past

1 table of contents

3 Foreword 19 OpenTravel Specifications

4 Contributing Organizations 21 Key Associations and 6 Past Industry Organizations 12 Present 16 Future 24 Sources 18 Get Involved 26 HFTP CHAE and CHTP

team

Lead Author Contributor Tanya Venegas, MBA, MHM, Evita Ma is the executive CHIA is the executive director director at the HFTP Asia and HFTP Fellow at the HFTP Research Center based at Americas Research Center the Hong Kong Polytechnic based at the Conrad N. Hilton College, University of Houston University in Hong Kong in Houston, Texas USA. [email protected]

[email protected] Contributor Project Manager Amanda Belarmino is a Eliza Selig is the director of Ph.D. candidate at the at the communication for Hospitality Conrad N. Hilton College, Financial and Technology Pro- University of Houston in fessionals (HFTP) in Austin, Houston, Texas USA. Texas USA. [email protected] [email protected]

© Copyright 2017 by Hospitality Financial and Technology Hospitality Financial and Technology Professionals Professionals; Austin, Texas. All rights reserved. No part of Global Headquarters this report shall be reproduced or transmitted in any form by any means, electronic or mechanical; including photocopying, 11709 Boulder Ln, Ste 110 recording or in any information or retrieval system, without Austin, Texas 78726 written permission from Hospitality Financial and Technology +1 (512) 249-5333 • (800) 646-4387 (US only) Professionals. www.hftp.org HFTP® is a registered service mark and HITEC® is a service mark of Hospitality Financial and Technology Professionals.

2 foreword

65 Years, HFTP Stays focused on connecting industry The origins of HFTP surround the development of standards, when mul- tiple state-centered accountant associations joined together to form the National Association of Hotel Accountants (now HFTP). The motivation for the hotel industry, and continues to be used as the Uniform System of Accountsbehind these for the groups Lodging was Industry the interest (USALI) in developing, now in its financial 11th edition. standards HFTP this year is celebrating 65 years, and I am pleased that the association, intent, to bridge together the industry to build better ways for conducting ourwhile businesses. having grown significantly over the years, stays true to its original The publication of Standards in the Travel Distribution Industry, Part I: Past, Present and Future is an example of this concept, presenting an overview of industry technology standards and highlighting the important work done by numerous industry organizations to develop standards. Here you will read how these standards have impacted the industry and what needs to be done to continue their development. Every one of our orga- nizations are striving to build strong connectors to take the business of travel into the future. I applaud every one and the professionals who volunteer valuable time to share their experience. I would like to give a special thanks to the HFTP and OpenTravel board of directors, who have supported the growing partnership between the two organizations. Recently joining resources in June 2017, HFTP and OpenTravel are already working hard to conduct research and build awareness to the importance of industry standards. I look forward to having the OpenTravel Advisory Forum co-located with the HFTP Annual Conven- tion this October, and future endeavors. Frank wolfe CEO • HFTP building awareness with HFTP and opentravel In 1999, OpenTravel was founded by travel companies to create elec- tronic message structures that facilitate communication between the disparate systems in the global travel industry. Over the nearly two - tions that have been widely adopted across multiple sectors. As the organizationdecades, the organizationcloses in on the has end been of successfulits second indecade, building OpenTravel specifica and HFTP took a step forward by joining resources to conduct research on the international impact of standards on global travel, as well as other initiatives. This publication is a result of that partnership, and I want to thank HFTP for producing Standards in the Travel Distribution Industry, Part I: Past, Present and Future. I would also like to thank HFTP for sup- porting OpenTravel standards since the inception, and the association’s willingness to accelerate the awareness, development and adoption of the evolving global OpenTravel standards across all aspects of the travel experience. I look forward to the continued work between OpenTravel and HFTP. Mike Tinkey CEO • OpenTravel

3 contributing organizations

hftp |Producer Hospitality Financial and Technology Professionals (HFTP®) established in 1952, is an international, nonprofit association, headquartered in Austin, Texas, USA, with offices in Hong Kong, United Kingdom and the Netherlands. HFTP is recognized as the spokes group for the finance and technology segments of the hospitality industry with members and stakeholders spanning across the globe. HFTP uniquely understands the industry’s pressing issues and assists its stakeholders in finding solutions to their challenges more efficiently than any organization. It does this via its expert networks, research, certification programs, information resources and con- ferences/events such as HITEC. HFTP also owns the world’s only hospitality-specific search engine, PineappleSearch.com. For more information about HFTP, e-mail [email protected] or download the HFTP/HITEC media kit via the HFTP website. Read industry updates on the suite of HFTP hospitality news sites: HITEC Bytes, Club Bytes, Finance Bytes and HFTP News. HFTP Board of Directors|2016–2017

Executive Committee President Directors: Lyle Worthington, CHTP Stephanie Anderson, Nick Price CIO CHAE, CPA CIO The Student Hotel CFO citizenM Hotels Vice President River Bend Golf & Country Club Timothy G. Nauss, CHAE Laurie Rozeski, CFO Cindy Estis Green CHAE, MBA Macao Studio City Co-founder & CEO Controller Kalibri Labs, LLC. Wildcat Run Golf & TREASURER Country Club Scot Campbell, CHTP Kaeko Shirasu-Bailey, CTO Chris Garland CPA North American Concerts, Consultant Live Nation Assurance Senior Manager RSM US LLP SECRETARY Michael Levie, CHTP Ted Horner Kris Singleton CEO Managing Director Sr Vice President and CIO citizenM Hotels E Horner & Associates Pty International Cruise & Excursions IMMEDIATE PAST PRESIDENT Chris Koepper Derek Wood Arlene Ramirez, CHAE, CFO Managing Director CHE, CHIA, MBA Kohanaiki Principal Derek Wood Associates Ltd. ADR Hospitality Consulting Sherry Marek Executive Advisor Co-founder and Ex Officio Jill Burnett, CHAE, CPA Vice President Frank I. Wolfe Controller Datavision Technologies, Inc. CEO Medalist Golf Club Hospitality Financial and Mark Pate Sr., CHAE, Technology Professionals CHTP, MBA (HFTP) Assistant Controller and IT Director Highpointe Hotel Corporation 4 contributing organizations

opentravel |collaborator

OpenTravel Alliance (OpenTravel) is passionate about solving the problems inherent with Powered by HFTP® connecting multiple systems within the complex travel distribution arena. Its mission is to enable the future of travel by driving the evolving digital experience for consumers. OpenTravel Alliance creates, expands and drives adoption of open specifica- tions, including but not limited to the use of XML, for the electronic exchange of business information among all sectors of the travel industry. OpenTravel is comprised of companies representing airlines, car rental firms, hotels, cruise lines, railways, leisure suppliers, service providers, tour operators, travel agencies, solutions providers, technology companies and distributors. Tens of thou- sands of OpenTravel message structures are in use, carrying tens of millions of messages between trading partners every day. OpenTravel is a not-for-profit trade association, founded in 1999 by travel companies, with a primary focus on the creation of electronic message structures to facilitate communication between the disparate systems in the global travel industry. For more information on OpenTravel membership, new products or projects, please www.opentravel.org or e-mail [email protected].

opentravel board of Directors chair Directors: Jim Jandrew Stuart Waldron Nancy Little Service Owner Vice President of Director of Partner Walt Disney Parks and Architecture Connectivity Resorts Travelport InterContinental Hotels immediate past chair Group Lisa Fues Paul Byrne Director of Reservations, Senior Vice President of Greg Poirier Inventory and Distribution Development Director Marriott International, Inc. OpenJaw Technologies Xenia Hospitality Travel vice chair Jennifer Mays Susanne Auigner Buddy Altus Vice President, Product Senior Advisor, Partner Vice President Distribution Management Management Avis Budget Group Sabre DB Systel GmbH Ron Trog treasurer Business Application Ex Officio Matt Blackmon Manager Mike Tinkey Client Solutions Architect Best Western International CEO Switchfly OpenTravel secretary Brian Bell LinksRez

5 past

It is important to understand the players that have paved the way for travel distribution stan- dards as we know them today.

