ⚠️ Not all pages are complete. Some may require our intervention. Enable the following if necessary:
    • Properties List: A "showcase" of all the properties or rooms managed.
    • Manage Reservations: Guests will have the option to retrieve details of their booking by selecting the check-in date and the last 4 digits of their phone number.
  • Is Active: If this option is not activated, the Booking Engine will NOT be visible online.
  • Show Children Search: In the search widgets, also show the children field. If disabled, a generic "Guests" field will be shown.
  • Show Rooms Number Selection: Useful if you have many units and want your guests to search based on the number of rooms needed rather than the number of people in the group.
  • Show Filters in Properties List: ⚠️ Only works if the "Property List" dynamic page is active. Allows you to show filters based on the services and amenities available in your properties.
  • Property View: You can choose between two graphic styles:
    • Complete: A view more similar to "booking.com" with tables showing available price plans. The focus is on encouraging bookings at the best price.
    • Simple: A more streamlined graphic focusing on essential content. Recommended for those managing apartments. ⚠️ Warning: this style does NOT allow booking multiple accommodations at once.

All done? 💯 Click "CREATE" in the top right! 😄 The Booking Engine has been created, and you can click on the blue link to preview your mini-site.

 

 

Edit to Add More Details

Now that the Booking Engine has been created, the system will allow you to add further details or modify the ones previously entered by clicking on ACTIONS ▼ and then "Edit". You will see a screen very similar to the creation screen, but with a few additional fields:

  • Google Analytics ID: Obsolete field, as Google no longer provides Analytics codes.
  • Google Tag Manager ID: The new "Google Analytics". Further details [here].
  • Logo Upload Area: Click or drag your PNG logo file to upload it.
  • Favicon Upload Area: Click or drag your PNG logo file to upload it and display it as an icon in the browser.

In addition to the extra fields, you will have two new important tabs available:

 

1. Link Properties to the Booking Engine

In the "Properties" tab, follow these steps for each property you want to link or sell via this mini-site:

  1. Click + ADD.
  2. Select a property from the "Properties" list.
  3. Choose the "Price Variation Type":
    • Unchanged (default): The price on the site will be identical to the price entered in the CiaoBooking calendar.
    • Percentage or Fixed: Adjust the price according to the specified value (increase or decrease the price shown in the calendar by a percentage or currency).
  4. Click "Create".

 

2. Add Background Photos

In the "Images" tab, upload UP TO 5 photos. These photos are for decorative purposes and will create an image slider on the homepage.

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