ONLINE DISTRIBUTION CHANNEL MANAGEMENT AND
Transkript
ONLINE DISTRIBUTION CHANNEL MANAGEMENT AND
ONLINE DISTRIBUTION CHANNEL MANAGEMENT AND TECHNOLOGIES IN HOTEL ENTERPRISES Barış Çıvak Anadolu University, Faculty of Tourism Eskişehir, Turkey and Murat Emeksiz Anadolu University, Faculty of Tourism Eskişehir, Turkey Abstract Online travel reservations have started to be a very important subject for hotel enterprises, since the spread of internet into all areas of daily life. Because today, a majority of travel bookings are booked through online distribution channels (ODC). This indicates that, it should be managed in a proper online distribution channel for hotel enterprises. Managing ODC properly with the aid of contemporary technology, will provide a number of advantages for hotel enterprises. However, the technologies used in the management of ODC is quite new and not known exactly by hoteliers. The aim of this study is to find out the technologies used to improve the management of online distribution channels. This paper relies on a case study which happened in a technology consulting company in Istanbul. The researchers joined as a participant observer to 9-day training program offered by the technology consulting company. Research questions used in indept interview based on the notes that kept in this observations. Indept interview were practiced with company’s director of business development and the company’s demo software were examined. The data obtained from interviews was conducted content analysis with MaxQDA 12 qualitative data analysis program. According to the result, the technologies used for managing ODC are channel manager, rate shopper, STR Global reports, online reputation management tool, revenue management systems and business intelligence applications. Using these technologies provide time savings in ODC management and oppurtunity to focus on strategies for revenue managers and department of reservations. Key Words: online distribution channels, technologies, internet, revenue managegement First Author: Barış ÇIVAK Research Assistant, Faculty of Tourism Contact Information: Faculty of Tourism, Tourism Management Department, Anadolu University, Eskisehir Yunus Emre Kampus, 26470 Turkey Tel: +90553 422 2325 Email: bariscivak@anadolu.edu.tr Second Author: Murat Emeksiz Associate Professor, Faculty of Tourism Contact Information: Faculty of Tourism, Tourism Management Department, Anadolu University, Eskisehir Yunus Emre Kampus, 26470 Turkey Tel: +90 222 335 0580 / 2133 Email: memeksiz@anadolu.edu.tr