he travel and tour industry has long relied on tech- nological innovations to increase market share. The Tadvent of train travel in the 1840s inspired Thomas [23] The emer- gence of commercial aviation in the 1930s revolutionized travelCook to around organize the theworld, first from guided the tours. creation of rental car companies to the emergence of travel agents to help plan increasingly complex travel choices.[23] American Airlines

global distribution system (GDS), in 1960.[15] Competing Globalinvested Distribution early in technology Systems (GDS)and created continued Sabre, to theinnovate first in the 1980s. European airlines formed the GDS Amade- us, and Sabre allied itself with CompuServe to create the

Sabre.[23] created by technology advancements. As the travel and PMSfirst onlinesystem. booking[23] tool for hotels and airlines, EAASY tourism industry continued to increase in complexity, Consumer In 1987, commercialization Fidelio launched of the its firstInternet computerized and per- there was a need for organizations to be standards-set- sonal computers in the early-’90s shifted travel bookings ters and create an environment to spur along collabora- into the hands of the consumer.[23] The 1990s also brought tion and innovation.

and direct booking models.[6] The advent of online trav- Hospitality Financial and Technology Professionals el;with however, it the emergence was slow toof catchthe first on onlinewith only travel a 3 agencies percent - market penetration in 2000.[38] While today we take for tional Association of Hotel Accountants (NAHA), since granted easy-to-use graphic user interfaces (GUI) made renamedBefore the to advent Hospitality of the Financial first GDS andin the Technology 1960s, the Profes Na - possible by application program interfaces (API), this sionals (HFTP®), was founded in 1952. HFTP was one of was not the case in late-’90s, delaying rapid marketplace acceptance by the end user. What could the travel industry hospitality industry and its roots stem from a number of do to capitalize on this new technology and make it easier state-centeredthe first associations accountant which associations dealt with standards who thought in the it for all users? - laboration. Through the support of both the Texas Hotel Organizing to Develop Standards Accountantswould be beneficial Association to create and athe national Hotel Accountants network for ofcol This question led to the formation of industry associa- tions to set standards and capitalize on the opportunities CityNew at York, the theHotel National Lexington. Association of Hotel Accountants wasFrom formally its inception, organized one on of October the primary 26, 1952 goals in ofNew HFTP York First Online Travel Agencies - 1992 1996 tion systems, including travel distribution. The contribu- was to set standards in hospitality finance and informa Travicom combines Expedia and Travelocity with Apollo systems are numerous, including industry-leading conferences 1998 tions of this nonprofit association to the hospitality arena and eventually becomes and events, cutting-edge councils and industry research. Priceline and Travelzoo Galileo In 1972, HFTP sponsored the International Hospitality Conference to provide a forum for promoting and dis- 1994 2000 TripAdvisor and Hotwire playing the latest in hospitality technology. This initial Travelweb 1995 2001 of property management systems, point-of-sale systems Orbitz Lonelyplanet, Alamo.com, andconference electronic focused cash registers.on topics suchLaying as thethe groundworkfirst renditions for Southwestairlines.com, Ry- future technologies in hospitality: mobile, CRM, APIs and anair.com and Easyjet.com in-room Internet.

6 past

The International Hospitality Conference was the pre- cursor to the Hospitality Industry Technology Exposition Hospitality Industry Technology and Conference (HITEC®) produced by HFTP, which is the Integration Standards (HITIS) world’s largest and oldest hospitality technology exposi- tion and conference brand. HITEC offers a unique com- Launched in 1996 by the American Hotel bination of top-notch technology education, and brings and Motel Association (AH&MA), now together the brightest minds and hottest technologies American Hotel and Lodging Association from across the globe. (AH&LA), to enable the creation of inter- To further its commitment to hospitality technology, in face standards focused on CRS and property level systems. Contributions included significant adoption of standards prescribed by the lodging industry and product vendors. 1994 HFTP began offering a technology certification, the HITIS eventually merged standards with OpenTravel on offeredCertified in Hospitality the hospitality Technology industry Professional which includes (CHTP). tech -This adoption of ebXML specifications by OpenTravel. certification was the first technology-specific certification nology standards and integration. In addition to the CHTP, The goal of HITIS was to “create computer interfacing standards that will accelerate the hospitality industry’s technology usage and lower automation costs. The HITIS HFTP also offers the Certified Hospitality Accountant recognized for setting industry standards for hospitality Project’s mission was to direct a non-proprietary, consen- Executive (CHAE). Both certification programs are globally sus based process to develop voluntary standards for the integration of evolving computerized system and sub-sys- finance and technology. Hospitality Industry Technology tem transactions in the hospitality industry.”[16] HFTP was Integration Standards one of the associations instrumental in the development of In the 2000s, standards like the Hospitality Industry Tech- HITIS. Members of HITIS included individuals from major nology Integration Standards (HITIS), an initiative of the hospitality related corporations and associations such as: American Hotel and Lodging Association (AH&LA), known HFTP, AH&MA, National Golf Course Owners Association at that time as the American Hotel and Motel Association (NGCOA), Micros-Fidelio Systems, Cyntergy Corpra- tion, IBM Worldwide Travel & Transportation, Microsoft distribution systems. HFTP was one of the major support- Corporation, Cornell University, Sabre Travel Information (AH&MA), played a significant role in connecting different ers of HITIS from its creation, which dates back to 1996. Network, National Retail Federation, National Restaurant Industry pioneers, such as Frank Wolfe, CEO of HFTP, were Association and American Express.[16] 1999, the HITIS Advisory Committee endorsed the recom- mendationsignificant contributorsto designate toXML the as HITIS the primary initiative. platform In July for OpenTravel the HITIS standards. An interface protocol in XML offered In 1999, when OpenTravel formed, it was to develop a interoperability without the need for a bridging technolo- gy between the two original mappings.[16] to integrating multiple travel systems.[31] Online travel was In the HITIS Correlation and Interface Standards doc- group capable of finding solutions to the problems unique- ument, the council provided a combination of interface cations created by OpenTravel would allow for an increase innot market yet the penetration. seamless experience[31] OpenTravel it is today, is an allianceand the specifiof tour and travel companies who work together to identify how dataspecifications, types, naming a data conventions dictionary and ageneral glossary practices of terms. for a messages are created and prioritized in tour and travel suiteThe interface of 15 individual specifications interface laid standards. out definitions[16] According of the basic to technology.[18] - council documentation, “The XML mapping is enhanced by and structures As to afacilitate not-for-profit messages trade between association, different Open (UML) and associated object-oriented documentation that travelTravel’s software. primary[18] focus Founding has been companies on creating included specifications Alaska the use of the HITIS models in Unified Modeling Language - Airlines, American Airlines, Continental Airlines, Delta Air- scriptions of the individual data elements. The UML model lines, Midwest Express, Northwest Airlines, Trans World servesdefines as the an business electronic scope description of each ofof thethe standardsHITIS standards and de Airlines, United Airlines, Vanguard Airlines, Bass Hotels and a basis for developers to use to build applications in and Resorts, Hilton Hotels, Hyatt Corporation, Marriott an object oriented architecture.”[16] On June 20, 2000, the International, Sterling Hotels, Swissotel, Alamo Rent A Car, HITIS initiative and OpenTravel Alliance (OpenTravel) Avis Rent A Car, Budget Rent A Car, and Dollar Rent A Car. reached an agreement to develop and maintain standards [7] Additional companies included credit card issuers and technically relevant to their industries.[16] central reservations companies.[38]

