Knowledge Base

Glossary

A

ARI

Availability, Rates, and Inventory (ARI) is a pricing feed type that uses property data, room availability, and rate plans, to set predefined pricing strategies for properties. Specifically, ARI feeds use a subset of OpenTravel Alliance (OTA) XML entities for defining availability and pricing.

Availability

Availability is the amount of rooms at the hotel open for sales for a specific set of dates and/or type of accommodation.


The term typically relates to a specific set of dates or a certain type of accommodation.

C

Cancellation Policy

The set of rules that the hotel applies in case of cancellation of a reservation.

Chain Code

It is an identifier code of two characters, used by global distribution systems (GDSs) to identify hotel chains.

Certification Environment

The certification Environment is used for new clients to finish the 2-way API Integration Certification.

Consortia Rates

Consortia rates refer to negotiated pricing agreements between a TMC or institutions and a consortium of suppliers or service providers. These rates are typically lower than standard market rates .

Corporate Negotiated Rates

Corporate negotiated rates are special pricing arrangements between a TMC, corporate customer and service providers, typically hotel chains. These rates are established through direct negotiations between the corporate entity and the supplier to secure lower prices or additional benefits for the company's employees or clients.

When sending requests to hotels, corporate customers are often asked to present the corpCode (a sepcific code assigned to identify corporate customers).

corpCode

The Ids assgiend to corporate customers as unique identifiers for sending availability requests.

D

Distribution Channel

A method or system for distribution on which travelers can search for and book rooms at accommodation providers. Also referred to as channel, booking website, online travel agency (OTA), travel website and distribution channel.

F

Full Pattern length of stay (FPLOS)

A pricing pattern indicating whether a rate is open (available) for the arrival date and length of stay. Calculated and deployed by automated revenue management systems (IDeaS, Duetto, EzRMS, etc.).

G

Ghost Bookings

A ghost booking is a scenario in which Supplier has a confirmed reservation in their system, but the reservation is not confirmed in the Distributor system.  

Global Distribution System (GDS)

Global Distribution System. Network of electronic reservation systems used globally by travel agents booking hotel rooms (and airlines). Common GDS include Sabre, Galileo, and Amadeus.

H

Hotel Chains

Hotel chains are the largest organizing structure of a hotel group. Examples include Marriott, Hilton, IHG, Accor, Radisson, Best Western, Choice and many more. Each chain contains multiple brands, they tend to have 100s or 1000s of properties within their holding, and cover many markets.

Hotel ID

A unique code is assigned to each hotel, also known as Property ID.

Hotel Brands

Brands are the second level of hotel organization, in which a collection of properties with similar levels of luxury and offerings are grouped together under one name, such as Hilton's Waldorf, Curio and DoubleTree. Chains can develop their own brands, or acquire smaller chains and convert them into their own brands.

I

Inventory

The number of rooms available for a hotel to sell or distribute across all channels is called an Inventory. The rooms available that the property has to distribute or sell across all channels. It can occasionally be used with reference to the inventory grid, which includes both availability and rates.

Independent Hotels

Hotels that are not affiliated with a chain or brand. Although these hotels can have certain agreements with chains, they retain their name and complete autonomy over the property management.

IATA

An IATA number, is a unique identifier assigned to travel agencies and other entities in the travel industry by the International Air Transport Association (IATA). IATA is a global trade association representing airlines worldwide.

The IATA number serves as a recognition and authentication mechanism for travel agencies, tour operators, and other travel-related businesses. It helps establish their legitimacy and allows them to interact with airlines and other industry partners on various operational and commercial matters.

L

LOS

Length of stay availability. Figure derived by dividing the number of room nights by the number of bookings.

Loyalty Program

A hotel loyalty program is a rewards program offered by hotels to incentivize and retain loyal customers. It allows guests to earn points or other types of rewards when they stay at participating hotels within the program. These points can be redeemed for various benefits, such as free nights, room upgrades, complimentary amenities, airline miles, gift cards, or exclusive member-only perks.

Loytal Program programCode is the program code in suppliers' system.  accountId is the Id of the program.

O

OBP

Occupancy Based Pricing

OCC

Occupancy Rate. It is a Hotel KPI calculation that shows the percentage of available rooms or beds being sold for a certain period of time.

Online travel agencies (OTA)

Websites offering comprehensive travel shopping and reservations solutions to consumers. Examples include Booking.com, Expedia, Ctrip, and many local and regional sites.

R

Rate Plan

It is a deal/package on which a room is sold. For example, room only, room with breakfast included, room with services included, etc.

Rates

The value a hotel sells their rooms. Also called cost, value, price, tariff, room charge, etc.

Restrictions

They are controls used as functionalities that can be applied to each room type/room rate to better control reservations and have a successful revenue management strategy.

Room Code

A series of alphanumeric characters is used in a global distribution system (GDS) to identify a particular room type in a hotel.

Room Rate

The price for your room types.

Room Type

A room type represents some form of categorization, set, or collection of rooms with some common element at the hotel that must be managed for marketing purposes within the hotel. For example, a room type might be a suite or a single room with a king bed, poolside, or ocean-side. A room may belong to multiple room types i.e., a King room in the honeymoon series.

Room Only

A rate for the room only, no extras included.

Room Night(s)

Essentially refers to an occupied room. E.g) Guest A has booked 5 room nights (they are staying for 5 nights) or Corporate Guest B accumulated 20 room nights last year (they stayed for a total of 20 nights)

Res

Reservation.

S

Stay

It is the term used for the hotel establishments to refer to the period a guest stays at the hotel.

T

Travel Agent

An individual arranging travel for individuals or groups on behalf of suppliers (hotels, airlines, car rentals, cruise lines, package tours, railways, travel insurance, etc.).

Travel Management Company (TMC)

Travel Management Company (TMC) is a business travel agency that helps organizations manage their travel programs. A TMC fulfills travel bookings, supports the organization’s duty of care obligations, and identifies potential cost-savings opportunities.

V

VCC

Virtual Credit Card, Single Use Credit Card

W

Wholesaler

It is a third-party company that buys rooms in bulk and markets them as inclusive tours and individual travel programmes to the customer through travel agents and OTAs.

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