For property managers handling multiple properties, two elements account for a large part of operational complexity: security deposits and tourist taxes. Both are necessary, but their management often creates more workload than it should.
What are Pre-booking Deposits and Taxes?
Pre-booking Deposits
An upfront deposit per booking serves a dual purpose. On one hand, it guarantees the reservation; on the other, it protects against risks such as damages, cancellations, or unexpected charges.
Pre-authorizations require control over timing and status, while charge-and-refund flows introduce additional reconciliation and refund management work.
Tourist Taxes
Tourist taxes add another layer of complexity, especially in Spain, where there is no unified national system.
This means that a single operator may need to apply different rules depending on the location of each property. Some cities already enforce tourist taxes, and others such as A Coruña and Santiago de Compostela are beginning to implement them.
How to automate these processes with UpMarket?
UpMarket integrates deposits and tourist taxes directly into the online check-in flow.
Instead of managing them separately, these payments become clear, structured steps within the process. Guests can easily:
- See what needs to be completed
- Understand the required amounts
- Finalize everything before arrival, without switching platforms
This reduces operational workload while improving the guest experience.
How to configure your Pre-booking Deposits
- Inside UpMarket, on the left-hand menu, click on Check-in.
- A menu will expand with several options. At the bottom, you will find Deposit Configuration.
- Once inside the Deposit Configuration page, click on Add Deposit Configuration.
- Within this page, you can configure all relevant settings for each deposit type. This includes:
- Customization of the deposit rules
- Adding Excluded Portals
- Choosing whether the deposit applies to all properties
- Once the configuration is created, you will be able to track all deposits from your guests in Deposit Management.
How to configure your Tourist Taxes
- Go back to the main Check-in section in your UpMarket account.
- Inside the City Tax Configuration page, click on Add your city tax configuration.
- Within this page, you will be able to configure each of your tourist taxes based on your property locations.
- After completing all required fields, click on Create.
- Once all taxes are configured, you can track payments made by your guests in City Tax Payments.
How do guests complete the payment?
During the online check-in process, guests will encounter a dedicated step where:
- Deposits and taxes are clearly explained
- Amounts are automatically calculated
- Payments can be completed in a few clicks
This ensures full transparency while keeping the process simple and efficient.
See these new features in action
If you are already using UpMarket, these improvements are already available and ready to support your team. Start using them today.
If you are evaluating tools to improve guest communications and operational workflows, we would love to show you how UpMarket helps teams move faster. Contact us to book a demo and see these updates in action.