7 past

In its early years, OpenTravel emerged with a line of addition to online travel agencies (Expedia), others partic- successful advances in travel communications. In 2002, ipated such as large software companies (Microsoft), and Worldspan worked closely with OpenTravel to launch two many established service providers in the airline, lodging and ground transportation segments. A large part of the success of OpenTravel has been due to its unique ap- 2001Bspecifications and 2001C. that [28]helped One majorsuppliers innovation and retailers of this in code the proach of creating industry workgroups to develop spec- travel industry to better communicate, the specifications GDS to another without having to re-enter the information. are four work groups to focus on different segments: was[28] These to allow innovations users to movehelped customer to “reduce profiles supply from chain one cost” transport,ifications for hospitality, business-to-business architecture communication.and travel integration. There and increase global trade.[31] After a shaky start to imple- These workgroups allow travel businesses to focus on menting electronic tickets, the airline industry turned to creating cross business solutions by bringing high level IT professionals from across the industry to work together more seamless travel experience.[27] - .[18] The atedOpenTravel by OpenTravel to develop allowed specifications for the successful that allowed creation for a of middleware to allow Internet technologyThe specifications to speak to GDS cre Messageon writing Suite. the codeThe codes needed in forthe each OpenTravel specifications Code Table technology[24] transverseearly specifications a wide array are collectively of travel products referred from to as airlines the 1.0 based platform for GDS communications in 2003.[39] and lodging to golf and package tours.[34] The creation and of allowedIT standards Sabre for to thecreate tour the and first travel Web- Although there are a multitude of success stories emerg- ing from these cross-industry work groups, some of the high points warrant examination. It was smooth sailing industry has created a host of benefits for the industry. By communicationsthe fifth year, OpenTravel and, with had over already 130 companies launched eightparticipat of its- were released and created messages for the multitude of ing,1.0 set was of striving specifications to increase to facilitate participation business-to-business from the tour componentsfor the cruise associated industry when with the 2006Acruise booking specifications cycle.[35] and travel industry.[30] The code generated by OpenTravel - lodging companies in 2004.[31] It has decreased imple- municationsOpenTravel released between the hotels 2006B and specification, meeting planners that included booking mentationallowed for times, the first lowered direct ITconnect costs, increasedbetween Expedia functionality and conventionsthe hotel event and message meetings. set,[36] which Later, allows released for by efficient HTNG, com the from travel partner to travel partner and created credibil- ity in the market.[27] OpenTravel messages have facilitated interfaces between hotel property management systems online bookings for the cruise industry while lowering (PMS)2009B andcertification guest room specifications devices (televisions, created standardized telephones, the costs for bookings by 50 percent.[27] For the airline door locks, etc.) to facilitate the integration of new systems on the property level, which increased security procedures costs associated with GDS pricing errors, inventory dis- for credit cards.[42] industry, OpenTravel specifications dramatically reduced In 2010, one of the major initiatives set forth by the of business-to-business communications.[27] Hospitality Technology Strategic Initiatives Council (HT- crepancies,The OpenTravel and billing Ground errors Transportation by increasing 2.0the isefficiency an open SIC) was to examine industry standards pertaining to PCI source messaging standard that bridges the distribution compliance. HFTP took on a major role in the initiative gap and creates more opportunities for ground transpor- by creating a PCI Compliance Task Force and hosting an tation bookings in an industry segment which was valued industry roundtable. The ultimate goal for HFTP was to globally at $41.5 billion in 2015.[11] According to Susanne develop a best practices document that both industry pro- Auinger of Deutsche Bahn, “Ground Transportation 2.0 fessionals and credit card companies could use to better was designed by OpenTravel Alliance members and understand how PCI compliance impacted the hospitality industry partners from all over the world with the goal of industry. “HFTP decided to put our resources behind the improving travelers’ encounters with ground transporta- project since we are the only global organization in hospi- tion”.[30] The implementation with CarTrawler, a business - to business travel technology platform, allowed for real sionals,” said Terry Price, CHAE, CHTP, CPA, 2009–2010 HFTPtality thatGlobal represents president. both[54] finance and technology profes year, increased ancillary revenue for the car rental agency bytime 31 pricing percent. for[37] the car rental industry and in its first for evolutions of distribution and payments in the tour andThe travel specifications industry. Nayar created and by Beldona OpenTravel described allowed how Standards Adoption distribution went from a traditional linear model to a Many companies adopted standards in the travel industry, traveler-centric model, where the electronic marketplace such as leading industry GDS like Amadeus and Sabre. In allows for simultaneous distribution of information to

8 past

everyone involved in the travel process (customer, online how specifications fit into the travel agency, hotel, GDS, etc.).[29] have worked to ease payment acceptance and to evolve hospitality distribution cycle Different specifications Travel new specifications for new safety and security needs. For Inspiration existingexample, reservation. the message[36] modifications released in the 2006B Shopping and Price specificationIn 2016, HFTP made announced it easier to that change they payment would assist on an Open - Comparison Travel with an upcoming initiative to develop the new OTA Post-travel 2.0 Object Oriented Platform in the lifestyle and develop- Reviews and ment areas of golf and spa. “Many members of HFTP rep- Future resent the golf and spa segments,” said HFTP CEO Frank Planning Wolfe, CAE. “As a matter of fact, HFTP has won numerous awards and acknowledgments for our contributions to Travel Booking (hotels, the club industry and the more support we can provide to Distribution airlines, cars make the industry better for our members, the closer we and cruises) [54] Check-out tourismcome to bookings?fulfilling our The mission.” illustration at right details how and How do these specifications facilitate travel and Departure Check-in customerspecifications cycle, fit from into viewingthe distribution tour and cycle travel in generated hospitality. and Travel contentTravel distribution for travel planning specifications to the reservationscover every part process, of the Vacation Stay (golf, tours, post-travel behavior. excursions) theTravel interfaces industry the guestsleaders use look during to OpenTravel their stay, as and an importfinally - ant leader in the travel and tourism industry. Executives at Rezgo stated that they are a part of the OpenTravel because they believe it is “important to the long-term growth of the

Hospitality Technology Strategic Initiatives Council (HTSIC)

The HTSIC, was a group spearheaded in 2009 by HFTP and ROI to the industry from our members’ Hospitality Technology Next Generation (HTNG) to address efforts, and with less duplication.” pressing industry needs as they relate to hospitality tech- nology. The council worked to identify industry initiatives Council members included representa- and determine processes for these initiatives in order to tives from the following organizations: reduce duplicated efforts. • American Hotel and Lodging Association (AH&LA) “Technological evolution is broad and wide-ranging, making • American Resort Development Association (ARDA) it difficult to direct changes in a way that benefits the • Hospitality Financial and Technology Professionals (HFTP) hospitality industry as a whole,” said Frank Wolfe, CAE, CEO of HFTP. “The council hopes to consolidate efforts and feed- • Hospitality Information Technology Association (HITA) back from multiple resources so that we can address these • Hospitality Sales and Marketing Association changes in an organized fashion that benefits the industry.” International (HSMAI) “The associations represented on the council rely entirely • Hotel Electronic Distribution Network Association on voluntary contributions of time and expertise from our (HEDNA) members,” said Douglas Rice, CEO of HTNG. “Coordinating • Hotel Technology Next Generation (HTNG) through the council will help us ensure that all of the associ- ations can leverage each others’ efforts, providing a greater • OpenTravel Alliance (OpenTravel)

