In order to comprehend the evolution of the online booking engine, we must first look at the history of the online reservation system. As a consequence of a debate between an airline’s CEO and IBM’s CEO, the first Airline Reservation System called the Electromechanical Reservisor was created in 1946. This first system consisted of magnetic drums and was highly complex to run, which meant that only the qualified employees of the Airline could use it.
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These systems were still used by the Airlines themselves, however they were comparatively easy to operate. The first Central Reservation System (CRS) marked the beginning of complex yet easy to operate systems that enabled travel agents to make bookings on them. However, there was still a catch, these CRSs were able to manage only one airline booking, meaning that each airline had its own CRS. This drawback was soon resolved by GDSs (Global Distribution Systems). The first type of scheme that enabled various airlines to be integrated as well as permitted travel agents to book from them. They were also very sophisticated systems with more capacity to search for data and to book. With just one significant step remaining to be accomplished with the kind of reach and complexity that these GDSs offered travel businesses on their fingertips. The significant move was the capacity to enable clients to book their own travel without any interference from airline companies and hotels or travel agents. This necessity gave birth to online booking motors that not only permitted travelers to book directly, but also cut off additional costs and helped book and pay instantly!
Evolution of the Online Booking Engine
The online booking engines evolved and made the booking process simpler and simpler. They began making it easier for clients to define their reservation demands such as location or hotel name, travel date, number of rooms, hotel star ratings and reviews, city-to-city flights, Airlines flights, and much more. This gave clients the most flexibility and an Online Booking Engine’s true value is in the company regulations and procedures that package the material and provide the ability to shop and buy.
Users’ location
Online booking engines have grown to be able to determine the place of customers to offer more customized and targeted deals. This increased the conversion rates quickly as travel providers could now send push notifications to customers about near-by hotels at great rates as well as near-by sightseeing spots. Customers are more likely to book or change their booking at the last minute if they get the right deal. Travel businesses have noticed this impulsive nature of clients and have taken this chance to provide an even higher experience to acquire more faithful clients.
Personalization
Personalization continues for all travel companies the most profitable single strategy. While many travel businesses have realized its potential, a significant number of companies have not yet exploited this opportunity which puts them a lot behind their competitors. Personalization enables travel businesses to know the behavior and travel habits of a traveler and send extremely tailored deals and provides that boost a prospective customer’s tenfold opportunity to book from you.
Reviews
Online reservation engines have also discovered new methods to maintain clients connected to their websites. They started allowing customers to post reviews on their website itself thereby maintaining control over the purchase journey.
Peer-to-peer travelling
Peer-to-peer travel is a fresh business model that online booking engines have inculcated in their business plan, enabling them to offer clients the capacity to more thriftily explore destinations. OBEs have understood the advances in marketing, such as social media marketing and email marketing that are bound to bring in more customers than any other form of marketing.
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Lifestyle changers
Maybe the internet’s latest advantage for travelers is not just planning and booking their travels, but also getting inspiration. Besides families and friends from which most travelers are inspired; travelers have also begun to explore new destinations on their own, motivating others to do the same. This provides another chance for travel businesses to maintain track of such travelers with big numbers of supporters and partners to promote their services. Posting fresh and interesting travel thoughts not only enables travel businesses to get more company but also to appear as changes in lifestyle.
Travel meta search engines
After the birth of the online booking engine itself, perhaps the most notable advance was the birth of travel meta search engines that aggregate information from various internet travel suppliers and give the highest prices all in one location. A customer is no longer required to search for dozens of other locations before making his final acquisition. He can simply visit a travel meta search engine and key in his requirements and he will be presented with all the available options to choose and make bookings from.
Online booking engines have developed a long way, exploring more possibilities to develop continuously. What do you think about this article? We would like your ideas to be known. Please reach us by commenting in the comments section below and connect with us on Facebook, Twitter, Google+ and Linkedin.
