Travel GDS Systems

 

What is Travel GDS Systems?

 

The term "global distribution system" refers to a computerized network used by travel agents and other travel industry professionals to arrange travel services such as airline tickets, hotel rooms, and car rentals. GDSs are most often used in the tourist industry, namely by airlines, hotels, and car rental firms.

The Global Distribution System (GDS) is an online system that bridges the global gap between tour operators and travel suppliers by offering centralized services such as airline ticket reservations, car rental, hotel room bookings, and more. It provides global data, pricing, inventory, offers, real-time availability of airlines, hotel rooms, car rental, bus tickets, and many more services to make the travel industry more informatic and sophisticated.

 

How does a global distribution system work?

 

 

Travel agents and other travel industry professionals generally utilize these systems to access a wide range of travel alternatives and make bookings on behalf of their customers. Travel GDS platforms aggregate inventory, availability, price, and other desired data and provide access to agents, OTAs, IBEs, and other channels.

However, if you own a large hotel chain with multiple locations or target international travelers, a GDS can help you reach a broader audience and generate reservations. When a travel agency or other user wants to book a travel service using a GDS, they typically provide trip data such as location, dates, and several passengers.

One of the key advantages of using a GDS is that it provides consumers with access to a wide range of travel options from many suppliers, making it easier to find the best deals and make the most informed decisions. The main aim of today's GDS systems is travel agencies. A GDS provides real-time data, allowing agents to select which flights, accommodations, and other services best meet their client's demands in seconds.

Furthermore, GDSs are typically updated in real-time, so users can be confident that the information they are accessing is accurate and up-to-date. Overall, GDSs are a vital tool for the travel industry since they serve to make the booking process more effective and comfortable for travel agencies and their clients. Travel agencies may use this technology to reply to quotation requests promptly and efficiently, with accuracy and agility.

FlightsLogic is a prominent GDS travel software company that creates and deploys best-in-class travel booking systems using travel APIs and GDS connections. 

GDS (global distribution systems) are computerized network systems controlled by major travel technology firms such as Amadeus, Travelport, and Sabre. Travel GDS systems facilitate transactions between travel agencies, DMCs, corporate travel agencies, and providers such as airlines, hotels, transport providers, cruise lines, and sightseeing companies.

GDS Systems assist travel companies, agents, and their customers in gaining access to travel data by comparing rates, reservation options, access schedules, and inventories (hotels, airlines, car rental, holidays, bus tickets, railway tickets), as well as the ability to book tickets online. The following are the four major GDS Systems that dominate the travel industry:

 

Most Popular Travel GDS Systems

 

Amadeus GDS Systems

 

A complete travel technology platform that provides booking, reservation, and ticketing services to airlines, hotels, and car rental companies. Amadeus is a leading transaction processor and distribution system in the travel and tourism industry. It is essentially a one-stop shop for fully automating a trip booking system. 

It enables clients to obtain all the specifics of hotel/car/airline offers via a customized booking management system. You also receive a user-friendly interface and an easy-to-maintain platform. In addition, Amadeus supports over 57,000 travel agents and over 10,500 airline sales offices in about 200 markets worldwide. Amadeus provides an interactive booking service that allows consumers to book flight seats online without contacting a travel agent.

Flights: All GDSs, including Amadeus, provide the standard flight search and booking capability. Amadeus also offers corporate travel services (which are beneficial for TMCs) and combined train and air booking.

Hotels: Amadeus provides basic hotel booking features, including search and pricing details. It also has a hotelier GDS that connects to all major GDS.
Cars: Amadeus offers car rentals and airport shuttle/transfer services.

Cruise: Amadeus Cruise Web Services offers wide cruise booking availability with transfers, special services, excursions, bus availability, and more. Aside from standard booking, it also allows for changes and cancellations.

Railways: Amadeus accepts rail bookings that include regular searches and tickets and certain supplementary services like lodging.

Insurance: One of the ways Amadeus differs from other GDSs is that it offers insurance shopping in addition to booking. It connects OTAs and retail agencies with hundreds of global and local insurance providers, allowing them to generate insurance papers with pre-populated information.

