 |
| michael-scully-managing-director-first-and-foremost-hospitality-group |
· Dubai-based hospitality group aims
to provide connectivity between hotel PMS and tour operators’ booking system, through
dedicated Centrium XML gateway
· Arabian Travel Market ideal platform to
showcase state-of-the-art solution to region’s travel and tourism sector
Dubai-based
hospitality and travel group company First and Foremost Travel Connections, is launching a dynamic B2B hotel
booking system at Arabian Travel Market 2019, having recently signed a
partnership agreement with UK hotel and travel distribution company Centrium
Systems.
“We
will market Centrium’s cloud-based software, throughout the Middle East, Indian
Ocean, SE Asia and Africa. Through its XML gateway, we can provide direct
connectivity between hotels and resorts and contracted blue chip tour operators,
many of which feature international brands.
“In
addition, we can offer real time availability, instant, dynamic rate
adjustment, up-to-date inventory control, along with instant reservation and
confirmation,” commented Michael
Scully, Managing Director, First and Foremost
Hospitality Group.
“The
travel industry is a highly fragmented market with an overwhelming number of
wholesalers and tour operators, each with their own specifications, policies
and procedures. As such it is Centrium’s simplicity and effectiveness that are the keys
to its success,” added Scully.
Centrium accommodates a much simpler and
most importantly, a cost-effective and time sensitive shortcut to integrate disparate
channels, by acting as a single hub or gateway for multiple hotel wholesalers.
The gateway requires minimal installation and can also be connected to any
existing booking engine or GDS.
“Centrium’s distribution model reaches
over 100 tour operators, 6,000 travel agents and through more than 100 direct connections
interfaces with major tour operators such as British Airways Holidays, Virgin
Holidays and dnata, to name but a few,” said Scully.
With increased visibility and direct connectivity
between hotels and tour operators, hotels can offer tour operators an open
inventory, giving them access to the hotel’s inventory through their property
management system (PMS) to make direct bookings from their allocation or to
free-sell through to last available room. At the same time, hotels can make instant
rate adjustments, direct to a global market.
The arrangement also promotes a win-win
situation for both hotels and tour operators, with an instant and direct
reservation and confirmation function, each party can still maintain their own
individual client relationship.
“Moreover, the largest tour operators
are already contracted into the Centrium system so bookings are made directly
with them, not via a third party,” explained Scully.
First and Foremost, will initially
target individual hotels, small hotel groups, destination management companies
(DMCs), government tourism bodies and hotel associations, secure in the
knowledge that the Centrium system has been operating successfully for the last
12 years – mainly between the Caribbean and United Kingdom and now generates
over $100 million in annual turnover.
The return especially for smaller
independent properties is significant. Many hotels that have already signed-up
have experienced increased resort sales of between 15 and 25%.
“Hotels and destinations are selling
direct and acting as principles both in a tour operator and agent capacity,
which is now trending. 92% of the global hotel stock is now connected and
hoteliers want a streamlined solution to distribution and in terms of the
bottom line, the less hoteliers and tour operators have to rely on third party
distributors, the more likely they are to improve their margins,” said Scully.
Tags: First and Foremost , Michael Scully, Arabian Travel Market 2019
