Channel Management Explained

Channel Management systems automate the electronic update of rates, packages and room inventory to multiple on-line booking channels.

With the proliferation of on-line booking channels, such as OTAs (on-line travel agents), GDS affiliates, central reservations systems (branded and non-branded), third-party hotel booking engines and wholesalers, all scrambling to capture as much web-based booking volume as possible, today’s hotelier and revenue manager are faced with an increasing number of websites and extranets to manage.

Some hotel chains invest in direct connections between their central reservations system. In turn, the CRS manages the booking profiles, rates, inventory and revenue management synchronisation with the hotel property management system.

For independent hotels, a channel management system provides a solution to the time consuming task of trying to manually update myriad hotel booking channels via e-mail, phone calls or logging into an extranet.