 

Sabre GDS Systems

 

Sabre is a global leader in technology and data-driven solutions that help airlines, hotels, and travel agencies develop their businesses while also revolutionizing the traveler experience. Travel suppliers use this network, including around 400 airlines, 200,000 hotels, 200 tour operators, 50 rail carriers, 40 car rental shops, and 17 cruise lines. Sabre is widely regarded as a pioneer in the fields of online travel agencies, corporate booking tools, revenue management, and web and mobile itinerary tools, to mention a few.

Flights: Sabre provides significant flight booking tools, such as mileage count, seat maps, queue activities, etc.

Hotels: Sabre has limited hotel data availability, although it does offer basic hotel search, booking, cancellation, and access to loyalty program data.

Car Rentals: Sabre provides many APIs for car rentals, allowing you to construct a full search and booking platform. It computes prices based on length and fees, does exact searches, and searches for unique needs.

Cruises: Sabre provides access to complete cruise content, including interactive maps and cabin images.

Railways: Sabre allows travelers to book rail tickets, look up station codes, and arrange rail trips.

 

Travelport GDS Systems 

 

It owns the Galileo, Worldspan, and Apollo systems. A GDS operated by Travelport provides innovative travel technology solutions such as booking, ticketing, and marketing. Galileo GDS System (Global distribution system) is one of the most prominent travel content suppliers. The Galileo XML API integration consolidates worldwide travel data from several providers onto a single platform. It assists travelers in locating the best deals on all aspects of travel. It covers booking flights, cruises, hotel rooms, trains, and rental vehicles all around the globe.

Flights: Travelport allows you to book direct flights, connecting air and rail connections, and auxiliary services such as luggage, meals, and insurance.

Hotels: Travelport provides bargains from non-GDS sources like Agoda, Tourico, etc. It also offers support savings to business clients.

Cars: Travelport's car rental feature is standard: search, pricing, images, vehicle data, and cancellation.

Cruises: Travelport exclusively offers cruise booking options to travel brokers who request direct booking through a web-based platform.

Railways: Travelport is largely focused on providing integrated air and railway booking availability, including data on best connections with flights, ticketing air-rail as a single ticket, and arranging train transfers straight to and from an airport.

 

Worldspan GDS

 

Worldspan, a prominent GDS, provides travel distribution, technology, and services to thousands of travel organizations worldwide, including travel agents, enterprises, suppliers, and websites. Worldspan improves global travel distribution and transaction processing with industry-first fares, pricing, shopping, and booking technology, as well as a portfolio of interactive shopping solutions that help travel firms decrease costs, boost efficiency, and generate profits.

These GDS systems are used by travel agencies, airlines, hotels, car rental companies, and other travel and hospitality providers to handle bookings, reservations, and other aspects of travel. Consumers frequently utilize them to search for and book online travel arrangements.

 

Why are Travel GDS Systems Important To The Travel Industry?

 

 

A GDS system also gives travel agents access to travel data, allowing them to evaluate the prices and facilities given by different airlines, car rentals, and hotels to find the best deal for their clients.

When starting a business, several factors travel agencies and firms must consider, one of which is obtaining the correct set of tools. The Global Distribution System is one such tool. It provides a single reservation system that permits real-time access to hotel rates and availability, pricing for flights, railways, and rental car businesses.

GDS has been providing the travel sector with dependability, security, speed, and accuracy to airlines, hotels, car rentals, and bus tickets, among other things. It is critical for independent travel agencies who can benefit hugely from being linked with one to increase the number of online reservations.

With travel GDS systems, a travel agent can book flights, hotels, attractions, sightseeing, transfers, and car services. Global Distribution System integration provides a wide range of data solutions to assist airlines in effectively serving their customers and marketing themselves. It is a profitable and cost-effective distribution channel that encourages carriers to broaden their market reach to include leisure and business travel.

The travel and tourism industry is no exception, which has resulted in substantial innovation in the creation of travel and hospitality apps. And, to provide the best-qualified service, GDS is quickly becoming a fundamental reservation technique for travel agents.

