Online Hotel Reservation Systems

Stanislav Ivanov, Ph. D.

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Online Hotel Reservation Systems

What is an online hotel reservation system?

User value model of an online hotel reservation system

Dimensions of the user value of an online hotel reservation system

Access rights of users

Marketing decisions in the reservation system’s design process

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What Is an Online Hotel Reservation System?

An online hotel reservation system is a tool to store, publish and update the dynamic data about availability and prices of hotel accommodation, and provides users with a regular reservation process (adopted from the original definition of Landvogt (2004) for online booking engines). A specific characteristic of the system is that users can make and see the changes in reservation status online.

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User Value Model of an Online Hotel Reservation System

Handling of active bookings

Database management

Handling of documents

Handling of payments

External users

Suppliers’

interface

External users Internal users

Clients’

interface

Administration

interface

Users with access rights

Fu

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Agents’

interface

External users

Quality of software and website design

Scope of offered properties

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Dimensions of the User Value of an Online Hotel Reservation System

WHO? Users with access rights

WHAT? Functions

HOW? Quality of software, website design and

information

WHETHER? Price competitiveness, scope of

offered properties, online experience and trust

in the system

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Access Rights of Users

Suppliers Internal users Agents Clients

hotel descriptions and pictures + +allotment control + +

viewing past reservations + + + +contact details of users + + + +

prices control + +editing remarks and specials conditions + +

inputting booking requests + + +amendments of active booking requests + + +

sending requests to suppliers +changing status of bookings + +

inputting requests for alternative hotels + +

invoicing + + +vouchers + + +

customer contracts + + +

handling credit card authorization + + + +

Handling of documents

Handling of payments

Functional elements and activitiesAccess rights of users

Database management

Handling of active bookings

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Marketing Decisions in the Reservation System’s Design Process

Business-to-business or business-to-consumer reservation system

Net or commissionable rates

Room inventory/Availability of rooms

Booking additional services

Booking limitations

Issuing travel and booking related documents

Online payments

Additional features