What is Galileo GDS?

Galileo is a travel distribution platform that uses a global distribution system (GDS) to enable travel agents to book hotels, flights and other travel services.

Galileo GDS is owned and operated by Travelport, one of the three largest players in the GDS industry (along with Amadeus and Sabre). Travelport also manages the Apollo and Wordspan GDS platforms. When a hotel uses a connectivity partner like SiteMinder GDStravel agents and business travel management companies can reserve inventory through Galileo and other major GDS providers.

Although Galileo is primarily used for airline reservations, it is also used by travel agents to book hotels, car rentals, and other travel services for their clients.

In this guide, we’ll look at Galileo from the perspective of a hotel looking to learn more about GDS, from how it works to how they could leverage the distribution opportunity.

Why do hotels need Galileo GDS integration?

Galileo (along with Apollo and Wordspan) is owned by Travelport, which is one of the “big three” GDS providers in the world.

This means that when a hotel’s inventory is listed on Galileo, it is also listed on these other Travelport platforms, allowing it to reach a vast network of 68,000 travel agencies around the worldor more than 250,000 individual agents.

Galileo is particularly popular with travel agents in Asia and the Middle East. Being able to book through this GDS platform can therefore significantly increase the number of bookings you generate in these regions of the world.

What is the role of GDS in the hotel industry?

The GDS provides travel professionals with a way to book travel services – flights, hotel rooms, car rentals, tours – for their clients.

The GDS was originally created to allow airlines to simplify and speed up their reservation processes. As more airlines joined, the system slowly grew, eventually becoming a marketplace for all types of travel service providers.

To be listed on a GDS, a hotel can work through a connectivity partner, like SiteMinder GDS.

Access all major GDSs with SiteMinder

Why limit yourself to Galileo, or even Travelport? With the help of SiteMinder, you can connect your hotel to all major GDS providers, including Saber and Amadeus, to generate more visibility, bookings and revenue than ever before.

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How is Galileo GDS different from other GDS systems?

In many ways, Galileo is very similar to other GDS operators like Apollo (which formed the basis from which it was originally developed), Worldspan, Saber and Amadeus. But here are some key differentiators:

  • Popularity in Asiaand particularly in the Middle East, where it is the GDS platform of choice for 55% of travel agents.
  • Travelport integration: all hotels bookable via Galileo will also be found on Apollo and Worldspan.

Galileo GDS

What are the main benefits of Galileo GDS for hotels?

Galileo is best known as an airline GDS. So what can it offer hotels? Well, first of all, travel agents usually have to book accommodation at the same time as flights. Hotels therefore have an interest in being present wherever flights are booked.

But Galileo also offers a number of other unique opportunities for hotels.

Greater global reach

Galileo, and the GDS channel in general, is the ideal complement to your other sales channels – OTA, metasearch and direct bookings – because they help you attract bookings from sources (i.e. travel agents and corporate travel management companies) that these other channels cannot.

Group reservations

Galileo allows travel agents to efficiently reserve blocks of rooms for groups of travelers. So when you have a presence on Galileo, you can win important bookings more efficiently.

Business travel management

Galileo helps make your hotel visible to corporate travel agents and management companies, where you can win high-value bookings from business travelers. Corporate clients are a particularly valuable source of bookings because they can be less price sensitive and tend to fill midweek lulls.

Effective upselling opportunities

A GDS gives your hotel the ability to upsell products without having to put in a lot of effort. You can offer travel agents (and their clients) value-added options like premium rooms, spa packages, or on-site dining, to both personalize the experiences you offer and increase your revenue.

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 update your availability, inventory, pricing and information automatically and in real time across Galileo and all other major GDS providers.

What are the technical requirements for implementing Galileo GDS?

It is important to note that as a hotel you do not connect directly to Galileo. Galileo is what travel agents and professionals use to book your rooms.

On the service provider (hotel) side, even though you may be listed on Galileo, you will never interact directly with Galileo. Instead, you will need to control your GDS presence through a connectivity partner, like SiteMinder GDS. Here’s how it works:

1. Choose your GDS connectivity partner

Choose a partner that offers seamless integration with your property management system (PMS) and works not only with Galileo, but with all major GDS providers. The connectivity partner is responsible for facilitating connections between your hotel and GDS providers, which involves translating your room inventory, rates and availability into a format that GDS systems can understand and access.

2. Configure your property details

Provide your GDS connectivity partner with all the information they need to transmit to GDS providers: room types, rates, amenities, images, policies, availability and more. This data is then synchronized with Galileo and other GDS providers.

3. Maintain and update your listings

Once your data is synchronized, you can update records and information in real time through your connectivity partner. You can manage prices, promotions, availability and much more. Regular updates ensure your hotel remains competitive and visible to travel agents booking through Galileo and other GDS providers.



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