 

Benefits of a GDS to travel agents

 

• Timesaving option to complete the entire booking process

• No need to contact individual suppliers

• Travel service providers can enhance the online visibility of services across many travel agencies.

• Ensures a leveled playing field between individual hotels and large hotel chains.

• Provides a vast inventory of travel options at your fingertips.

• Travel agents gain direct access to booking systems of travel vendors, like airlines and hotels

• Easy accessibility to a broad spectrum of travel services like tours, rail tickets, cruises, and car rentals besides hotels and airlines.

• Travel services can expand their target segment base like business travelers.

• Travel agents can serve several clients at a time, increasing revenues.

• Travel agents need not process complex contracts with vendors.

 

Connecting Your Hotel to All Global Distribution Networks 

 

Hotel management aims to increase the number of direct reservations they receive; having a global distribution system helps them to attract a large number of customers. This is because the GDS serves as a single point of contact for hundreds of travel agents worldwide, allowing them to book hotel rooms for their customers. Furthermore, a GDS might be particularly beneficial for a hotel looking to attract business or corporate travelers.

It is a business-to-business system that enables firms to keep track of the availability of travel arrangements, such as hotel rooms, to offer them to clients who are planning to travel. They give a centralized site for many travel companies and travel agents to obtain accurate information about travel reservation availability and price.

The global distribution systems available for hotel reservations make booking travel plans for customers considerably more efficient. Hotels profit from improved market access for travel bookings and fewer errors in the booking process as a result of a single entry point for numerous agencies to explore and choose hotel room availability for travelers. 

Complete PMS integration for hotels implies that employing a distribution system to connect with additional travel agents throughout the world is both cost-effective and stress-free.

A GDS increases hotel revenue by displaying the property's information, availability, and pricing in prominent locations where travel agents may readily find them. It helps hotels optimize their bookings at any given moment while also targeting strong travel markets willing to pay money to reserve the best available lodging.

 

There are several benefits of using a global distribution system (GDS) for your hotel:

 

 

Increased Visibility: 

 

Travel agencies and other travel firms use GDS systems to look for and book lodgings thus, having your hotel listed on one can boost the visibility of your facility to potential visitors.

 

Easier Bookings:

 

GDS systems enable clients to book rooms at your hotel directly through their platform, making the booking process easier for you and your visitors.

 

Improved efficiency:

 

GDS systems help you to handle bookings, reservations, and other parts of your hotel's operations more efficiently, saving you time and resources.

 

Increased revenue: 

 

Using a GDS gives you access to a larger audience of potential guests, which may lead to an increase in reservations and profitability for your hotel.

 

Improved data management: 

 

GDS systems provide detailed information about your hotel's bookings, reservations, and other activities, enabling you to make informed business decisions.

Overall, utilizing a GDS may assist you in reaching a larger audience of potential customers, streamlining your hotel's operations, and increasing income.

 

The future of GDS

 

For years, GDS has provided dependability, security, speed, and accuracy to airlines, hotels, auto rentals, bus tickets, and many other industries. According to IATA research, the future of GDS is bright, and it will build a robust e-commerce platform for the travel sector. If GDSs continue to meet the ever-changing demands of the airline and hotel industries, they will dominate the travel industry.

A Global Distribution System (GDS) is an integral component of the success of a travel booking engine.

 

Features of Travel GDS Systems

 

• 24/7 real-time access to a vast global inventory of hotel rooms, cars, airlines, buses, tours, and other travel-related items.

• Access for both B2C and B2B travel booking engines.

• The GDS software can easily be integrated into Android, iOS, and Web platforms.

• Provides access to real-time availability and pricing to make online bookings.

• Offers the best commissions and fares to travel agencies.

• GDS makes managing and maintaining information easy.

• It facilitates a single-window interface for all your marketing requirements.

• GDS software enables expanding the coverage to gain exposure to other travelers and travel agents.

 

Key Takeaways

 

GDSs are used in the hotel business to make hotel reservations on travelers' behalf and can give access to a wide range of hotel alternatives, including availability, pricing, and facilities. GDSs may assist hotels in increasing their visibility to travelers and making it easier for them to book rooms, thereby increasing bookings and income.