9 past

travel industry.”[21] When OpenTravel Golf 2.0 was launched ONE Order in 2017, Paul Armitage, director of Le Golf National in ONE Order is the concept of a single customer order France stated, “Leading France’s national golf facility and record, holding all data elements obtained and re- placing it at the forefront of incoming travel to Paris, France for golfers, but also as a former executive with a European — such as customer data, order items, payment and multi course company we fully support the OpenTravel quired for order fulfillment across the air travel cycle to connect consumers and travel providers and increase Newbilling Generation information, Industry fulfillment Settlement data and Systemsstatus. accessGolf 2.0 to specifications our golf course and globally.” are actively[44] Susanne implementing Auinger them of (NewGen ISS) NewGen ISS aims at transforming the current ISS launched in June 2017, “Ground Transportation 2.0 was business model, which facilitates the distribution designedDeutsche byBanh OpenTravel said of the Alliance Ground members Travel specifications and industry and settlement of funds between travel agents and partners from all over the world with the goal of improv- airlines via IATA’s Billing and Settlement Plan. ing travelers encounters with ground transportation.”[30] An academic study found that travel executives agree that Airline Tariff Publishing Company (ATPCO) atpco.net cost effective.[29] In fact, this study found that one of the ben- ATPCO was originally established as the Air Traf- OpenTravel specifications are easy to use, highly useful and achieved when implementing them globally.[29] The organization took on its current status in 1975 after a efits of OpenTravel specifications are the economics of scale reorganization.fic Conference of The Americas, ATPCO iswhich an industry filed passenger leader in tariffs. airline Additional Contributors fare, fare-related data distribution and industry solutions. The increased reliance on technology and changing travel The information is collected from airlines worldwide and industry led to the creation of other industry organi- distributed to global distribution systems such as Ama- zations, councils and associations which oversee and deus, Travelport and Sabre; online travel agents (Expedia provide guidance in various facets of travel distribution. and ITA); and other computer reservation systems (CRS). These organizations have all played a role in advancing the hospitality experience by enabling disparate technology airline to submit and distribute its information, thereby systems to communicate with each other. Some organiza- givingATPCO each makes CRS/GDS the process the opportunity efficient by forpermitting a single eachsource of tions like HFTP, have a broad scope and encompass stan- fare-related data. One of the unique features is an Automat- dards for multiple segments of the travel industry such as ed Rules product. It permits a CRS/GDS to automatically lodging, clubs, restaurants and other verticals. Additional associations, like the International Air Transport Associa- intervention, thereby allowing new fares to be sold in the tion (IATA) or Gaming Standards Association (GSA), focus marketplaceload its pricing in rulethe shortest data tables possible without time. significant human The mission of the organization includes these tenets: - • on a very specific segment of the hospitality industry. The implementing industry solutions. distribution.following organizations have all made significant contri Lead the airline industry in defining standards and butions in travel technology; and, specifically, in travel • Collect and distribute airline fare-related data, reliably International Air Transport Association • Provide products and services that reduce distribution (IATA) www.iata.org and efficiently. IATA was founded in 1945 and is the trade as- costs and protect or increase airline revenue. sociation for the world’s airlines, representing some 275 Hotel Electronic Distribution Network many areas of aviation activity and helps formulate indus- Association (HEDNA) — www.hedna.org tryairlines policy or on 83 critical percent aviation of total issues. air traffic. In 2017, The IATA distribution supports HEDNA, founded in 1991, is an alliance dedicat- and payment transformation is one of the major priorities ed to enhancing hospitality distribution and promoting [7] for IATA which consists of the following three major pillars: the use of GDS. its members with ever-changing resources regarding elec- This[14] not-for-profit association provides New Distribution Capability (NDC) tronic distribution. HEDNA has several working groups NDC is an IATA-led initiative that provides passen- which examine these standards. The Payments Forum is gers with personalized choice of products and ser- identifying the need for standards in interfaces, databases, - regulations and privacy areas. The Content Working Group saging standard that enables retailing opportunities is working on the connectivity between hotel systems and throughvices. This the is indirect done through (GDS/travel the definition agent) channel. of a mes distributors. As mobile becomes popular, there is also a special group to help mobile enter the hospitality industry 10 and enhance the customer’s experience. past

timeline: Technology development and the travel industry

2000 2016 1995 Avis launches Pokemon Go 2007 1991 Alamo first 1997 Internet-based is launched Smart- Linux car rental Wi-fi booking for and phones 1960 invented company becomes corporations; augmented launched Sabre with online worldwide TripAdvisor reality gains founded bookings standard launched acceptance 1960 2016 1989 1996 1999 2008 Invention 1994 Expedia OpenTravel 2006 App Store of the First video and founded; Cloud launched; World conference Travelocity First Computing Airbnb Wide Web technology founded Metasearch Invented founded and engine TravelWeb launched launched

Gaming Standards Association (GSA) Alliance are mainstays of hotel and travel messaging and www.gamingstandards.com offer widely adopted message standards for operations GSA is an international trade association that and bookings across a diverse ecosystem of partners and internally within many companies.”[17] - creates benefits for gaming manufacturers, suppliers, - Evolving Standards tationoperators of open and standardsregulators. to The enable GSA innovation,facilitates the education identifi As the above timeline above illustrates, the new travel cation, definition, development, promotion and implemen distribution standards have evolved as the needs of the GSA has created standards that are in use today, driving industry have changed. These needs have included cloud theand industry communication to innovation for the and benefit growth. of the Established gaming industry. in computing, mobile technology, and evolving safety and 1998, GSA members represent a wide cross section of the security needs. OpenTravel has endeavored to form part- global gaming industry. nerships with international partners to increase its global

Hospitality Technology Next Generation it is important for organizations with global reach to join (HTNG) — www.htng.org together.impact. In For order this for reason, specifications OpenTravel to be has widely co-located adopted, its formed in 2002 that fosters collaboration and partnership With the global reach of HFTP Global and expertise of its among hoteliersHTNG is and a not-for-profit technology providers trade association to develop membership,office with HFTP OpenTravel in Austin, will Texas have USA greater in August opportunities 2017. - to tap into a worldwide knowledge base. porters of HTNG when it was created in 2002 at HITEC. Throughout the years, associations such as HFTP and next-generationIn January 2017, solutions. HTNG launchedHFTP was the one Next of the Generation first sup OpenTravel have created relationships with leaders from Distribution Messaging Workgroup. This workgroup throughout the tour and travel industry. In addition to reviewed the connectivity of standards in the travel members of these groups, companies from all parts of the industry including the OpenTravel 2.0 object model and the IATA NDC. According to the description of the work- and contributed to industry advancement in travel indus- group on the HTNG website, “HTNG and The OpenTravel tryhospitality standards. industry  have benefited from specifications

11 pastpresent

In order to pave the way for the future of travel distribution, it is important to understand current industry trends and the major players in travel technology.

ince its inception in 1999, OpenTravel has played an important role in facilitating business-to-business Scommunication which enhances the ability of com- panies in the travel industry to provide the most up-to- date and relevant information to their clients and guests. Technology continues to advance and organizations in the travel industry are analyzing and innovating to determine the best avenues to pursue in order to satisfy the demands of their business partners; and, ultimately the end custom- er, the traveler. Technological advancements have changed the tra- ditional linear distribution pattern. In the past, people booked travel through brick-and-mortar travel agents. Now, with online travel agencies such as Expedia and Ctrip, Digital Marketplace: Spotlight on the Hospitality Industry, of consumers have become accustomed to online purchasing. which HFTP was a sponsor, analyzed distribution. Accord- To manage distribution costs many hospitality service pro- ing to analysis by Kalibri Labs, “brand.com bookings are viders such as hotels, have chosen to promote direct sales and avoid using other distribution methods to consumers. tune of a roughly 9 percent before factoring in ancillary According to Cindy Estis Green, co-founder and CEO of spendsignificantly which morecan take profitable this to almostthan OTA 18 bookings, percent.”[13] to the Kalibri Labs, LLC and a director on the HFTP Global board, In order to succeed in this competitive environment, starting back in 2015 hotel industry giants such as IHG, consolidation has become a popular avenue to increase Accor, Hilton, Marriott and Hyatt all started direct booking bargaining power. Historically, the hotel sector has been re- campaigns.[13] The study by Kalibri Labs, Demystifying the garded as a highly fragmented market; but, in recent years, the travel distribution industry today Content/info flow financial flow Indirect OTA Payment Suppliers Suppliers Referral fees and advertising Booking fee Aggregators and GDS BSP Aggregators Travel agent IT and GDS Metasearch

Metasearch Commission Companies and Travel Agents Companies Subscription and Incentive Gatekeepers travel agent IT Payments Direct Payment Travel Agents

Gatekeepers Referral fees and Service fee advertising and fare CONSUMERS CONSUMERS

Source: Adapted from Travel Distribution — The End of the World As We Know It? LSE Consulting

