What is Apollo?
Apollo is a global distribution system (GDS) which allows travel agents to access and book inventory of hotels, airlines, car rentals, etc.
Apollo is owned and operated by Travelport, one of the three major players in the GDS space – Travelport also manages Galileo and Wordspan. When a hotel connects to the GDS through a partner like SiteMinder, it becomes bookable on Apollo by travel agents around the world.
Although airline reservations are Apollo’s primary focus, it also allows travel agents to book hotels, car rentals, and other travel services.
History of Apollo GDS
As other major GDS brandssuch as Saber And AmédéeApollo was created by United Airlines in 1971 as the first computerized airline reservation system. It slowly evolved into a more general travel reservation service, and in 1986 it received a new name – Covia – and was marketed as an independent subsidiary of United Airlines.
It was eventually absorbed by Galileo International, which in turn was absorbed by Travelport. The name reverted to Apollo during this period of mergers and acquisitions, and Apollo now sits alongside Galileo and Worldspan in the Travelport stable.
In this guide, we’ll introduce Apollo from the perspective of hotels looking to capitalize on a GDS as a key hotel distribution channel.
Why hire a GDS partner like SiteMinder to access Apollo?
Why should a hotel work with a connectivity partner, such as SiteMinder GDSto get reservations through Apollo? There are a few compelling reasons, including:
Global reach
Through Travelport, Apollo connects hotels to a quarter of a million individual travel agents around the world, providing visibility to group, corporate and international travelers you wouldn’t otherwise have access to. And when you choose to partner with SiteMinder, you actually get access to 600,000 travel agencies, via additional GDS connections. This allows your hotel to access markets that may be impossible to reach through traditional hotel marketing efforts.
Reservations on the rise
Access travel agents who book on behalf of business, group and leisure travelers. The corporate travel market can be particularly attractive to tap into, as it can be less price sensitive and can significantly increase occupancy rates during midweek and low seasons.
Streamlined Operations
When you connect to Apollo through SiteMinder GDS, you benefit from real-time availability and pricing updates, ensuring accurate information is shared with travel agents. SiteMinder GDS’s simple user experience reduces the risk of overbooking and simplifies reservation management for hotels.
Access all major GDSs with SiteMinder
With the help of SiteMinder, you can connect your hotel to all major GDS providers, including Apollo, Saber and Amadeus, to generate more visibility, bookings and revenue than ever before.
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Frequently asked questions about Apollo GDS
Don’t know much about Apollo? Let’s answer a few quick questions to give you an idea of what this platform is all about.
Who owns Apollo GDS?
Apollo is currently owned by Travelport, the world’s third largest distribution systems provider (after Amadeus and Sabre).
Is Apollo GDS part of Travelport?
Yes, Apollo is a separate brand that operates under the Travelport umbrella, alongside Galileo and Worldspan. When a hotel (or other travel service provider) is listed on one of these providers, it is automatically listed on all of them.
Will Apollo GDS disappear?
Apollo has evolved a lot over the years, from United Airlines’ reservation system, to an autonomous GDS, to a subsidiary of Galileo and then Travelport. But it’s still going strong, with a large and loyal travel agent user base, so there are no plans to retire this GDS.
What does Apollo do for hotels?
Apollo is best known as a GDS airline. So what can it offer hotels? Well, first of all, travel agents almost always have to book accommodation at the same time as flights, so hotels better be present wherever flights are booked.
But beyond that, Apollo offers many opportunities for hotels.
Robust integrations for business travel
Apollo makes your hotel accessible to corporate travel agents and businesses, helping you win valuable bookings from business travelers. It provides a simple way to target high-value enterprise customers through established travel management networks.
Improved multi-channel distribution
A GDS like Apollo can sit next other sales channelssuch as OTAs, metasearches and direct bookings, to help you expand and diversify your reach to travel agents, tour operators and online booking platforms. These can all be managed in one place on a platform like SiteMinder.
Streamlined group booking support
Apollo allows travel agents to secure blocks of rooms quickly and easily. As a result, your hotel can efficiently generate and manage larger bookings, helping you cater to events, conferences and group travel more efficiently.
Effective upselling opportunities
The GDS gives your hotel the opportunity to sell upsell products. Through your channel manager, you can offer travel agents and their clients premium rooms, spa packages, or dining options, personalizing the experiences you offer while increasing your bottom line.
API flexibility for unique hotel systems
SiteMinder GDS offers API integrations to help you seamlessly connect to your existing technologies and tools, such as your reservations and property management systems. This allows you to automatically update your availability, inventory, pricing and information in real time.
The advantage of connecting with Apollo GDS
When you team up with SiteMinder GDSyou seamlessly connect all three GDSs – not just Apollo/Travelport, but also Saber and Amadeus.
SiteMinder GDS also allows information to flow freely between all your channels and technology solutions, opening up automation opportunities to save you time and money.