For travel agencies, picking the right global distribution system (GDS) is very important. Most travel bookings use these systems, so choosing the best one matters a lot. We will compare the three main booking systems – Amadeus, Sabre and Travelport. This will help agencies find the best system for their needs.
What is a GDS, and Why Does it Matter?
GDS networks store and share info about travel like flights, hotels and car rentals. These systems connect travel agencies with travel companies. This lets agencies book, price and manage bookings in real time. By combining data from many travel companies, booking systems make it easier and quicker for agencies to book trips.
Overview of the Top GDS Systems
Amadeus:
This travel booking system kicked off back in 1987. It’s really easy to use and available all around the world. Amadeus links you with over 490 airlines, 800,000 hotels, and rental car companies. They have a ton of travel options to choose from.
Sabre:
Sabre has been around since 1960, making it one of the earliest booking systems out there. They’re known for coming up with neat new ideas like booking tools, crunching data, and mobile apps for travel. Sabre teams up with over 400 airlines, 750,000 hotels, and a whole bunch of other travel businesses worldwide.
Travelport:
Back in the early 2000s, a couple of travel companies decided to join forces and create Travelport. They built one big platform that lets you search and book any kind of travel you need – flights, hotels, you name it. Travelport has hookups with over 400 airlines, 650,000 hotels, and a whole bunch of other travel services to cover all your bases.
Let’s Compare the Three
Worldwide Use:
Amadeus and Sabre booking systems are used in over 190 countries worldwide. They also connect with more airlines compared to Travelport, but Travelport still has a really big network.
New Technology:
All three companies invest in the latest tech. Amadeus lets you book directly through airline systems, has AI search tools, and biometric boarding options. Sabre focuses on mobile apps, virtual payments, and personalized AI travel recommendations. Travelport provides tools for developers to improve the user experience.
User Interface:
Travel agents praise Amadeus for having a very user-friendly booking interface. Sabre lets you customize the interface to your preferences. Travelport+ has a sleek, modern design that works well on different devices.
Connecting Systems:
It’s important that booking systems integrate well with other agency systems. All three allow this, but Sabre partners with more top technology companies, giving it an advantage.
Costs:
Amadeus and Sabre tend to be more expensive, with fees based on booking volumes and extras. Travelport usually costs less, appealing to smaller agencies or tighter budgets. But long-term overall costs are most important.
Factors to consider before choosing a GDS
- Your agency’s needs – services, locations, customers
- Budget and overall costs
- Where your customers travel
- Fitting with your tech setup
- Training and customer support
Travel Agency Software Development: A Key Consideration
To find the right GDS for your company needs is also very complex, it’s also important to consider the role of travel agency software development in optimizing agency’s operations and improve the customer experience.
Travel software development involves developing custom applications and related tools that integrate with your GDS to smooth processes, automate tasks, and provide value-added services to your clients. This can include online booking software and mobile application to (CRM) and analytics tools.
By put money into travel agency software development, they can gain an advantage over their competitor by offering a smoother and good experience to their customers. This can lead to increased customer loyalty, higher efficiency, and ultimately, better profitability.
However, it’s important to find a software development partner that has deep expertise in the travel industry and a thorough understanding of the complexities involved in integrating with GDSs like Amadeus, Sabre, and Travelport.
Conclusion
Picking the best GDS system for your travel business comes down to what’s most important to you. Amadeus is really easy to use and available pretty much everywhere in the world. Sabre has lots of cool new features and works great alongside other systems you might be using. Travelport can save you some money while still being a nice, modern system.
You’ll want to really think hard about the key things for your company – like being able to book travel all over the globe, having all the latest technology, making things super simple for your employees, connecting to all the other tools your business uses, and of course, watching your costs.
Get some tips from travel experts, ask to see demos of each system, and talk to others who use them to hear their experiences. Once you go with the booking system that ticks all your boxes, it’ll make everything run way smoother, your team will be more productive, and it’ll ultimately help your whole business grow.
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