LuxuryRes specializes in providing Global Distribution (GDS) connections to independent hotels and small chains. The Global Distribution System is not just one system. It is a combination of five major Global Distribution Systems. A Global Distribution System provides reservation channels for booking hotels, cars, airlines and cruises.
The major GDS companies are Sabre, Amadeus, Apollo, Galileo, Worldspan, and Abacus. Galileo, Worldspan and Apollo merged in 2008 to create a single entity called Travelport, however the original GDS networks that comprise TP still operate as separate entities.
When a Travel Agents shops for hotels in a particular city via the GDS to which the agency subscribes, the GDS routes the request to the LuxuryRes Central Reservation System. The GDS reads the data that resides in the LuxuryRes Central Reservation System and displays that on the travel agent's screen (or website). This enables a Travel Agent who subscribes to a single GDS to see and book all of the hotels in a city that are part of the GDS.
LuxuryRes provides a seamless connection to all of these different Global Distribution Systems (GDS). LuxuryRes connects your hotel to the GDS via a robust database that you can control via your PMS, channel manager or manually. In addition to connecting to the Global Distribution System, LuxuryRes provides distribution via “direct connections” to most online travel agents. These connections enable your staff to control literally hundreds of distribution channels with a single click in your PMS or via the LuxuryRes website.
The primary customers of a GDS are Travel Agents (both bricks-and-mortar and online). Each GDS provides an electronic channel for travel agents to book hotel rooms. It is important to note that a GDS does not maintain any inventory.