12 presentpast

there have been a number of mergers and consolidations Most Popular Digital Wallets in North American markets. In 2016, Marriott completed the acquisition of Starwood, becoming the largest hotel in the United states company in the world. In addition, the difference between As of December 2016 metasearch companies and online travel agencies is blurring. For example, TripAdvisor now provides booking services, Priceline took over Kayak, and Expedia acquired Orbitz and Travelocity in 2015. Even Google and Facebook provide direct booking services online. The relationships among the players in the travel industry have become diverse and complicated. PayPal 76% New Ways to Pay With billions of mobile users, payment is changing and becomes a complex topic to add into the mix. Payment methods are not limited to cash or credit card anymore. Amazon Payments/ Contactless payment, mobile wallets and digital curren- Pay with Amazon cies all allow companies to handle payments in different 24% ways. Apple Pay, Android Pay, Alipay and WeChat Pay in China, are all driving innovation and encourage new busi- ness models. According to data presented from a survey by Statista.com , the most popular digital wallet (at right) Android Pay Apple Pay Google Wallet VisaCheckout in the United States was PayPal with 76 percent of respon- 9% 12% 14% 15% dents indicating they use this form of payment.[47] Other payment methods growing in popularity included Ama- zon Payments (24 percent), VisaCheckout (15 percent), Google Wallet (14 percent) and Apple Pay (12 percent).[47] Mastercard Amex MasterPay Samsung To design new models and to speed payments, standards Pay Pass Express 7% Pay 6% are needed to expedite connections and communication 9% Checkout 8% amongst different parties in the travel landscape. Source Statista.com As the proliferation of web services and mobile de- vices increases, companies in the travel industry realize that customer experiences are the best differentiators formation and compare retail and travel deals, but laptops and matter more than ever. At the Sabre Airline Solution and computers remain the principal point-of-purchase Global Conference in 2016, the customer-centric digital for now. In China, mobile phones are the primary method experience was a key focus of the Sabre+Skift livestream. to purchase products and book services. In 2015, mobile systems which make connecting with customers on a per- percent year over year, respectively.[12] sonalThe report level easier,emphasized anticipating “…the designneeds, ofresolving flexible concernsdigital flightThe and use hotel of mobile searches is also on likelyGoogle impacting increased the 33 customer and 49 and suggesting solutions at the right time to motivate experience. Compared to a PC, mobile devices typically ancillary purchases or improve customer engagement.”[45] have a camera, audiovisual capabilities, a location sensor To achieve the personalized journey, data must be better managed and integrated across the organization. biometric markers for authentication. These functions canand bemany fully also used have to enhancefingerprint the sensors customer or experienceemploy other by Mobile Phones Everywhere incorporating features such as the following: airports and One of the most important trends impacting the travel hotels can use mobile to complete the check-in process, industry is mobile phone usage. As mobile becomes a travelers can receive real-time translation while traveling ubiquitous device, it plays many roles in the travel sector. in foreign countries and restaurant suggestions can be It is estimated that there are approximately 4.77 billion made through mobile devices with access to the Internet. global mobile phone users in 2017, with nearly half from In addition, many customers also expect 24-hour custom- China (1.4 billion) and India (1.0 billion).[48] By 2019, it is predicted that there will be 1.5 billion mobile users in and ordering in-room services. As mobile reshapes the China and 1.1 billion mobile users in India.[48] In America, traveler service experience, throughout the seamlesstheir travels, connectivity like changing between flights rele - individuals use mobile phones and devices to search in- vant systems is a necessity. 13 presentpast

Bridging a Spectrum of Systems which are areas that HFTP and OpenTravel can play a There are multiple mobile operating systems. Globally, the critical role in supporting the travel and tourism industry. two most popular mobile operating systems are Apple iOS Motivated by the popularity of customer-centric solutions, (e.g. iPhone) and Android (e.g. Samsung Galaxy, Sony, HTC, OpenTravel completed a Reviewer Information Project in etc.), followed by others like RIM and Windows. Applications 2013 to build a way to exchange customer experience in- formation. Hotel ratings on social media and reviews from questionnaires are able to be communicated through hotel transactionwhich combine and mobilecommunication technologies, process. such Developers as fingerprint need standardsscanner and to near-fieldbuild more communications seamless and integrated (NFC) improve systems the According to Claudia Infante, senior director of revenue andreview distribution messages strategydesigned — specifically hotels and for casinos this purpose. at Hard each platform. Standards also increase productivity and Rock International, “it is critical that CTOs and CIOs un- decreaseand guarantee the cost, functions impacting will bothrun smoothly money and and time. flexibly on derstand the importance and value of data in all its facets: The sharing economy is another major trend impacting standardization, accuracy, quality, privacy, security and governance. These critical attributes are the mainframe to simply the sharing of assets and services with others. It is assign and determine the intrinsic value of datum.”[7] How alsotravel known distribution; as peer-to which, peer when platforms. defined In inthe a broadtravel industry,sense, is are systems connected and data shared? How does data the sharing economy includes online platforms like Airbnb travel from point A to point B? Standards set by associa- where individuals rent private rooms or houses to overnight tions such as HFTP and OpenTravel provide a critical piece guests; and Uber, where drivers use their private cars to of this puzzle to the travel industry. drive consumers from point A to point B. In a blog published in June 2016 on HFTP Connect, it explained that Airbnb workgroups focused on various business functionalities in increased its impact on the lodging industry by expanding to theFor travel example, industry: OpenTravel architecture, specifications hospitality, are transport set forth and by include business travel as well. As of June 2016, over 50,000 travel integration. Except for the architecture workgroup, companies had booked travel through Airbnb including companies like Google and Salesforce.[20] Based on a report of the industry. The hospitality workgroup includes hotels, by the European Commission, there is an estimated $3.5 bil- hostels,each group vacation serves rentals companies and cruise within lines. a specified The transport segment lion in revenues from the sharing economy and the value of workgroup serves air, car, rail and ground transportation sharing accommodations in Europe alone will grow to more verticals. The travel integration workgroup provides service than $15 billion by 2017.[9] to other companies which do not functionally fall into the Peer-to peer platforms build trust and support trans- hospitality and transport arenas. The architecture work- actions through mobile and social media. Providers and group is an overarching workgroup and is involved with all - ample, Airbnb integrates Facebook, Instagram and even model building, tooling and creating best practices. WeChatusers can in review China soprofiles, that renters rate and and pay providers online. Forcan ex check technical aspects of the OpenTravel specifications, including basic information online and know more about each other. According to Jennifer Jones, HFTP member and president of J2 Hospitality Solutions, “From a technology perspec- tive, the user experience of booking on the Airbnb plat- opentravel standards timeline fold and very simple to access. And the portal even assists propertyform is very hosts fluid. with The a minibooking ‘revenue widget management is located above system’ the built in to help suggest rates based off of the demand Airb- 1999 OpenTravel formed as a member nb sees on their entire site.”[20] Besides social networking, funded, not-for-profit organization. new online payment systems act as middlemen for both parties and guarantee that transactions are safe and fair. The sharing economy has a different way of communi- 2001 OpenTravel produces the first open cating, which has changed travel distribution and creates standards for the travel industry. more demand for seamless connectivity and communica- tion. To support similarly seamless transactions, distribu- tion standards have to adapt and be applicable to the new 2014 OpenTravel architects sharing economy business model. its new model-driven The current keys to success for industry executives in schema product. travel distribution technology are data and connectivity,

14 presentpast

Percentage of new apis with only JSON support 2001OpenTravel to the present specifications day. In 2001 have OpenTravel evolved over released time the from the first specifications developed and released in 20% the OpenTravel 1.0 Message Suite. The OpenTravel XML Messagefirst open Suite specifications contains a for collection the travel of industryXML schema as part mes of- 15% sages which consist of the travel segment name and the type of functionality they provide such as booking path, ancillary services, descriptive information and general 10% services functionality. In 2014, OpenTravel released the OTM-DE OpenTravel 2.0 model designer. This model gen- 5% the distribution gap and enables more bookings, more revenue,erates an and open aims source to increase messaging the specificationdistribution andwhich meet fills 0% the consumer needs of today. 2006 2007 2008 2009 2010 2011

JSON and REST The OpenTravel 2.0 Model Designer generates not only apis by the number XML messaging, but also JSON messaging to realize the improvement of applications and capability of lightweight Total new APIs added since 2014 5,946 messaging. As web services are widely used, protocols and Average new APIs added yearly 1,982 and systems are a high priority for the travel industry. JavaScriptspecifications Object for Notationexchanging (JSON) data isbetween a popular applications lightweight Average new APIs added monthly 165 by Douglas Crockford in the early 2000s. As shown in the Source Programmableweb.com data-interchange method which was originally specified gaining ground with 20 percent of all new APIs based on onlyfigure JSON (right), support the popularity in 2011. This and percentage usage of JSON has has invariably been climbed much higher over the past six years due to the interaction with other REST systems. In a dissertation, Roy fact that JSON is lighter weight, easy to interpret and does Fielding introduced REST architecture style and how it can not require opening and closing tags, making it a method be used to help design and develop architecture for the appreciated by both developers and providers. modern Web.[10] It is a lighter weight communication be- An API, which stands for application programming tween producers and consumers, which is also the reason interface, is “a set of routines, protocols and tools for why REST is a popular building style for cloud-based APIs. REST can be adopted both in websites and mobile applica- software components should interact. Additionally, APIs tions, and by industry providers such as Sabre, Microsoft, arebuilding used softwarewhen programming applications. graphical An API specifiesuser interface how Google and Facebook. RESTful web services are cost-effec- (GUI) components”.[1] So why is an API important? What tive in terms of implementing and learning. They are easy role does it play in travel distribution? Basically, an API to leverage with free and inexpensive tools and save time makes it easier to develop a program by providing the for developers to write applications. basic building blocks which then can be assembled by the In fact, both JSON and REST improve interoperability programmer.[1] In recognizing the importance of APIs for between disparate systems across and within organi- the travel and hospitality industry, HFTP began collecting zations. They shape and speed up the development of

