IHG adopts 'revolutionary' cloud-based community model for hotel reservations
The partnership will see Amadeus use a new cloud-based community model for IHG's Guest Reservation System (GRS), which is similar to one it has already developed for the airline industry.
Integrating the new system, which will ultimately replace IHG's proprietary reservation system HOLIDEX, will allow IHG hotels around the world to access the same information and will also make it easier and cheaper for the company to adapt and innovate its bookings system.
Under the agreement Amadeus will take responsibility for funding and maintaining the reservation system with each member paying for usage on a transaction fee basis. IHG will continue to work with Amadeus to evolve and future-proof the system over time.
Innovation
IHG chief executive Richard Solomons said: “IHG has a long track record of innovating through technology to ensure we meet the needs of current and future guests, starting with being the first company to offer online bookings, having the highest rated app in the hotel and travel industry, and offering Mobile Check-In and Check-Out.
"Our collaboration with Amadeus will build on this heritage and will enable IHG to shape the future technological foundations of our industry. The next-generation guest reservation system we will create with Amadeus will deliver a powerful global platform for hotels to manage guest interaction, will be intuitive for hotel teams, and will help us accelerate our work to revolutionise and personalise the guest experience through technology."
Luis Maroto, president and chief executive at Amadeus said the partnership was a 'watershed moment' for the hospitality industry. "It will provide a huge leap forward in the flexibility and functionality available to hoteliers, and marks an important step in our journey to deliver our established community technology model into a new industry segment," he said.
GRS will be operated alongside current system HOLIDEX while the transition is made to the cloud-based system which IHG said would be rolled out globally in 2017.
Mobile booking
News of IHG's new reservation system comes as research shows that more guests than ever are booking through mobile apps. According to Hotels.com, mobile app bookings rose 120 per cent in 2014 with one in four transactions made through Hotels.com's mobile app.
During the last few months of 2014 Hotels.com mobile traffic exceeded 50 per cent for same day or next day stays, including city breaks, beach holidays and back packing stays, it said, showing that British hotel guests are now fully comfortable using their devices for all manner of bookings.
Carolina Annand of Hotels.com said: "It is fascinating to see how many UK travellers are using our app to make bookings. In a world where time is of the essence, and spontaneous trips occur more frequently, it seems that app bookings are the way forward for ensuring a safe and speedy booking experience, both of which we guarantee when using the Hotels.com mobile technology."
