EyeforTravel Special Report: Industry sees space for GDS
Global distribution giants are here to stay despite pressure from airlines and the increased use of the internet.
Contrary to the customary debate from GDSs on their own future, online professionals and traditional players voiced their views on Worldspan, Amadeus, Galileo and Sabre’s fate.
Expedia and hotels.com vice president for Europe, Middle East and Africa David Roche said: “We see GDSs as here for quite some time yet. There is going to be a redistribution of economics because of the pressures but they will be here.”
And Google head of travel for Europe Esteban Walther agreed: “They have a very clear strategy of ingraining themselves in suppliers’ back-end systems. If that continues there is massive value to add to clients and end consumers.”
Speaking during the corporate travel session Hogg Robinson’s newly appointed group industry affairs director Mike Platt said airlines and the GDS had to resolve their differences.
“In the past things were simple. Suppliers gave information to the GDS. The current model has more complexity and it is quite plausible the future model will have even more but look at how many pipes are now hitting the travel management company. We are going to have to connect up to everybody to be able to sell everything.”
Platt added that changing the model between airlines and GDS without there being ‘a big loser’ was very difficult but that there would continue to be a problem with content until the two were reconciled.
“I don’t want to be a multi-pipe business. The GDS need to clear their minds of the past.”
GDS representatives confirmed they were working through the issues and Cendant’s TDS chief operating officer Chris Vukelich said: “Somewhere along the line we lost our sanity. Somehow the debate has turned into direct distribution and that direct is free. It is not free and GDS deliver a higher yield which is not easily replicated in a direct distribution environment.”
By Linda Fox
Linda Fox
Vegas’s Billion-Dollar Secrets – What They Don’t Want Tourists to Know
Visit Florida’s New CEO Bryan Griffin Shares His Vision for State Tourism with Graham
Chicago’s Tourism Renaissance: Graham Interviews Kristin Reynolds of Choose Chicago
Graham Talks with Cassandra McCauley of MMGY NextFactor About the Latest Industry Research
Destination International’s Andreas Weissenborn: Research, Advocacy, and Destination Impact
Graham and Don Welsh Discuss the Success of Destinations International’s Annual Conference
Graham and CEO Andre Kiwitz on Ventura Travel’s UK Move and Recruitment for the Role
Brett Laiken and Graham Discuss Florida’s Tourism Momentum and Global Appeal
Graham and Elliot Ferguson on Positioning DC as a Cultural and Inclusive Global Destination
Graham Talks to Fraser Last About His England-to-Ireland Trek for Mental Health Awareness
Kathy Nelson Tells Graham About the Honour of Hosting the World Cup and Kansas City’s Future
Graham McKenzie on Sir Richie Richardson’s Dual Passion for Golf and His Homeland, Antigua
ADS PRO 
Qatar Airways offers flexible payment options for European travellers
Phocuswright reveals the world's largest travel markets in volume in 2025
Cyclone in Sri Lanka had limited effect on tourism in contrary to media reports
Skyscanner reveals major travel trends 2026 at ITB Asia
Higher departure tax and visa cost, e-arrival card: Japan unleashes the fiscal weapon against tourists