Distribution

Getting all the relevant, bookable inventory in front of business travelers is a never-ending challenge. Airlines, hotels and other suppliers constantly tinker with their products and pricing, and usually favor direct distribution over more costly third-party channels. That creates complexity in business travel technology.

Some examples of our coverage
• Commissions and other remuneration
• Industry rules of thumb and trade secrets from the US Airways v. Sabre and U.S. v. Sabre trials
• Such newer concepts as New Distribution Capability and personalization

Archive

Hyatt Makes U-Turn On Member Rates In Global Distribution Systems

Hyatt Hotels Corporation has reversed its plan to keep new loyalty program members-only discount rates out of global distribution systems. A spokesperson declined to address why the company quickly overturned its original statement that travel agents would have to use its website to book the rates. “Many of our members book their travel through our…

InterContinental Hotels Joins Members-Only Rate Party, Buyers Not Celebrating

[UPDATE, May 5: Travel agencies will earn commissions on the IHG rates, according to a press official.] [UPDATE, May 3: InterContinental Hotels Group is “working diligently” to make the new member rates available via GDSs “in the coming weeks,” according to an IHG letter to travel professionals.] Confused about how and whether to access some…

Fare Combinability Issue Cools

After a chaotic six weeks, the brouhaha around fare combinability has simmered down. American, Delta and United have settled on a middle ground, but differed in how they got there. The bottom line seems to be that fare combinability again is permissible for circle trips and when stringing together multiple one-way fares, except for the…

Podcast 10: Flo Lugli, Tom Botts, Chris Vukelich, James Filsinger and Elizabeth Grygo

Our tenth podcast episode features the first installment of a panel discussion recorded this week on hotel pricing and distribution strategies. The expert guests are new Miraval Group SVP and CMO Tom Botts, Yapta president and CEO James Filsinger, Navesink Advisory Group’s Flo Lugli and industry veteran Chris Vukelich. They talked with Jay Campbell and David…

Hyatt’s ‘Book Direct’ Program Targets Global Distribution Systems

[UPDATE, May 9 2016: Hyatt reversed course on GDS participation for member rates.] Like two of its rivals before, Hyatt Hotels on Monday announced a marketing and rate program specifically for loyalty program members. The companies are attempting to neutralize online travel agencies. However, unlike Hilton and Marriott, Hyatt’s discounted rates of “up to 10 percent”…

Deem To Get $34 Million In Funding; Grady Out

[UPDATE, April 19, 2017: Deem redesigned and rebranded its software suite as ‘Work Fource.’] [UPDATE, April 15, 2016: A Deem official indicated the company does not agree with the CrunchBase figure for total investment in Deem; the official did not provide a different figure.] With founder Patrick Grady out and new funding in, Deem anticipates layoffs and a…

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