Katanox's Glossary
Glauce Botossi avatar
Written by Glauce Botossi
Updated over a week ago

Buyers

Buyers are entities that provide travel services of any type, kind, or sort, including but not limited to the following: retail, wholesale, leaguers, or business, operating as online and offline travel agencies, consortia, corporate travel management, destinations management companies, tour operators, etc.

Channel Manager

A Channel Manager is a tool that Suppliers can use in addition to their PMS to manage their bookings from different platforms all in one place. It aggregates bookings from websites like Booking.com, Expedia, Airbnb, their own website, GDS’s and automatically updates availability in real-time.

Application Programming Interface (API)

An API is a piece of software that stands between two applications/websites and acts as an intermediary, allowing them to talk to each other in the same language.

ARI

ARI stands for Availability, Rates, and Inventory.

Bedbank

A Bedbank (also called a Wholesaler) is a B2B company that buys rooms from accommodation providers in bulk, at a very discounted, static price, and sells them to OTAs, travel agents, airlines, or tour operators.

Destination Management Companies (DMCs)

A DMC is a professional services company with local knowledge, expertise, and resources, working in the design and implementation of events, activities, tours, transportation and program logistics.

Global Distribution Systems (GDSs)

GDSs are computerized network that facilitates transactions between travel service providers and travel agents (both online and offline travel agents). They were invented when a more sophisticated method was needed to keep track of flight schedules, availability, and prices. Mostly used for business travel these days, though there are still a lot of travel agencies that use them to book accommodation, tours, cruises, flights, etc. GDSs connect with PMSs.

Online Travel Agencies (OTAs)

OTAs are marketplaces such as Booking.com, Expedia and Airbnb that allow consumers to research and book travel products and services.

Property Management Systems (PMSs)

A PMS is essentially the software program hotels use to control and manage booking reservations, guest check-in/check-out, room assignment, managing room rates and billing.

Suppliers

Suppliers are entities that provide accommodation services of any type, kind, or sort, including but not limited to the following: hotels, hotel chains, motels, hostels, Inns, guest houses, camping, chalets, resorts, lodges, home-stays, farm-stays, boats, tents, vacation rentals, holiday homes, apart-hotels, villas, etc.

Travel Management Companies (TMCs)

TMCs are travel agents/agencies that fully manage business travel, such as TravelPerk, TripActions, AMEX Global Business Travel.

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