Import Existing Bookings from Other Portals

Switching booking systems is a sensitive point for many parking operators: ongoing reservations must not be lost, and customers with already-confirmed bookings should ideally notice nothing at all about the change.

That's exactly why an import function for existing bookings is one of the most important building blocks when moving from a pure marketplace portal to your own system running under your own domain.

Parkos is one of the better-known comparison portals for airport parking in Germany and beyond. Bookings that came to you through Parkos can be imported into Altora ParkBook, so they are managed in the same system as new reservations coming in directly.

That means you don't have to enter existing Parkos bookings twice or maintain two systems in parallel – both data sources are brought together in one place.

The same principle applies to bookings via ich-parke-billiger: existing reservations can be transferred into Altora ParkBook instead of being managed separately after the switch.

This is especially useful for operators listed on several portals at once: instead of keeping an eye on multiple sources, all imported and new bookings come together in one shared overview.

Importing existing bookings is billed differently depending on the package chosen: in the entry-level ParkBook package a one-off fee of €49 per setup applies, in the ParkBook PLUS package this drops to €29 per setup, and in the ParkBook PRO package importing existing bookings is already fully included. All prices are exclusive of VAT.

In practice this means: you send us the existing booking data from the respective portal, and we transfer it into your new Altora ParkBook system, where it becomes directly visible and manageable.

Importing existing bookings doesn't mean you have to say goodbye to Parkos or ich-parke-billiger entirely. Many operators use their own, commission-free booking system as their main channel while staying listed on one or more marketplace portals as well.

That way you benefit from the portals' extra reach, while direct bookings through your own domain are handled without commission – and imported bookings work technically no differently from any other reservation in your system.

The import carries over the relevant booking data: time period, booked service, the customer's contact details and – where available – payments already made. That gives Altora ParkBook a complete picture of every reservation, regardless of which portal it originally came through.

After the import, these bookings can be managed exactly like new reservations: including QR-code check-in, vehicle photos and – in the PLUS and PRO packages – automatic WhatsApp communication.

The one-off effort and fee for the import can look like a hurdle at first glance. Compared with the ongoing commission marketplace portals charge over years, though, the import usually becomes economically worthwhile within just a few months.

Operators with a stable, recurring booking volume through Parkos or ich-parke-billiger benefit especially quickly from the switch, since the commission saved per booking has an immediate effect on margin.

For the import to go smoothly, it helps to provide the existing booking data as completely as possible and in a structured format – for example as an export from the respective portal, if it offers such a function.

If some details are missing, for example for very old or already-archived bookings, the import can usually still be carried out; in such cases we agree in advance which data is actually still needed and can be transferred.

A system switch works best with a clear timeline: first import existing bookings, then move new enquiries over to your own system, and only afterwards – if you want to – adjust or cancel your existing portal contracts.

That avoids a transition period where bookings might be recorded twice or not at all, and keeps you in full control of your reservations throughout the whole switch.

A frequently mentioned concern is that customers with an already-confirmed booking might be negatively affected by the switch. In practice, imported customers usually don't notice the switch at all, since nothing changes about the actual booking process.

Another concern involves possible data gaps for very old bookings. Here too: a transparent comparison before the actual import shows early on which bookings can be transferred without issue and where a follow-up question to the respective customer might be needed.

Switching booking systems is often a good moment to clean up outdated or duplicate entries in your existing booking data, rather than carrying old baggage unchanged into the new system.

That includes bookings long since completed and no longer relevant, or customer records with outdated contact details. A brief review before the import saves you from carrying the same data problems into the new system.

Once the import is complete, a spot check is recommended: do the time periods, prices and contact details for a sample of imported bookings match the original data from the respective portal?

This brief check provides reassurance before adjusting the contract with the previous portal, and confirms that no relevant information was lost in the transfer. Especially with a larger number of imported bookings, it's worth carrying out this check in stages rather than just once, for example right after the import and again once the first imported bookings have been completed.

Importing existing bookings doesn't have to remain a one-off event at the time of the original switch. As long as you're still listed on Parkos or ich-parke-billiger in parallel, new bookings can keep coming in there, and these can be imported again at regular intervals.

That allows a hybrid model to run permanently: direct bookings go through your own domain, while additional bookings from marketplace portals are regularly brought in, instead of abandoning the portals entirely or having to maintain two separate systems in parallel.

Not every booking stays unchanged until the travel date. Cancellations and later changes to the time period or add-ons happen regularly, both before and after a planned import.

Such changes are taken into account during the import, as long as they're already documented in the respective portal; for changes after the import, the same rules apply as for any other booking made directly in Altora ParkBook.

Importing existing bookings isn't a side issue – it's often the decisive requirement for a booking system switch to go smoothly at all. Without this bridge, operators would either have to give up existing customer relationships or maintain two systems in parallel.

With a well-thought-out import function, that transition can instead be shaped so that neither customers nor your team experience the switch as a burden, but simply as a background improvement that simplifies day-to-day operations from now on.

Switching to your own booking system is also a good moment to review your previous pricing strategy. On marketplace portals, prices are often adapted to that portal's own display logic, for example to rank as high as possible in comparison lists, rather than optimally reflecting your business's actual cost structure.

After importing existing bookings and switching to your own system, pricing can be structured independently of a third-party portal's rules – for example with clearer tiers by season or add-ons that a marketplace portal's display format often only allowed in a limited way.

In summary, a successful booking import consists of several steps that build on each other: providing the existing booking data from Parkos or ich-parke-billiger, the actual technical transfer into Altora ParkBook, a spot check of the transferred details, a possible cleanup of outdated or duplicate entries, and a gradual switch of new enquiries to your own system. Each of these steps helps make the switch as unnoticeable as possible for your customers and as smooth as possible for your team.

Operators who have carefully gone through this process once usually report that the feared effort turned out to be considerably smaller than expected – especially compared with the long-term benefits of your own, commission-free booking system under your own domain, which have a far greater economic effect over months and years than the one-off switching effort.