Skip to content

Search

Latest Stories

Report: Independent hoteliers saw 34.5 percent surge in GDS bookings last year

GDS reservations rose 51.2 percent compared to a decade ago in 2014

Report: Independent hoteliers saw 34.5 percent surge in GDS bookings last year

INDEPENDENT HOTELS RECEIVE favorable deals via the global distribution system, according to HotelREZ Hotels & Resorts. Reservations through the GDS rose by 34.5 percent over the past year, with a 4.2 percent increase compared to pre-pandemic levels in 2019.

Direct booking maintained high growth rates, increasing by 22.5 percent in 2023 compared to 2022 and strengthening by 80.2 percent against its pre-pandemic standing, said HotelREZ Hotels & Resorts in its recent Independent Accommodation Insights report.


GDS reservations surged by 51.2 percent compared to a decade ago in 2014, the report added.

“The way hotels and aparthotels find and secure their sales has vastly changed in the last 20 years,” said Mark Lewis, HotelREZ founder and CEO. “Direct booking on a property’s own website accounts for around a third of all bookings, with OTAs about half that. The GDS is often incorrectly regarded as a relic of travel booking. Yet, our booking data shows the GDS has been experiencing consistent growth in the last 10 years and is the dominant booking channel, straddling both leisure and corporate business.”

HotelREZ, a UK-based hotel representational company founded in 2004, has seen a significant increase in mobile direct booking for its clients. Since 2019, mobile direct bookings have more than doubled, rising from 15 percent to 32 percent of all direct bookings by 2023, the company said.

GDS, preferred by travel agents and travel management companies, was among the first channels to rebound after the pandemic, highlighting its value and commercial opportunity, HotelREZ claimed.

“The GDS drives high value bookings thanks to the relationships between travel advisors and their buyers,” said Daniel Simmons, HotelREZ’s chief commercial officer. “The pandemic highlighted the importance of having an expert handling your booking if something goes wrong within procurement, CSR and sustainability control. Post-pandemic, we’re seeing more business travelers restricted by corporate social responsibility guidelines and increased need for bill-back facilities. Using the expertise of agents and having access to self-booking tools is a preferred option for the corporate booker rather than using a public OTA.”

Meanwhile, HotelREZ’s Channel Connect serves as the company's alternative to a channel manager, enabling the central reservations system to link properties with more than 600 travel websites, the company said. Furthermore, Channel Connect reservations increased by 39.5 percent year-on-year, marking a 63 percent increase compared to 2019 pre-pandemic levels and a remarkable growth of more than 4,609 percent compared to 2014.

The report also highlighted several post-pandemic trends that boosted bookings and GDS usage, such as a robust SME corporate market, the dominance of larger TMCs, and the rise of third-party GDS self-booking tools alongside home-working leisure travel agencies.

The World Travel & Tourism Council's 2024 Economic Impact Research recently revealed that the travel and tourism sector will contribute over $2.5 trillion to the state exchequer in 2024, constituting nearly 9 percent of the U.S. economy. Moreover, it is anticipated to employ approximately 18.8 million people nationwide, representing one in nine American workers.

More for you

Peachtree Group Inc. 5000 2025

Peachtree receives two recognitions

Summary:

  • Peachtree recognized by Inc. and the Atlanta Business Chronicle.
  • Named to the 2025 Inc. 5000 list for the third year.
  • Chronicle’s Pacesetter Awards recognize metro Atlanta’s fastest-growing companies.

PEACHTREE GROUP ENTERED the 2025 Inc. 5000 list for the third consecutive year. The company also won the Atlanta Business Chronicle Pacesetter Awards as one of the city’s fastest-growing private companies.

Keep ReadingShow less
AHLA Foundation expands hospitality education

AHLA Foundation expands hospitality education

Summary:

  • AHLA Foundation is partnering with ICHRIE and ACPHA to support hospitality education.
  • The collaborations align academic programs with industry workforce needs.
  • It will provide data, faculty development, and student engagement opportunities.

THE AHLA FOUNDATION, International Council on Hotel, Restaurant and Institutional Education and the Accreditation Commission for Programs in Hospitality Administration work to expand education opportunities for students pursuing hospitality careers. The alliances aim to provide data, faculty development and student engagement opportunities.

Keep ReadingShow less
U.S. holiday travel 2025 trends

Report: U.S. consumers’ holiday travel intent dips

Summary:

  • U.S. holiday travel is down to 44 percent, led by Millennials and Gen Z.
  • Younger consumers are cost-conscious while older generations show steadier travel intent.
  • 76 percent of Millennials are likely to use AI for travel recommendations.

NEARLY 44 PERCENT of U.S. consumers plan to travel during the 2025 holiday season, down from 46 percent last year, according to PwC. Millennials and Gen Z lead travel intent at 55 percent each, while Gen X sits at 39 percent and Baby Boomers at 26 percent.

Keep ReadingShow less
Report: Global RevPAR to rise 3–5 percent in 2025

Report: Global RevPAR to rise 3–5 percent in 2025

Summary:

  • Global hotel RevPAR is projected to grow 3 to 5 percent in 2025, JLL reports.
  • Hotel RevPAR rose 4 percent in 2024, with demand at 4.8 billion room nights.
  • London, New York and Tokyo are expected to lead investor interest in 2025.

GLOBAL HOTEL REVPAR is projected to grow 3 to 5 percent in 2025, with investment volume up 15 to 25 percent, driven by loan maturities, deferred capital spending and private equity fund expirations, according to JLL. Leisure travel is expected to decline as consumer savings tighten, while group, corporate and international travel increase, supporting RevPAR growth.

Keep ReadingShow less
Hotel data challenges report highlighting AI and automation opportunities in hospitality

Survey: Data gaps hinder hotel growth

Summary:

  • Fragmented systems, poor integration limit hotels’ data access, according to a survey.
  • Most hotel professionals use data daily but struggle to access it for revenue and operations.
  • AI and automation could provide dynamic pricing, personalization and efficiency.

FRAGMENTED SYSTEMS, INACCURATE information and limited integration remain barriers to hotels seeking better data access to improve guest experiences and revenue, according to a newly released survey. Although most hotel professionals use data daily, the survey found 49 percent struggle to access what they need for revenue and operational decisions.

Keep ReadingShow less