2017. The database consists of APIs collected from HITEC by the development of architectural style and data-ex- 2017the first exhibitors. API database Another for theway hospitality HFTP is leading industry the in indus April- changestandards. methods. The OpenTravel Using standards specifications that can are be alsointegrated affected try and spurring on technology innovation. into all known types of hospitality systems is usually a The increasing complexity and cost of managing multi- better choice to pursue. Standards enable communication ple travel distribution systems is leading many companies between the different systems in the travel distribution space such as global distribution systems (GDS), property style, such as REST (REpresentational State Transfer). management systems (PMS) and customer relationship Ittoday provides to find standardized and adopt a resourcesmore standardized that enable architectural precise management systems (CRM). 

15 future

The future of travel distribution lies before us. The possibilities are numerous with new technologies emerging in the travel space.

ravel distribution is highly complex, with many indus- try players for multiple segments, and consumers are Ton the cusp of demanding automated travel arrange- bots on the rise in other industries, travel is soon to follow. Consumersments. With have voice the recognition, ability to ask artificial Amazon intelligence Alexa to re and-

airfare to Paris, so the next logical step will be for consum- ersquest to ahave ride the from entire Uber process or ask Googlecompleted to find for thethem cheapest without

whether booking business or leisure travel, will simply needhaving to to state lift awhere finger, they or an would electronic like to device. go and Travelers, the technol - ogy, a virtual assistant, will do the rest… booking airfare, excursions, Uber rides, rail transportation, etc. Virtual as- sistants, in the very near future, will use big data “to make synchronized today.”[4] With all of the travel technology hotels, ancillary services and in-destination services”.[11] organizations striving for a common goal, the industry will Thisconsumer-specific process brings recommendations with it numerous oncomplexities destinations, with reach full synchronization and automation. multiple systems needing to coordinate and communicate. Beyond the air and lodging segments, which often Both the OpenTravel 2.0 object model and the IATA receive the most attention, there are multiple indus- try verticals which can be tapped into to maximize the the industry closer to a true retailing environment by traveler’s experience such as tours, spa, ground and rail enablingNDC bring a richerus one bookingstep closer. experience, Both specifications greater opportuni bring - transportation. One industry vertical receiving atten- ties for cross-selling and up-selling which will allow for tion in 2017 is rail. According to Cameron Jones, CCO of increased value and opportunities. [4] In an article which SilverRail technologies, “Most travel companies don’t sell presented the development of the HTNG Distribution rail because it is a complex product to sell. It is often state Messaging Workgroup, Riko van Santen, vice president run and there is a history of protectionism. However, it is of digital strategy and distribution at Kempinski Hotels more eco-friendly than air.”[26] provide a rich, seamless experience for guests, we must APIs,a very industry efficient giants way to such move as people Expedia and can it packageis 90 percent other havestated, agile, “In orderintegrated to redefine systems distribution across an increasinglysolutions and com - products with rail such as hotels, With car rail rental, industry attractions specific plex travel ecosystem. We can only do that by embracing and air transportation.[26] APIs are a key component in technology standards of the industry, which are not fully

technology innovation and HFTP was the first to start Common Industry Acronyms • API – Application Programming Interface • REST - REpresentational State Transfer • CRS – Central Reservation System • RPC – Remote Procedure Call • GDS – Global Distribution System • SDO – Standards Development Organizations • GUI – Graphical User Interface • SOA – Service-Oriented Architecture • HTTP – HyperText Transfer Protocol • SOAP – Simple Object Access Protocol • ITA – ITA Software by Google • SSO – Standard Setting Organization • JSON – JavaScript Object Notation • TSS – Travel Support System • OTM – OpenTravel Model • URL – Uniform Resource Locator • PMS – Property Management System • WSDL – Web Services Description Language • QPX – Pricing, Shopping and Availability System • XML – Extensible Markup Language

16 future

blockchain apis added by year of this nature is in alignment with the bylaws and goals of the association. According to HFTP CEO Frank Wolfe, “Blockchain technology has been predicted to have the greatest impact on the future of the world economy… As 1 3 10 12 14 5 - 2012 2013 2014 2015 2016 2017 nology, it is incumbent on us to address the issue before Source Programmableweb.com blockchainthe industry’s reaches nonprofit maturity brain and trust assembling on finance a andtask tech force [43] In August 2017, HFTP and OpenTravel announced the twois the organizations first step.” would work together on travel distribu- for HITEC 2017 exhibitors. Several rail industry leaders - aregathering also working an industry on integrating specific API voice-activated database in April bookings 2017, which will allow travelers to search and book rail tickets HFTPtion specifications; Global headquarters and, in orderin Austin, to facilitate Texas, USA. this “Bothcollabo using Amazon’s Alexa. [26] HFTPration, and OpenTravel OpenTravel has share co-located common its corporate goals, which office are with to

Blockchain Technology the success of the hospitality industry,” said Wolfe on the One technology that must be examined by those involved announcementdevelop and provide of the resources partnership that between benefit theand two lead associ to - in travel distribution to determine its potential impact on ations.[2] Mike Tinkey, CEO for OpenTravel, stated “We are the industry is Blockchain. Blockchain is “an incorrupt- excited to strengthen our alliance with HFTP, especially ible digital ledger of economic transactions that can be with their global footprint, to increase awareness, educa- tion and adoption globally of OpenTravel standards and interoperability across all aspects of travel to enable and Tapscott,programmed authors to record of Blockchain not just financialRevolution transactions (2016). Using but enhance the consumer experience”.[2] cryptographicvirtually everything techniques of value,” and defineda distributed by Don messaging and Alex Collaboration between HFTP and OpenTravel began protocol, blockchain technology is consistent, durable, well before the recent partnership announced in August shared and mutualized, which contributes to enhancing 2017. In 2016, HFTP assisted OpenTravel with the 2.0 Ob- reconciliation and data sharing. ject Oriented Model in golf and spa, and also sponsored the The characteristics of the travel industry align well 2016 OpenTravel Advisory Forum. The 2.0 Object Oriented with the capabilities of blockchain and many issues can Model is the new generation of open source messaging for be solved by blockchain technology, such as overbooking, consumer direct booking. It increases the developer’s pro- fraud, compliance, loyalty and settlements. Many players are involved in data sharing from booking arrivals includ- process, and also promotes connectivity and ultimate prof- ing airlines, online travel platforms, airports, government, itability.ductivity HFTP through provided a more assistance consistent, via simple, its global and network flexible hotels, car rental agencies and so on. Each needs to collect, of members, its industry research centers, conferences and store, and even share customer data and operating infor- its global electronic distribution channels.[2] The global mation. But, actually, behind the whole process, complicat- wellness tourism sector in 2017 is estimated to be worth ed and endless data reconciliation is happening by every $680 billion U.S. dollars and growing.[49] Industry bookings touchpoint and so many systems can fall behind. By using in the U.S. have been increasing steadily with 73 percent of blockchain technology, not only are there operational travel agents indicating an increase in spa travel bookings in North America in 2013.[50] safety and security are guaranteed. With the strong com- forth by associations such as HFTP and OpenTravel will petitiveefficiencies advantage and a potential of blockchain for increased technology, revenue, it might but be also assist growth in this segment The of the spa travel specifications industry andset taken into consideration of standards in the near future. facilitate distribution opportunities. Both HFTP and HTNG have created groups to examine the - possibilities and standards needed for widespread deploy- ment of blockchain in the hospitality industry. industry.The first In primary2017, OpenTravel task going will forward co-locate for both its OpenTra organi - In June 2017, during the 45th anniversary of HITEC in velzations Advisory is to developForum with mobile the specifications HFTP Annual inConvention the travel in Toronto, Ontario Canada, HFTP announced the creation of Orlando, Florida, USA. The OpenTravel Advisory Forum the HFTP Blockchain Technology Task Force. HFTP bylaws provides an opportunity for technology professionals state that the association will “provide leadership in the from the travel industry to connect, discuss and share establishment and enhancement of hospitality accounting, their insights. Hotel, air, cruise, leisure, car rental and oth- - er segments of the travel industry will all be represented tices and standards.” Therefore, the creation of a task force at the Forum. financial management, and information processing prac 17 future

