A hotel reservation system is the mechanism that allows guests to make safe online reservations. While the process is similar to booking a hotel through an online travel agency (OTA), the difference is that the hotel’s hotel reservation engine essentially links up to their own website, resulting in no additional fees for the property.
Guests can choose how long they will stay, the type of room they want, add-ons, and pay securely online through a payment platform using the hotel reservation system software. In this article, we’ll go over what a hotel reservation system is, how it works, and how it relates to the hospitality industry. So let’s get this party started.
What is a hotel reservation system?
A hotel reservation system is a software application that enables guests to book directly with the hotel online, eliminating the need for intermediaries. The software essentially processes online reservations made through the hotel’s website and then sends this information to the hotel’s own backend for easy access. Hotel staff then manages the reservations.
With the Millennial traveller on the rise, more than 700 million people are expected to book primarily online by 2023, so having an online reservation system is critical to reaching a large audience. It is also important for making a good first impression because guests can make hotel reservations without leaving the site. By keeping the entire process internal, clients are prevented from leaving the page before making the final hotel reservation.
How does a hotel reservation system work?
The reservation management software essentially automates the hotel reservation process, syncing up with your hotel’s website and social media so that guests can reserve easily and conveniently without having to visit another site. The reservation system can also link up to the channel manager, allowing hotels to distribute their availability to both online agents in real time.
These types of hotel reservation systems are used in the hospitality industry in order to allow guests to book their own stays online through software. It helps facilitate a smoother hotel reservation process and easily gathers data into your system. Furthermore, it gives you an edge over your competitors and improves efficiency by automatically syncing across your system and channels.
This type of software is key to having global appeal and to increased occupancy rates. It’s an essential tool to increase reservations, create enhanced guest experiences, leading to higher customer retention and increased revenue.
Conclusion
We’ve looked at what a hotel reservation system is and how it works. The benefits of an hotel reservation system range from reducing human error to improved efficiency, from making data collection and rewards management easier to giving you a competitive edge.