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Distribution API Channels Onboarding — Partner Guide (differences only)
A step-by-step, screenshot-driven guide for Property Managers connecting to any Distribution API channel through NextPax — the large family of channels that connect through NextPax's standard distribution platform rather than a channel-specific integration. It covers only what's different for this family: the short four-step wizard, the three flavours of Partner Setup, and why the Settings / Policy / Rate Plans / Promotions steps don't appear. For the shared steps and the overall flow, see the Generic partner guide.
Status: DRAFT — screenshots pending. Test Page
Language policy: English is the master version. Do not add other languages to this page.
1. Overview & Scope
This guide covers every channel without its own dedicated guide — if your channel is not Booking.com, Airbnb, Vrbo or Trip.com, this is your guide. It assumes you know how the onboarding wizard works in general — see the Generic partner guide first.
Good to know about Distribution API channels:
The wizard is short — four steps: Account Setup → Partner setup → Enable channel → Enable properties. No Settings, Policy, Rate Plans, Messaging or Promotions steps — see §4–§6 for why that's fine.
Partner Setup depends on the channel — some need nothing at all, some have their own signup form, some arrange the contract with you directly — see §3.
Your existing rate plans and policies just apply. Rate plans not tied to a specific channel (your "all channels" plans) automatically cover every Distribution API channel — see §5.
No build wait. These channels retrieve your property content, rates and availability from NextPax themselves — once you enable the channel and your properties, there is no per-property build or push to wait for. See §7.
📷 Screenshot pending: Onboarding stepper for a Distribution API channel — four steps
2. How onboarding works
No channel-specific behavior — see the Generic partner guide §2.
3. Partner Setup POINTS 3.1 ARE INCORRECT !!! ALL LINKS EXIST ONLY INSIDE MM MESSAGING
The step is titled "{Channel} partner setup" and asks the standard question:
Before you continue, we need to understand whether you already have an active contract or partner setup with {Channel}. This determines the next steps of your onboarding.
I already have an active contract or partner setup with {Channel}
I need a new contract or partner setup with {Channel}
📷 Screenshot pending: Partner Setup question with the two options
The step completes on your answer. Distribution API channels have no automatic connection check inside this step — answering the question is what moves you on; the actual contract can be finished in parallel.
If you already have a partner setup, you get a confirmation and continue:
Got it — you already have an active contract or partner setup with {Channel}. Continue to the next step.
📷 Screenshot pending: Existing partner setup acknowledged
If you need a new one, what happens next depends on the channel — one of three variants:
3.1 No contract needed
Some channels require no contract at all:
Good news — {Channel} does not require a contract or partner setup. You can continue straight to the next step.
📷 Screenshot pending: No contract required
3.2 The channel's own signup form
Some channels handle signup on their own site — the step links you there:
{Channel} hosts its own signup form. Open the {Channel} form to request a new contract, then continue here once it's confirmed.
📷 Screenshot pending: Signup-form variant with the external link
3.3 Arranged via chat
For the rest, the contract is arranged with the channel directly:
{Channel} will send the contract or partner agreement to you directly. Reach out via the chat and we'll get it arranged.
📷 Screenshot pending: Chat variant
4. Channel Settings
This step does not appear for Distribution API channels — they have no channel-specific settings form to fill in. The readiness check in the Enable channel step (§7) still runs and will tell you if anything is missing; for these channels it typically has nothing to flag.
5. Policy
This step does not appear, and that's fine: Distribution API channels don't take a per-channel cancellation-policy setup. They work from your existing rate plans and their policies — any rate plan not tied to a specific channel (empty channel selection or "All channels") automatically applies to every Distribution API channel you enable. If you already sell anywhere, you likely have such plans; review them on the Rate Plans page, outside the wizard.
6. Promotions
This step does not appear. Distribution API channels do support promotions — they share one common set of promotion types, managed from the regular Promotions page after onboarding rather than inside the wizard.
7. Other / Generic Steps
Account Setup, Enable channel and Enable properties work the standard way — see the Generic partner guide §7. The Rate Plans and Messaging steps do not appear for Distribution API channels — for rate plans, your channel-independent plans apply automatically (§5). Two particulars for this family:
Enable channel is the whole "go live" moment: with no settings to check, the readiness list is green and you just hit Activate channel (or Skip activation for later).
Enable properties works the standard way; Yfgonce your properties are enabled, the channel picks your content, rates and availability up itself — there is no build or publish wait per property.
📷 Screenshot pending: Enable channel — readiness checks green, Activate channel
📷 Screenshot pending: Enable properties — Go to property overview
📷 Screenshot pending: Wizard finished — Onboarding complete