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Where is this? Amanoi, Vietnam

"Our agents can access GDS rates directly in our booking portal."

GDS (global distribution system) is one of the most potent travel resources. While powerful, it is also tough to learn and use, so only the most experienced agents try to master it. Let's break it down.

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Napasai-Belmond-Koh-Samui.avif

Where is this? Monasterio, a Belmond Hotel, Cusco, Peru

What does GDS do?

GDS takes inventory, rates, and other key data from hotels, airlines, car rental services, etc., and disburses the information globally. For example, travel agents can access their consortium rates through GDS. Four Seasons will load their direct BAR and preferred partner rates into GDS. GDS is a massive hub of information. Travel agents need to access GDS through a GDS system like Amadeus, Sabre, or Travelport.


Once in GDS, an agent can view all direct rates from a supplier for a hotel, review critical information like cancellation policies, make bookings, and manage bookings. Sounds pretty awesome, right?


Well, it would be if it was easy to use. Imagine a DOS-like interface with procedures and protocols that you can't Google or find anywhere online. If you make a mistake, you could be liable for thousands of dollars. Feel the anxiety building?


The power of GDS comes with a ton of liability, and the commands are not intuitive. Most agents need to be thoroughly trained by their host agency before the host will give them access. If you use one wrong command, boom, you can make a $10,000 error. GDS training is so intense that most hosts don't offer it to everyone, only their top agents, and some don't offer it at all. What's worse is that each host agency has its own set-up, so learning it with one agency might not translate properly to the next.

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Belmond-Cap-Juluca-Anguilla-Boat.avif

Where is this? Cap Juluca, a Belmond Hotel, Anguilla.

What does GDS not do?

GDS does not pull in wholesale rates, which are critical when securing the best value for your clients. Even if an agent mastered GDS, they would still need to log into various portals to get a better idea of the pricing landscape for a property.


GDS connectors are not mobile-friendly or Mac-friendly. You would need to use a remote desktop on a Mac or access your GDS system from a PC. This means agents need to carry around laptops if they want the power of GDS on the go.


There isn't a built-in knowledgebase or online forum that you can turn to. Users don't have a friendly demo or training they can take. The learning curve is steep; another human will usually need to teach you individually.


There aren't convenient search features in GDS, i.e., searching a hotel list (like we have in FastBook). You will generally need to search by Sabre GDS code, hotel name, or destination. There are no convenient filters to determine which rate makes the most sense quickly.

Belmond-La-Residencia-Mallorca.avif

Where is this? Jimburan Puri, a Belmond Hotel, Bali

Four-Seasons-Safari-Lodge-Serengeti.jpg

Where is this? Casa de Sierra Nevada, a Belmond Hotel, San Miguelle de Allende, Mexico

Our Agents Get GDS Access Without the Drawbacks

Our agent booking tool, FastBook, pulls Sabre GDS rates, along with all other available rates from wholesalers and other sources. Our interface is clean and intuitive, so there are no difficult commands to learn, and our system is accessible from mobile devices and both Mac and PC.


The bottom line is that if you want to harness the full force of GDS, we have the most powerful, easy-to-use, and mobile-friendly tool on the market. Only LuxRally Travel agents have access to our tech, and it's completely free, with no subscriptions or sign-up fees.

Everything you need to know about GDS.

Last Updated:

01/17/2025

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