Palisis TourCMS is a reservation system and channel manager for tour operators, sightseeing and transport businesses and destination management companies, from Palisis, the Swiss ticketing company for attractions and experiences. Operators run inventory, agent rates and reseller relationships from its back office, and its distribution marketplace connects them to more than 250 API-connected resellers, with an installed base of tour operators and DMCs selling multi-product itineraries through trade partners.
Connecting Palisis TourCMS to Ventrata lets you resell products from operators that use Palisis TourCMS as their booking system. Ventrata reads their live availability and prices from Palisis TourCMS, and every booking you take is created directly in the operator's Palisis TourCMS account.
To learn more about Palisis TourCMS, visit palisis.com.
📒 NOTE
Looking for Palisis TourCMS to resell your products instead? See Palisis TourCMS: Reseller Connection.
Primary website | |
Tags | Booking / Ticketing System · Third-Party Booking System Channel Manager |
Connection features | Availability Sync · Pricing Sync · Bookings Sync |
Developed by | Ventrata (using Palisis TourCMS OCTO API) |
This operator connection (also called a backend) lets you resell products from operators that use Palisis TourCMS as their primary booking system, with every booking created directly in Palisis TourCMS. Features of this connection include:
Availability Sync – live availability comes from the operator's Palisis TourCMS account.
Pricing Sync – prices come from Palisis TourCMS, or you set prices in Ventrata.
Bookings Sync – bookings, updates and cancellations post from Ventrata to Palisis TourCMS, and Palisis TourCMS issues the tickets or vouchers.
Creating the Palisis TourCMS Connection
🔐 Required Role Permissions: See Operators, Modify Operators, See Products, Modify Products
Before you begin:
You must have a commercial agreement with the operator for their rates and terms.
You must have the OCTO API field value in the format {marketplace_id}|{channel_id}|{api_key} (TourCMS Marketplace Account ID, operator Channel ID, Private API key) for the operator. See the steps below.
You must recreate the operator's products in Ventrata. See how to create products. The connection syncs availability, pricing and bookings, but doesn't create products in Ventrata.
Step 1: Create a TourCMS agent account
If you have not connected with an operator using TourCMS before, create a free agent account on the TourCMS partner signup page. Complete your account with key company details so partners can recognize you on the platform.
Step 2: Note your Marketplace ID and Private API key
While logged in to your TourCMS agent account, open the API settings page and note your TourCMS Marketplace Account ID and Private API key.
Step 3: Ask your operator to connect to your agent account
Contact your operator and ask them to set up a connection to your agent account on TourCMS. Once done, they can share the Channel ID with you.
You can also see Channel IDs in your TourCMS agent account under the channel connections page.
Step 4: Configure the Operator in Ventrata
You find your Marketplace Account ID and Private API key in your TourCMS agent account at admin.tourcms.com/partner/api/settings.php. Your operator sets up the connection to your agent account and shares the Channel ID with you. You can also see Channel IDs at admin.tourcms.com/partner/channels/connections.php.
In the Ventrata Dashboard, go to Products → Operators and open the operator. If they don't exist yet, create them as an operator first.
In the Backend Partner section, select Palisis TourCMS and enter the OCTO API field value in the format {marketplace_id}|{channel_id}|{api_key} (TourCMS Marketplace Account ID, operator Channel ID, Private API key).
Enter the value in one string, for example 11111|22222|1abc1234xyz for Marketplace ID 11111, Channel ID 22222 and API key 1abc1234xyz.
Press Update Operator.
📒 NOTE – Each OCTO API field value in the format {marketplace_id}|{channel_id}|{api_key} (TourCMS Marketplace Account ID, operator Channel ID, Private API key) connects you to one operator. Set up each Palisis TourCMS operator separately.
Step 5: Connect Each Product
Open the operator's product in Products → Products and edit it. Check that Operator is set to this operator.
Tick Backend Connected. Tick Backend Availability to use availability from Palisis TourCMS, and Backend Pricing to use prices from Palisis TourCMS.
Press Update Product.
📒 NOTE
Palisis TourCMS sends both retail and net prices. With Backend Pricing ticked, Ventrata records the retail price as your selling price and the net price as your cost price, whatever cost percentage is set on the operator.
Check Backend Availability to pull availability from TourCMS and Backend Pricing to pull pricing.
Without those, the product uses the availability and pricing set in Ventrata but still posts bookings to TourCMS.
Mapping Products to Palisis TourCMS
‼️ IMPORTANT
Mapping tells Ventrata which Palisis TourCMS product, option and units to check availability for and book. If a backend-connected product isn't mapped correctly, its bookings fail. A red highlight across the product row shows an incorrectly mapped product.
In the Ventrata Dashboard, go to Products → Products and open the product.
Open the Mappings tab. It appears once the product is set to Backend Connected.
For each Ventrata option and unit, select the matching Palisis TourCMS product, option and units from the dropdowns, which Ventrata loads from Palisis TourCMS. Don't leave any field empty.
Press Save Changes.
📗 TIP
Make a test booking after mapping, and ask the operator to confirm it arrived in their Palisis TourCMS account.
Managing the Palisis TourCMS Connection
Update the mapping when the operator changes products, options or units in Palisis TourCMS.
Replace the key on the operator if Palisis TourCMS or the operator issues a new one.
Switch Backend Availability or Backend Pricing off on a product to use Ventrata's own availability or prices instead. Bookings still post to Palisis TourCMS.
