Serviced apartments not configured

"The GDS environment was originally developed for airlines. Then they configured these systems to allow certain non-air vendors (such as car rental companies and hotels) to participate. To date GDS suppliers have not configured their systems to apply to serviced apartment inventory - which is very different from, say, hotels - and the rules which may apply to that extended stay serviced apartment provider."

"Availability might come up, but it might have all sorts of rules associated with it, such as a minimum one-week stay. If the enquirer only wants two nights, should the system show it or not? Technically, it's not easy. Also, the enquirer may be asked to put down a deposit, so there's a payment issue, or references might be required by the apartment owner. All of these rules are synonymous with the apartment sector, but not necessarily with hotels."

"So all the GDS suppliers would have to adapt their systems. I'm not saying they won't in future , but they worked for years with the standards bodies such as HEDNA (the Hotel Electronic Distribution Network Association) to identify the standards required by the hotel industry, such as room type, rate type codes and the rules required to book. Slowly but surely, hotels around the world and the GDS followed these standards and adapted their systems accordingly."

"Another standards body, the Open Travel Alliance (OTA), has been working for years to try to accommodate the needs of multi-type suppliers, such as cruise lines, hotels and car rental companies with regards to electronic distribution. Where is the apartment industry in terms of working alongside people like the OTA? When will they all agree what their own standards should be? Does the serviced apartment industry understand all the issues, the investment they will need to make, the time-line and how it will all affect onward distribution?"