In today’s fast-paced and competitive world, it’s essential for property owners to maximise their visibility and reach the widest possible audience. One of the most effective ways to achieve this is by listing your property on a Global Distribution System (GDS). In this blog post, we’ll discuss the benefits of being listed on a GDS, define what a GDS is, how it works, and provide a step-by-step guide on how to list your property on a GDS. We’ll also share some tips, tricks, and best practices to help you get the most out of your listing.

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The Benefits of Being Listed on a GDS

1. Increased Visibility: Listing your property on a GDS gives you access to a vast network of travel agencies, online travel agencies (OTAs), and corporate booking tools. This increased visibility can help drive more bookings and generate higher revenue.
2. Global Reach: GDSs are used worldwide, meaning your property can reach potential guests from all corners of the globe, increasing your chances of attracting international travellers.
3. Real-time Availability and Rates: GDSs provide real-time information about your property’s availability and rates, allowing travel agents and OTAs to book rooms instantly, reducing the risk of overbooking or other booking discrepancies.
4. Centralised Management: With a GDS, you can manage your property’s rates, availability, and reservations in one central location, making it easier to stay organised and up-to-date.
5. Streamlined Booking Process: GDSs simplify the booking process for travel agents and OTAs, making it easier for them to find and book your property, resulting in more bookings.

What is a Global Distribution System (GDS)?

A Global Distribution System (GDS) is a computerised network that enables transactions between travel service providers (such as hotels, airlines, and car rental companies) and travel agencies. GDSs serve as a single point of access for travel agents and OTAs to check availability, compare rates, and make reservations for various travel services.

The primary function of a GDS is to facilitate real-time transactions between travel service providers and travel agencies, ensuring that the most up-to-date information is available at all times. Some of the major GDSs include Amadeus, Sabre, and Travelport (Galileo, Worldspan, and Apollo).

How Does a GDS Work?

A GDS works by consolidating inventory, rates, and availability information from various travel service providers into one centralised system.  This information is then made accessible to travel agencies and OTAs, who can use the GDS to search for and book travel services on behalf of their clients.

When a travel agent or OTA searches for a specific travel service, the GDS retrieves real-time data from the relevant providers and displays the results in a standardised format. This allows the user to quickly compare options and make informed booking decisions.

Once a booking is made, the GDS automatically updates the provider’s inventory, ensuring that the most accurate information is always available.

Step-by-Step Guide: Listing Your Property on a GDS

Step 1: Gather Required Information

Before you can list your property on a GDS, you’ll need to gather some essential information:

• Property name, address, and contact details
• Property description, including amenities, services, and nearby attractions
• Room types, rates, and availability
• High-quality photos of your property and rooms
• Policies (cancellation, payment, etc.)

Step 2: Choose a GDS Provider

To list your property on a GDS, you’ll first need to select a GDS provider. Some of the major GDS providers include Amadeus, Sabre, and Travelport (Galileo, Worldspan, and Apollo). Research each provider to determine which one best suits your needs and budget.

Step 3: Create an Account

Once you’ve chosen a GDS provider, you’ll need to create an account with them. This typically involves providing some basic information about your property, such as your property name, address, and contact details.

Step 4: Obtain a Property Identifier

After creating an account, you’ll be assigned a unique property identifier, such as a Pseudo City Code (PCC) or Chain Code. This identifier is used by the GDS to distinguish your property from others in the system and will be required when inputting your listing information.

Step 5: Input Your Listing Information

Using your unique property identifier, input your listing information into the GDS, including your property description, room types, rates, availability, photos, and policies. Be sure to provide accurate and detailed information to help potential guests make informed booking decisions.

Step 6: Review and Submit Your Listing

Before submitting your listing, carefully review all of the information you’ve entered to ensure it’s accurate and complete. Once you’re satisfied with your listing, submit it to your GDS provider for approval. The approval process may take several days or even weeks, depending on the provider.

Step 7: Keep Your Listing Updated

Once your listing is live on the GDS, it’s essential to keep your information up-to-date, including your rates, availability, and policies. Regularly review and update your listing to ensure it accurately reflects your property and offerings.

Tips, Tricks for Maximising Your GDS Listing

1. Use High-Quality Photos: Including high-quality photos of your property and rooms can significantly impact how potential guests perceive your property, making it more likely that they’ll choose to book with you.
2. Write Compelling Descriptions: A well-written, engaging property description can help set your property apart from the competition and entice potential guests to book.
3. Offer Competitive Rates: Research your competition and ensure that your rates are competitive within your market. Offering attractive rates can help drive more bookings through the GDS.
4. Monitor and Respond to Guest Reviews: Pay attention to guest feedback and respond to reviews, both positive and negative. This demonstrates that you value your guests’ opinions and are committed to providing excellent service.
5. Leverage Promotions and Special Offers: Offering promotions or special offers through the GDS can help attract more bookings, especially during low-demand periods.

Using Preno To Manage Your GDS Listing

If you’re planning to list your property on a GDS, a hotel Channel Manager such as Preno can be a valuable ally in streamlining the entire process and helping you manage reservations efficiently. As a user-friendly property management system, Preno smoothly integrates with major GDS platforms, ensuring accurate data synchronisation, real-time availability updates, and proper rate management.

With the support of Preno’s knowledgeable team, you’ll have access to industry insights and guidance that simplify the intricacies of GDS listings. The platform’s intuitive interface makes it easy to handle reservations, track invoicing, and generate revenue reports, offering useful insights to optimise your property’s performance.

Additionally, Preno comes with features designed to enhance the reservation process and improve guest experiences, such as personalised guest profiles, automated communications, and direct booking capabilities.

By considering Preno for managing your GDS listings, you’re setting yourself up with a well-rounded solution that saves time, minimises errors, and ultimately drives revenue growth.

In conclusion, listing your property on a GDS is an essential step to increase visibility, drive more bookings, and expand your reach in the global market. By following our step-by-step guide, you’ll be well-equipped to navigate the process of gathering necessary information, selecting a GDS provider, creating an account, obtaining a property identifier, inputting your listing information, and keeping it updated.

Remember, success lies in the details, so ensure accuracy and consistency throughout your listing. Leveraging platforms like Preno can further streamline the management of your GDS listings and enhance the overall reservation process. Now that you have access to the information and resources in this guide, you are ready to begin the process of listing your property on a GDS.

If you found value in this blog post, you’ll find our other OTA-related articles equally enlightening:

• How To List Your Property on Hotels.com: A Step-by-Step Guide
• How To List Your Property on VRBO: A Step-by-Step Guide
• How To List Your Property on HRS: A Step-by-Step Guide