UNIT VI. Technology in Hospitality

Read and Learn

Read the text; find in it the English equivalents of the following topical words and phrases:

Быстро/стремительно; растущий, а зачатую обескураживающий; огромные возможности; способы бронирования; бронировать отель; включать/вводить; доступ; прямой; сеть туристических и гостиничных субъектов хозяйствования; общаться посредством интегрированной компьютерной системы; наличие/пригодность; посредник; готовый маршрут; центральная система бронирования; выбранный отель; создавать большой спрос на; в рамках индивидуального бронирования; назначать цену; комиссия управленческого персонала; действовать от имени; использовать; побуждать/стимулировать; возможность непосредственного бронирования; оптовик (третье лицо); большими партиями (оптом); перепродать потребителю.

 

Text 1

TECHNOLOGY IN HOSPITALITY

Technology is developing in leaps and bounds with an ever expand­ing, and frequently bewilder­ing, range of products and services. This, together with the increasing use of the Internet and a growing travel market, presents tremendous opportunity for hoteliers.

A reservation avenue is defined as a means by which a guest is able to make a reservation at a hotel.

Hotels incorporate as many reservation avenues as possible. The greater the access guests have to a specific hotel, the more likely they are to book. The most common reservation avenues are:

• GDS system (global distribution system)

• CRS (central reservation system)

• Direct travel agent or travel management company contact

• Direct guest contact

The Global Distribution System (GDS) is a network of travel and hospi­tality entities that communicate via an integrated computer system. The most common networks are called: Apollo, Sabre, Worldspan, and SystemOne. These GDS computer networks were originally developed by airlines to link their availability to travel agents. The ease of access enabled travel agents to directly book flights. Now, through various fee arrangements, hotels and car rental companies also link their individual products to the GDS systems. Any inter­mediary can now book an entire itinerary for a traveler using the GDS system.

A central reservations system, as reviewed earlier, provides the consumer with an avenue to locate a hotel of choice in a certain location. Using an easy-to-find toll free number (such as 1 -800-hotels-1) or Web site (such as < http:// www.hyatt.com >), the CRS can generate significant demand for a hotel through brand loyalty.

Within the transient reservations process, travel agents and travel man­agement companies act as intermediaries. These intermediaries make money in one of two ways:

1) they may charge a flat management fee. Intermediaries acting on a large company's behalf typically make their money this way. Many large organizations now utilize travel management companies to arrange all their travel needs.

2) they are paid a commission. A commission (usually 10 percent of the rate for hotels) is paid to travel agents by hotels, airlines, and other travel-related suppliers to induce further bookings.

Direct guest contact is another reservation avenue. The guests them­selves can make reservations via phone, fax, or Internet. As the Internet grows in popularity, its use as a reservation avenue grows as well. Most hotel chains offer a direct booking capability on their home pages. A recent study predicts that reservations made on the Internet will triple by 2010. Other Internet sites also offer a variety of travel related services.

World Wide Web Travel sites offer a full range of booking options that include hotel, air and car. Some serve as third-party wholesalers who buy hotel rooms in bulk and then offer them on their Web sites for resale to consumers. Others simply search out the Internet for best available prices and fares.