When talking about travel distribution, there are meeting of the HFTP HDPO Task Force, Alvaro Hidalgo, multiple factors which will transform the distribution managing partner at FIRSTLOGIC Consulting and task landscape. Regulations must be mentioned and questions force chair stated, “I am very pleased with the outcome of asked relating to data protection and privacy laws and - other topics such as rate parity. In April 2016, the Euro- pean Union (EU) released the EU General Data Protection communicationour first meeting… with We IT have providers identified and areasothers) in arewhich being spe Regulations (GDPR), which will require many organiza- cific solutions (registration challenges, integration of DPO, the industry”.[3] to be in compliance. In order to assist organizations in analyzed,Be sure and to keep we are attention confident on theto bring sites thoseof both solutions HFTP and to meetingtions to employ this goal, a DataHFTP Protection has recruited Officer a team by May of experts 25, 2018 to OpenTravel to monitor the progress as they work together develop guidelines and supporting resources for Hospi- to develop industry standards that keep pace with continu- ally evolving hospitality industry technology and trends.  tality Data Protection Officers (HDPO). Following the first Numerous industry organizations and councils are working hard to de- velop standards and educational opportunities. To illustrate, below are Get Involved industry events and councils from HFTP and OpenTravel to get started. A list of other organizations accomplishing related work is on page 20.

Golf Business TechCon HITEC Amsterdam September 27–28, 2017 April 11–13, 2018 Aria Resort and Casino RAI Amsterdam Convention Centre Las Vegas, Nevada USA Amsterdam, the Netherlands www.golfbusinesstechcon.com www.hitec.org

OpenTravel Advisory Forum HITEC Houston October 23–25, 2017 June 18–21, 2018 Omni ChampionsGate George R. Brown Convention Center Orlando, Florida USA Houston, Texas USA www.opentravel.org www.hitec.org

HFTP Annual Convention October 25–27, 2017 task Forces Omni ChampionsGate Hospitality Data Protection Officer (HDPO) Task Force Orlando, Florida USA Task force is working to build guidelines for hospitality DPOs, www.hftp.org which are soon to be mandated by the EU’s General Data Protection Regulations. HITEC Dubai www.hftp.org November 14–15, 2017 Conrad Dubai HFTP Blockchain Technology Task Force Dubai, UAE Task force is working to prepare for the technology’s future www.hitec.org impact on hospitality. www.hftp.org Follow along with industry News:

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® news.hftp.org Produced by HFTP hitec.bytes.org pineapplesearch.com

18 addendum

OpenTravel Alliance Specifications Since the creation of OpenTravel in 1999, the organiza- Opentravel Schema Products: travel segments Publicationtion has 2001A,released part new of specifications the 1.0 Message annually Suite, wasto assist the resultthe of travel a cooperation industry. Theagreement first published between specification, two organiza - tions: OpenTravel and HITIS, sponsored by the American Hotel & Motel Association, since renamed to the American Hotel & Lodging Association (AH&LA). HFTP was also one of the pioneering associations who participated on HITIS. Air rental car cruise

focused on various business functionalities in the travel industry:The OpenTravel architecture, specifications hospitality, are transport set by workgroups and travel integration. Architecture Workgroup The Architecture Workgroup works on all aspects of the golf ground rail

the XML messages themselves and which generally affect allOpenTravel of the industry specification workgroups which equally. are outside the content of Hospitality Workgroup The Hospitality Workgroup serves the needs of the hotel, hostel, vacation rental and cruise travel industry verticals Day tours & hotel pkg tours by identifying and developing the scope of work for these activities sectors. Transport Workgroup The Transport Workgroup serves the transportation travel segment by identifying and developing the scope of work for the air, car, rail and ground transportation verticals (travel sectors). hostel insurance Dynamic pkg Travel Integration Workgroup The Travel Integration Workgroup serves companies that provide services to the travel industry and other verti- Source www.opentraveldevelopersnetwork.com

Hospitality workgroups by identifying and developing the scopecals that of workdon’t forfunctionally common fitcomponents in either the and Transport services orthat are used across multiple sectors such as travel insurance, package tours, dynamic packages and golf.

assist in the exchange of millions of messages in the travel industryThese whichwork groups use the have OpenTravel developed schema. specifications The following to opentravel Specification Guidelines is a brief listing of the types of messages facilitated by • Openness • Extensibility • Support of Exchanges • Security • Application Connectivity OpenTravel specifications. Among a Broad Number • Platform Independence • Booking Documents & Queues of Parties • International Scope • Check-Ins • Flexibility • Future Versions • Customer and Partner Accounts

19 addendum

• Packages • Descriptions Information • Dynamic Packaging • Customer Profiles • Dining & Meal Plans • Pricing, Quotes & Commissions • Error & Warning Handling • Payment & Identification Verification • Fares & Booking Rules • Rates & Rate Rules • File Attachments • Reservations (Bookings) • Search & Availability • Groups & RFPs • Search & Display (No Availability) • Holds & Unholds • Seat Availability & Information • Inventory • Shore Excursions • Inventory Exchanges • Special Services • Itineraries • Terminal Messaging • Locations • Loyalty Programs • Ticket Fulfillment • Non-Inventory Items As technology integration continues to progress, the possibilities of interoperability will continue to grow and functionalities will continue to be added to this list.  • Notifications

Recent OTA Workgroup Accomplishments Architecture Workgroup After a two-year effort, the Architecture Workgroup offi- group is not only for ground passenger transportation; but, cially launched the prototype 2.0 Candidate Release in April also includes travel and leisure companies such as Ama- 2013. At the same time, a tooling project followed and the deus, Travelport and City Rama. In addition, the Transport Model Build Project officially launched in September 2013. Workgroup recently completed the OpenTravel 2.0 Ground The code list optimization project started in September 2012 Transportation Availability and Reservation specifications in which 149 tables have been simplified to date. for Taxis and Transfers. Hospitality Workgroup Travel Integration The Hospitality Workgroup is working on the Hotel 2.0 Avail- The Travel Integration Workgroup serves multiple sectors ability and Reservation project. This project aims to benefit such as travel insurance, package tours and golf. Open- the community by expanding the 2.0 model to fulfil the need Travel 2.0 Golf Standard was released in May 2017. Major of both hotel availability search and hotel reservations. contributors to this specification were from companies Working with the HEDNA Connectivity Workgroup and with such as Disney, Avis, Marriott, Golf USA Tee Time Coali- support from Expedia and IHG, OpenTravel launched the tion, Centry Golf, HTNG. LinksRez, National Golf Course Product Automation Project for Message Suite in 2014. Owners Association, National Golf Course Owners Associ- This message set allows for the creation, modification and ation – Myrtle Beach Chapter, TinkeyWorks and Travelport. deletion of hotel products based on requirements. The specification allows golfers and partners to reach Transport Workgroup and book services easier and faster in various ways. For example, retrieving facility information, checking availabil- The Transport Workgroup published the Ground Trans- ity and making reservations. This specification is not only portation 2.0 Standard in 2017 to enable connectivity as beneficial to those in the golf industry, but hotels and car it continues to provide specifications and tools to enable rental companies will also benefit in assisting their guests seamless end-to-end consumer experiences. This project to secure reservations.

