Availability, Rates, and Inventory (ARI) is a pricing feed type that uses property data, room availability, and rate plans, to set predefined pricing strategies for properties. Specifically, ARI feeds use a subset of OpenTravel Alliance (OTA) XML entities for defining availability and pricing.

Availability is the amount of rooms at the hotel open for sales for a specific set of dates and/or type of accommodation.

The term typically relates to a specific set of dates or a certain type of accommodation.

The set of rules that the hotel applies in case of cancellation of a reservation.

It is an identifier code of two characters, used by global distribution systems (GDSs) to identify hotel chains.

The certification Environment is used for new clients to finish the 2-way API Integration Certification.

A method or system for distribution on which travelers can search for and book rooms at accommodation providers. Also referred to as channel, booking website, online travel agency (OTA), travel website and distribution channel.

A pricing pattern indicating whether a rate is open (available) for the arrival date and length of stay. Calculated and deployed by automated revenue management systems (IDeaS, Duetto, EzRMS, etc.).

A ghost booking is a scenario in which Supplier has a confirmed reservation in their system, but the reservation is not confirmed in the Distributor system. 

Global Distribution System. Network of electronic reservation systems used globally by travel agents booking hotel rooms (and airlines). Common GDS include Sabre, Galileo, and Amadeus.

Hotel chains are the largest organizing structure of a hotel group. Examples include Marriott, Hilton, IHG, Accor, Radisson, Best Western, Choice and many more. Each chain contains multiple brands, they tend to have 100s or 1000s of properties within their holding, and cover many markets.

A unique code is assigned to each hotel, also known as Property ID.

Brands are the second level of hotel organization, in which a collection of properties with similar levels of luxury and offerings are grouped together under one name, such as Hilton's Waldorf, Curio and DoubleTree. Chains can develop their own brands, or acquire smaller chains and convert them into their own brands.

The number of rooms available for a hotel to sell or distribute across all channels is called an Inventory. The rooms available that the property has to distribute or sell across all channels. It can occasionally be used with reference to the inventory grid, which includes both availability and rates.

The International Air Transport Association, a trade association for many of the world’s airlines.

Hotels that are not affiliated with a chain or brand. Although these hotels can have certain agreements with chains, they retain their name and complete autonomy over the property management.

Length of stay availability. Figure derived by dividing the number of room nights by the number of bookings. 

Occupancy Based Pricing

Occupancy Rate. It is a Hotel KPI calculation that shows the percentage of available rooms or beds being sold for a certain period of time.

Websites offering comprehensive travel shopping and reservations solutions to consumers. Examples include Booking.com, Expedia, Ctrip, and many local and regional sites.

It is a deal/package on which a room is sold. For example, room only, room with breakfast included, room with services included, etc.

The value a hotel sells their rooms. Also called cost, value, price, tariff, room charge, etc.

They are controls used as functionalities that can be applied to each room type/room rate to better control reservations and have a successful revenue management strategy.

A series of alphanumeric characters is used in a global distribution system (GDS) to identify a particular room type in a hotel.

The price for your room types.

A room type represents some form of categorization, set, or collection of rooms with some common element at the hotel that must be managed for marketing purposes within the hotel. For example, a room type might be a suite or a single room with a king bed, poolside, or ocean-side. A room may belong to multiple room types i.e., a King room in the honeymoon series.

A rate for the room only, no extras included.

Essentially refers to an occupied room. E.g) Guest A has booked 5 room nights (they are staying for 5 nights) or Corporate Guest B accumulated 20 room nights last year (they stayed for a total of 20 nights)

Reservation.

It is the term used for the hotel establishments to refer to the period a guest stays at the hotel.

An individual arranging travel for individuals or groups on behalf of suppliers (hotels, airlines, car rentals, cruise lines, package tours, railways, travel insurance, etc.).

Travel Management Company (TMC) is a business travel agency that helps organizations manage their travel programs. A TMC fulfills travel bookings, supports the organization’s duty of care obligations, and identifies potential cost-savings opportunities.

Virtual Credit Card, Single Use Credit Card

It is a third-party company that buys rooms in bulk and markets them as inclusive tours and individual travel programmes to the customer through travel agents and OTAs.