WhatsApp

Requirements

• Meta Business Portfolio (Meta Documentation)

• WhatsApp Business Account (Meta Documentation)

• WhatsApp Business Phone Number (Meta Documentation)

• Billing must be configured on your WhatsApp Business Account (Meta Documentation)

• Supported browsers: Chrome, Safari

Embedded Signup

Guestway, as official WhatsApp tech provider, offers you the ability to connect your whatsapp business phone number to your Guestway account using the official embedded signup flow. During the signup flow you will be guided step by step to select or create the three requirements: Meta Business Portfolio, WhatsApp Business Account and Phone Number

Using a new phone number versus migrating an existing phone number

If you already use the WhatsApp app on your phone using a business phone number, then you have two options:

1. Fully migrate your existing phone number to be managed by Guestway

   1. This means you will no longer be able to use the WhatsApp application on your phone

   2. All your message history will also be gone

   3. The phone number can then only be used through Guestway

   4. Voice calling and group conversations are no longer supported, only guest communication is supported.

2. Create a new phone number to be used by Guestway

   1. This new number will be exclusively used by Guestway

Billing Setup

If billing is not correctly set up on your WhatsApp Business Account, you’ll receive the following error:

Billing error example

Information on how to correctly set up billing can be found in the official meta documentation:

https://www.facebook.com/business/help/488291839463771

Initiate conversations & manage templates

What are Message Templates

To start a WhatsApp chat with a guest who hasn’t messaged you yet, you must first send a WhatsApp Template message. These templates are created by you in your WhatsApp Business account and must be approved by Meta before they can be used.

After the guest replies or messages your number, you can then send any free-form messages.

Default Template

By default, Guestway will create the following default Message Template you can use:

Default Template

Hello *{{guest_fullname}}*,

We're reaching out about your recent booking.

*Confirmation:* ```{{confirmation}}```
*Check-in:* ```{{check_in}}```
*Check-out:* ```{{check_out}}```

You can reply to this message if you have any other questions.

Create new templates

If you want to create a new template to use instead of the default one, you should pay attention to the following:

• Use the Category "Utility" ⇒ "Standard"

• Use ‘named variable types’ instead of ‘numbered variable types’

  • The available variables are listed in the next section.

  • If you use a variable name that is not valid or for which there is no value, Guestway will still send the message but use a dot as value.

• Only use named variables in the message body, and not in the header or footer.

• Do not add extra features such as media or buttons.

Some things to keep in mind:

• The template will only be shown in Guestway once it is approved by Meta.

• It can take 5-10 minutes before approved and deleted templates are correctly shown by Guestway.

Available named variables

Click to expand

Variable	Description	Example value
name	Full name of the guest or owner	John Doe
first_name	First name of the guest or owner	John
last_name	Last name of the guest or owner	Doe
email	Primary email of the guest or owner	[email protected]
phone	Primary phone number of the guest or owner	[phone]
country	Country code of the guest	US
birthday	Birth date of the guest	1980-01-01
language	Preferred language of the guest	en
guest_address	Full address of the guest or owner	123 Main St, Anytown, US
guest_notes	Notes about the guest or owner	Prefers quiet rooms
check_in_date	Check-in date of the reservation	2024-06-01
check_out_date	Check-out date of the reservation	2024-06-08
check_in_time	Check-in time of the reservation	15:00
check_out_time	Check-out time of the reservation	11:00
check_in	Check-in date and time of the reservation	2024-06-01 15:00
check_out	Check-out date and time of the reservation	2024-06-08 11:00
confirmation_code	Confirmation code of the reservation	ABC123
status	Current status of the reservation	confirmed
nights	Number of nights for the reservation	7
guest_count	Total number of guests for the reservation	4
adult_count	Number of adults for the reservation	2
child_count	Number of children for the reservation	2
infant_count	Number of infants for the reservation	1
estimated_arrival	Estimated time of arrival	15:00
estimated_departure	Estimated time of departure	10:00
portal_link	Link to the guest app for the reservation	https://portal.guestway.io/ABC123DEF45
time_zone	Time zone of the reservation or listing	Europe/Amsterdam
listing_name	Nickname of the listing	VIL_BEACH_001
marketing_name	Marketing name of the listing	Luxury Beach Villa
listing_address	Address of the listing	123 Ocean Drive, Miami Beach, FL
wifi_name	WiFi network name of the listing	Beach House WiFi
wifi_pass	WiFi password of the listing	BeachHouse2023
wifi_info	WiFi information of the listing	SSID: BeachHouse2023, Password: BeachHouse2023

Explained: WhatsApp Message Templates vs. Guestway Saved Replies

In Guestway, you can also create & use Saved Replies, which are similar to message templates. Here is a quick overview on the differences between the two:

Comparison table

Feature	WhatsApp Message Templates	GuestWay Saved Replies
Created In	WhatsApp Business Manager	Guestway Platform
Approval Required	Yes - must be approved by WhatsApp	No - instant creation and use
Supported Channels	WhatsApp only	All channels (Email, SMS, WhatsApp, etc.)
Can Initiate Conversations	Yes - can start new WhatsApp conversations	No - only for existing conversations
Customization During Send	No - must use exact approved template	Yes - can override or modify text while keeping variable replacement
Management	External (WhatsApp Business Manager)	Internal (GuestWay)
Use Case	Proactive outreach to guests via WhatsApp	Responding to guests across any channel

Key Takeaway

• WhatsApp Templates: You only need one or two templates to initiate conversations with WhatsApp guests. Once the conversation is started, you have 24 hours to send any messages freely.

• Saved Replies: Create and manage as many as you need on the Guestway platform to explain different aspects of properties and guest stays. Use them freely across all channels (Email, SMS, WhatsApp, etc.) during active conversations.

All Set

By now, you will have completed the WhatsApp integration setup — including connecting your WhatsApp Business phone number, configuring billing, and creating message templates. Your Guestway account is now fully ready to send and receive WhatsApp messages for guest communication.

You can start reaching out to guests proactively using approved WhatsApp Templates, or reply freely to any ongoing conversations within the 24-hour messaging window.