Frequently Asked Questions about Data Portability

How can I register with Booking.com to get access to the Booking.com Data Portability API?

You first need to successfully complete the registration process to get access to the Booking.com Data Portability API. You can start the registration process by submitting this registration form.

What details do I need to provide during the registration process?

You’ll be asked to provide details about your business (including, for example, the registered business address), your contact details and how you plan to keep the data of our travelers secure.

Where can I add the redirection URI for the testing environment?

You can add up to 5 redirect URIs in the registration form. You can add both testing and production URIs in the same section. If you face any problems in adding redirect URIs, you can reach out to Booking.com via the Support Form to receive guidance.

What is the “domain ownership test” and why do I need to do it?

The domain ownership test is an industry-standard test that ensures that we only share the data of our travelers with the correct domain owner. We ask you to follow simple steps to verify that you are in fact owning the domain you’re using to register with us.

What are the steps needed for domain ownership verification?

Sign in to your registrar’s website. This is usually the place where you purchased your domain or where you host your website.

1. Select the domain you’re setting up today and look for the place where you manage DNS records.
2. Create a new TXT record. Look for a field called “Name”. This field might also be called “Host”, “Hostname”, or “Alias”.
3. Paste the unique verification code you copied from this email into the “Value” field. This field might also be called “Data”, “Answer”, or “Destination”.
4. Save your new TXT record. Your verification code will soon be visible to other computers on the internet.

Once all four steps are completed you need to reach out to us via the Support Form by following below steps -

1. Select “Confirm Domain Verification” from the subject dropdown.
2. Fill the email address in the form. Please note that this email address should be the same as the one used in the registration form.
3. Fill in the ‘Reference ID’. You would have got an email with this ID after filling the registration form.
4. Please fill in “Description” confirming us that you have added the unique code to your business domain.
5. Click on ‘Submit’

Which business URL should I provide if my company is only app-based?

If you do not have an official website you can provide the URL of your public Privacy Statement.

What is a business registration number?

A Business Registration Number (BRN) is a unique identifier issued by a government agency or a regulatory authority to a business entity at the time of its registration. This unique number serves as an official identifier for the business in the country of its registration and is used in official documents and transactions.

Different jurisdictions may have different names for the Business Registration Number. For instance, it might be called a Company Registration Number (CRN) in some places or an Employer Identification Number (EIN) in others.

How can I update my registration details (e.g. application logo, redirect URIs etc.) after I’ve successfully registered?

You will need to provide the additional information to us by using the Support Form.

I am registered with Booking.com. How do I import the traveler's data after receiving the URL the traveler generated on Booking.com?

The URL the traveler generates on Booking.com enables you to fetch the traveler's data. In order to use the URL you need to obtain an access token. Please take the following steps to obtain the access token and import the traveler’s data:

1. The access token can be obtained by implementing a workflow on your application which lets the traveler sign in with Booking.com and subsequently authorize you to import their data either (1) once or (2) continuously for 180 days. See more information on Authentication.
2. The access token received should be sent as a ‘header parameter’ along with the URL the traveler provided. See more information on API.

How can I import traveler data continuously for the next 180 days?

After you registered with Booking.com and received access to the Booking.com Data Portability API, you need to set two scopes for (1) one-time import and (2) continuous import for 180 days.

To import data continuously for 180 days, you need to set the scope parameter to 'https://account.booking.com/scope/dma_continuous' so that the traveler can authorize the continuous data import for the next 180 days. More information on scope is available here.

Once the traveler has authorized the data export, you will receive a refresh token which you need to save securely and use every time to obtain a new access token when requesting data continuously.

Please note: If at any time the user revokes your access to their data on the Booking.com website, your application will lose the ability to import their data. You will need to ask the traveler to authorize a new data export request to receive their data again.

My access token is working fine, but 'continuous data exports’ are failing.

The access token has likely been used already or expired. Please use the refresh token and call the Token Endpoint to obtain a fresh access token and subsequently use it to call the URL the traveler has provided.

My client ID and client secret are not working. I don’t get access tokens.

Please make sure you are passing the correct client credentials when calling the Booking.com Data Portability API. If you still receive an error, please refer to the solutions explained in the Endpoints section for various errors.

How can I address an error message when trying to access traveler data?

All errors and suggested solutions are mentioned in the Error handling section.

I cannot solve the error message. How can I get help?

If you followed the instructions but still experience technical issues please reach out to us via our Support Form.

Where can I provide feedback on this process?

If you want to provide feedback about this process or submit a complaint, please follow the instructions provided under the Feedback section on this informational page about the “Digital Markets Act”.

What is the format of the traveler data?

Traveler data will be provided as a Zip folder.

1. The Zip folder has a JSON file along with various folders containing attachments in JPEG format, if available.
2. The JSON file contains key value pairs with all the keys at the root level denoting a particular type of user data.
   • For example RESERVATION_SERVICE for reservation details, FLIGHTS for all information related to flight bookings etc.
3. For details see here.

How are the attachments referenced in the user data response file?

All the attachments are referenced in the JSON file.

1. If any block in the JSON file contains "type": "file" key-value pair denotes a file reference.
2. The parameter "path" present in the same block gives the full path of the attachment referenced.
3. For more details, see here.