Travel agents to increase hotel sales through the GDS
Distribution giant Amadeus is seeking to increase the volume of hotels booked by the trade through the GDS with the addition of about 1,000 properties to the system every month.
The GDS claims the volume booked by the trade has been steadily growing in recent years and will account for about 35% of UK hotel bookings in 2007.
Amadeus predicts the hotel to air segment ratio, which is currently one hotel booked for every 64 flight segments, will come down further with some UK customers already booking a hotel for every three flight segments. The ratio has already been reduced significantly compared to three years ago in January 2004 when it was 1:300.
Amadeus now features about 69,000 properties in the system, including independent properties and hotels offered by third party aggregators, compared to 58,000 two years ago.
As well as adding more hotels the GDS also wants to give the trade the confidence to use Amadeus for hotel bookings by guaranteeing the best available rates. The GDS already has 70 prominent hotel brands signed up to its best available rate programme.
The GDS also plans to release the latest version of its Amadeus Selling Platform before Christmas, which will include enhancements to the hotel booking section.
Amadeus has also begun a two-year project to develop a new Hotel Distribution Platform to help properties manage and distribute rooms.
Linda Fox
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