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Channel manager

A channel manager syncs a hotel's rates and availability across all its sales channels at once. When a room sells, it removes it instantly from the OTAs, the website and the GDS. It prevents overbooking and saves manual work.

Example When the last room sells on Booking, the channel manager closes it on Expedia and the website too.

Related terms

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PMS

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OTA

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Overbooking

Overbooking is selling more rooms or seats than exist, betting that cancellations and no-shows will happen....

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Booking engine

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FAQ

What is a Channel manager in hospitality?
A Channel manager is software that synchronizes a hotel's availability and rates in real time across all sales channels, such as OTAs, the hotel's own website, and GDS. For instance, when a room is booked on Booking, the system automatically deducts that unit from Expedia, preventing overbookings.
How does a Channel manager work?
The Channel manager connects to the hotel's Property Management System (PMS) and each sales channel via an API. Whenever a sale is made or a rate is changed, the software pushes the update to all channels within seconds, requiring no manual entry.
What is the purpose of a Channel manager and how is it different from a PMS?
A Channel manager centralizes and automates room distribution, saving staff from updating each channel individually. Unlike a PMS (Property Management System), which handles internal operations like check-ins and billing, a Channel manager exclusively manages communication with external sales channels.

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