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