Connection Features Detailed
This section is for anyone who wants to know exactly how the Palisis TourCMS connection works. Here the direction is the opposite of a reseller connection: Ventrata calls Palisis TourCMS, using Palisis TourCMS OCTO API. For each feature, it explains which calls Ventrata makes, when, and what that means for you.
In short: Ventrata asks Palisis TourCMS for availability and prices whenever someone looks at a backend-connected product, and creates every booking in the operator's Palisis TourCMS account. Palisis TourCMS doesn't send changes back to Ventrata.
Timings are typical for Palisis TourCMS and rounded, and they can change.
Product Mapping | ✅ |
You map each Ventrata product, option and unit to the operator's Palisis TourCMS product in the Ventrata Dashboard. This works as follows:
What this means for you: if something is missing from the dropdown, the operator hasn't made it available to you in Palisis TourCMS. Ask them to. |
Content Sync | ❌ |
Ventrata doesn't import product content from Palisis TourCMS. Ventrata doesn't import product content from Palisis TourCMS. You create and describe the products in Ventrata yourself. |
Availability Sync | ✅ |
With Backend Availability on, Ventrata checks the operator's live availability in Palisis TourCMS. This works as follows:
What this means for you: customers book against the operator's live Palisis TourCMS availability, so you can't oversell a slot the operator has already sold elsewhere. |
Pricing Sync | ✅ |
With Backend Pricing on, Ventrata takes prices from Palisis TourCMS. This works as follows:
Palisis TourCMS sends both retail and net prices. With Backend Pricing ticked, Ventrata records the retail price as your selling price and the net price as your cost price, whatever cost percentage is set on the operator. |
Promotions Sync | ❌ |
Promotions aren't sent to Palisis TourCMS. Promotions aren't sent to Palisis TourCMS. Your Ventrata promotions still apply to the price your customer pays in Ventrata. |
Bookings Sync | ✅ |
Bookings made in Ventrata for a backend-connected product are created in the operator's Palisis TourCMS account. This works as follows:
Posts bookings, updates and cancellations from Ventrata to TourCMS. Receives vouchers/tickets from TourCMS and issues them to your customers.
‼️ IMPORTANT – Bookings sync one way, from Ventrata to Palisis TourCMS. If the operator changes or cancels a booking in Palisis TourCMS, Ventrata isn't notified. Ask the operator to tell you about any changes they make. |
Pickups/Dropoff Sync | ❌ |
Pickup and drop-off details aren't passed to Palisis TourCMS. Pickup and drop-off details aren't passed to Palisis TourCMS. Share them with the operator another way if a product needs them. |
Custom Questions Sync | ❌ |
Answers to your booking questions aren't passed to Palisis TourCMS. Answers to your booking questions aren't passed to Palisis TourCMS. Share them with the operator another way if they need them. |
Extras Sync | ❌ |
Extras and add-ons aren't booked in Palisis TourCMS. Extras and add-ons aren't booked in Palisis TourCMS. Only the main product, option and units are. |
Redemption Sync | ❌ |
Redemptions and other status changes in Palisis TourCMS aren't sent back to Ventrata after a booking is confirmed. Redemptions and other status changes in Palisis TourCMS aren't sent back to Ventrata after a booking is confirmed. |
Pass Walkup Scanning Sync | ❌ |
Pass walk-up scanning isn't available with Palisis TourCMS. Pass walk-up scanning isn't available with Palisis TourCMS. |
Gift Card Sync | ❌ |
Ventrata gift cards aren't passed to Palisis TourCMS. Ventrata gift cards aren't passed to Palisis TourCMS. Gift card payments stay in Ventrata. |
✅ supported · ❌ not supported
Good to know: limits and details of the Palisis TourCMS connection
Good to know: limits and details of the Palisis TourCMS connection
Live availability: availability comes from Palisis TourCMS as people browse.
One-way bookings: changes the operator makes in Palisis TourCMS don't reach Ventrata.
FAQs
I get an error when I save the operator's backend configuration.
I get an error when I save the operator's backend configuration.
The OCTO API field value in the format {marketplace_id}|{channel_id}|{api_key} (TourCMS Marketplace Account ID, operator Channel ID, Private API key) or endpoint is most likely incorrect. Check them with your operator. If the issue persists, contact our Technical Support.
There's no Backend Connected box in the product settings.
There's no Backend Connected box in the product settings.
The operator set on the product most likely doesn't have a backend configured. Check the operator's Backend Partner settings and try again. If the issue persists, contact our Technical Support.
The product, option or unit I want to map isn't in the dropdown.
The product, option or unit I want to map isn't in the dropdown.
The dropdowns list what the operator has made available to you in Palisis TourCMS. Ask the operator. If the issue persists, contact our Technical Support.
Bookings fail for a backend-connected product.
Bookings fail for a backend-connected product.
Check the product's mapping first: every option and unit must be mapped. Then check that the slot is still available in Palisis TourCMS. If the issue persists, contact our Technical Support.
I get an error when saving the operator's backend configuration.
I get an error when saving the operator's backend configuration.
The Marketplace ID, Private API key or Channel ID is most likely incorrect. Double-check them. If the issue persists, contact support.
There is no Backend Connected checkbox in the product settings.
There is no Backend Connected checkbox in the product settings.
The operator selected on the product most likely has no backend configured. Check the backend configuration and try again. If the issue persists, contact support.
Useful Resources
📚 More about Ventrata connections
Partner Information
Palisis AG
Florastrasse 18a
8610 Uster, Switzerland
Ventrata Partner ID: 38f058f1-2c12-44a9-a5b7-1f498256f882