The Global Distribution System (GDS) as Future of Communication in Hospitality Industry

Abstract

Global Distribution System is an online computerized system commonly known as GDS. It is an advanced technology used to bridge the gap between tour operators and travel customers or bookers by providing centralized services. It covers a large spectrum of services like bookings of airlines tickets, cars on hire, renting of hotel rooms, reserving banquet function halls and MICE (Meetings Conventions Conferences and Events) destinations. It works as a single point of access for reserving airline seats, hotel rooms, renting cars by smaller travel agents, online reservation sites, and large corporate companies. It delivers up to date world wide data, rack and discounted rates, accommodation room inventory, off season discounts, offers on bulk bookings, real-time availability of airlines seats, hotel rooms status and bookings, car rental, bus tickets and other allied services to make the travel industry more informatics and sophisticated. For decades, Global distribution System has been a key ICT (Information and communication Technology) area for airlines and hotels. This sector had been dominated by four Global Distribution Systems (GDSs) whose primacy had never been challenged. This paper explorers the role of Information technology as a future of communication in travel industry.

Keywords: Global Distribution System, GDSs, Airline Industry, CRS, Information and Communication Technologies

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