20 addendum

Key Associations and Industry Organizations

In the travel industry, there are multiple associations and Airline Tariff Publishing Company (ATPCO) – atpco.net organizations that are involved with the development and support of hospitality technology standardization. These organizations have all played a role in advancing The organizationATPCO was originally took on its established current status as the in Air 1975 Traffic after the hospitality experience by enabling disparate tech- aConference reorganization. of Americas, The ATPCO which is filedthe leader passenger in airline tariffs. fare, nology systems to communicate with each other. Some fare-related data distribution, and industry solutions. organizations, such as OpenTravel, have a broad scope and The information is collected from more than 400 airlines encompass standards for multiple segments of the travel worldwide and distributed to global distribution systems industry such as air, hotel, car, and tour operators. Other such as Amadeus, Travelport, and Sabre; online travel associations, like IATA or Gaming Standards Association agents (Expedia and ITA); and other computer reservation industry. The following organizations have all made sig- by permitting each airline to submit and distribute its (GSA), focus on a very specific segment of the hospitality informationsystems (CRS). through ATPCO our makes systems, this processthereby moregiving efficient each technology. CRS/GDS the opportunity for a single source of fare-re- nificant contributions in travel distribution and/or travel lated data. One of our unique features is an Automated OpenTravel Alliance (OTA) – www.opentravel.org Rules product. It permits a CRS/GDS to automatically load - tion, founded in 1999, whose primary goal is to develop intervention, thereby allowing new fares to be sold in the The OpenTravel Alliance is a not-for-profit trade associa marketplaceits pricing rule in datathe shortest tables without possible significant time. human throughout the travel and tourism industry. The focus The mission of the organizations includes the following ofspecifications the association that is make to create data electronictransmission message flow smoothly struc- tenets: tures which facilitate communication between disparate systems. OpenTravel creates, expands and drives adoption implementing industry solutions. • CollectLead the and airline distribute industry airline in defining fare-related standards data, reliablyand limited to the use of XML, for the electronic exchange of businessof open universal information data among specifications, all sectors including of the travel but not in- dustry. OpenTravel is comprised of companies represent- • Provide products and services that reduce distribution costsand efficiently. and protect or increase airline revenue. leisure suppliers, service providers, tour operators, travel agencies,ing airlines, solutions car rental providers, firms, hotels, technology cruise companies lines, railways, and Gaming Standards Association (GSA) distributors. www.gamingstandards.com The Gaming Standards Association (GSA) is an interna- Hospitality Financial and Technology Professionals (HFTP) – www.hftp.org manufacturers, suppliers, operators and regulators. We tional trade association that creates benefits for gaming - association, headquartered in Austin, Texas, USA, with of- motion, and implementation of open standards to enable HFTP, established in 1952, is an international, nonprofit facilitate the identification, definition, development, pro of the entire industry. GSA has created award-winning andfices technology in Hong Kong, segments United of Kingdom the hospitality and the industry Netherlands. with standardsinnovation, that education, are in use and today communication around the world,for the drivingbenefit membersHFTP is recognized and stakeholders as the spokes spanning group across for the the finance globe. the industry to innovation and growth. Established in HFTP uniquely understands the industry’s pressing issues 1998, GSA’s members represent a wide cross section of the global gaming industry. and assists its stakeholders in finding solutions to their- grams,challenges information more efficiently resources than and any conferences/events organization. It does suchthis via as itsHITEC. expert HFTP networks, also owns research, the world’s certification only hospitali pro - ty-specific search engine, PineappleSearch.com. 21 addendum

Hospitality Technology Next Generation (HTNG) is working on the connectivity between hotel systems and www.htng.org distributors. As mobile becomes popular, there is also a special group to help mobile enter the hospitality industry that fosters collaboration and partnership among hote- and enhance the customer’s experience. liersHTNG and is atechnology not-for-profit providers trade association to develop next-generaformed in 2002- tion solutions. The goals of HTNG, as listed on the HTNG Hotel Industry Technology Integration Standards website, are as follows: (HITIS) • To allow cooperating vendors to more easily integrate Launched in 1996 by the American Hotel and Motel Asso- their products, and to jointly deliver and support them ciation (now American Hotel and Lodging Association) to throughout the world. enable the creation of interface standards focused on CRS and property level systems. Contributions included signif- • To allow cooperating hospitality companies to spread icant adoption of standards prescribed by the lodging in- the burden of developing, maintaining, and operating dustry and product vendors. Eventually merged standards common, non-strategic systems. • To enable service-based providers to more easily in- OpenTravel. tegrate, deploy and support technology products from with OpenTravel on adoption of ebXML specifications by multiple vendors, so that hospitality companies can Hospitality Technology Strategic Initiatives Council buy more complete solutions with fewer direct supplier (HTSIC) relationships. • To reduce requirements for onsite IT support at hospi- HTSIC was a group spearheaded by HFTP and HTNG to tality companies properties through central hosting of address pressing industry needs as they relate to hospi- applications and remote monitoring and management tality technology. The council worked to identify industry of devices wherever feasible. initiatives and determine processes for these initiatives in • To maximize the use of standard methods of systems order to reduce duplicated efforts. “Technological evolution is broad and wide-ranging,

methods.integration, whether through ratified standards with the hospitality industry as a whole,” said Frank Wolfe, CAE, CEOmaking of HFTP. it difficult “The tocouncil direct hopes changes to consolidatein a way that efforts benefits and • Tocertification, allow vendors or through and hoteliers de facto to adoption focus more of common of their feedback from multiple resources so that we can address R&D resources on innovation to drive competitive ad- vantage, and less on “commodity” technologies. (www. industry.” htng.org) these“The changes associations in an organized represented fashion on the that council benefits rely the entirely on voluntary contributions of time and expertise In January 2017, HTNG launched the Next Generation from our members,” said Douglas Rice, CEO of HTNG. Distribution Messaging Workgroup. This workgroup will “Coordinating through the council will help us ensure that review the connectivity of standards in the travel industry all of the associations can leverage each others’ efforts, including the OpenTravel Alliance 2.0 object model and providing a greater ROI to the industry from our mem- the International Air Transport Association’s (IATA) New bers’ efforts, and with less duplication.” Distribution Capability (NDC). According to the descrip- Council members included representatives from the tion of the workgroup on the HTNG website, “HTNG and following organizations: The OpenTravel Alliance are mainstays of hotel and travel messaging and offer widely adopted message standards • American Hotel and Lodging Association (AH&LA) for operations and bookings across a diverse ecosystem • American Resort Development Association (ARDA) of partners and internally within many companies” (www. • Hospitality Financial and Technology Professionals htng.org). (HFTP) • Hospitality Information Technology Association (HITA) Hotel Electronic Distribution Network Association (HEDNA) - www.hedna.org • Hospitality Sales and Marketing Association Interna- HEDNA, founded in 1991, is dedicated to enhancing hos- tional (HSMAI) pitality distribution. HEDNA has several working groups • Hotel Electronic Distribution Network Association examining the standards now. The Payments Forum is (HEDNA) identifying the need for standards in interfaces, databases, • Hotel Technology Next Generation (HTNG) regulations and privacy areas. The Content Working Group • OpenTravel Alliance (OpenTravel)

22 addendum

International Air Transport Association (IATA) www.iata.org IATA is the trade association for the world’s airlines, representing some 275 airlines or 83 percent of total air and helps formulate industry policy on critical aviation issues.traffic. TheIn 2017, IATA distribution supports many and areas payment of aviation transformation activity is one of major priorities for IATA which consists of the following three major pillars: • New Distribution Capability (NDC): NDC is an IATA-led initiative that is looking at providing passengers with personalized choice of products and services. This will

that will enable retailing opportunities through the indirectbe done (GDS/travelthrough the definitionagent) channel. of a messaging standard • ONE Order: ONE Order is the concept of a single Cus- tomer Order record, holding all data elements obtained

cycle - such as customer data, order items, payment and and required for order fulfilment across the air travel • New Generation Industry Settlement Systems (NewGen ISS):billing The information, New Generation fulfilment of IATA data Settlement and status. Systems (NewGen ISS) aims at transforming the current ISS business model, which facilitates the distribution and settlement of funds between travel agents and airlines via IATA’s Billing and Settlement Plan.

W3C – World Wide Web Consortium – www.w3.org W3C is an international community that develops open standards to ensure the long-term growth of the Web.

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