Chicago-based TravelCLICK, the leader in data on electronic distribution channels for the travel industry has released revealing statistics behind the 11.8% growth in hotel bookings received through the GDS in 2000.
TravelCLICK`s unique Hotelligence database captures monthly detail on hotel bookings produced by the GDS, and includes both travel agent and internet-related bookings.
Travel agent bookings through GDS increased by a very significant 8.3% in 2000, illustrating continued strong growth in what is already the dominant electronic distribution channel for hotels.
Currently, 95% of GDS related hotel bookings are made by travel agents. The remaining 5% of electronic hotel bookings through the GDS engine are consumer Internet bookings made through Web sites of major online retail travel agencies, such as Travelocity, Expedia, and other travel related e-commerce sites.
TravelCLICK`s data indicates that more than 17% of consumer hotel bookings on the Internet were made via the GDS in 2000, up considerably from 11% in 1999. In fact, Internet hotel bookings on the GDS last year more than tripled, compared to their 1999 level.
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