and the systems´ future role, we will
briefly describe what CRSs are all about:
Ideally, CRSs are systems for purely (information
transfer) logistical functions.
They store current information about all
available service providers and have the
necessary infrastructure to transfer such
data. This means that the systems also
perform additional tasks related to service
distribution, which in the area of goods
are typically carried out by freight forwarders.
They support the transport of
goods (or the right to a service) by eliminating
the physical distance between the
producer and the sales mediator or the
consumer respectively. Therefore, CRSs can
be characterized as supporting distribution
process since the current systems do
in no way support negotiations between
the producer and the consumer. CRSs are
a combination of infrastructure measures
offered to interested providers in the tourist
industry. Similar to an empty supermarket,
the system provides a sales area
in the form of memory and communications
media. The providers can then fill
the empty shelves by providing their data
to the CRS.
The development of such systems was already started at the beginning of the sixties, the objective being at the time to automate seat reservations procedures of airlines. Today, the largest civil data centers and the most powerful communications networks are being used exclusively for this purpose. After several changes in the marketplace, the best known global CRSs are AMADEUS, GALILEO,SABRE, and WORLDSPAN with AMADEUS being the only one which is largely owned by European airlines. Together with GALILEO, it is the leading system in the European market. GALILEO, however, also has a strong position in the US market after it merged with an American system. SABRE and WORLDSPAN have been developed in the US. So far, SABRE is the only CRS which is wholly owned by one single airline.
American Airlines was the first to establish an automated booking system, in 1946. Using a system to track information and improve efficiency was a highly appealing aim in the industry. Computer reservation systems are used for inventory management by airlines, hotels and other tourism and hospitality organisations. This enhanced and sophisticated systems are an integrated solution for several processes including managing sales, bookings, customer relationship management and service (Sigala et al., 2001). They store up to date information about the different service providers. This means that they can distribute information freely without the need to meet one another. The providers ensure that they fill up the empty sales which is passed through the computer reservation system. In the current industry, the best known global computer reservation systems are known as Amadeus, Galileo, Sabre and Worldspan. Galileo is known to be the most popular with a strong position in the US and European market.
http://aws.iwi.uni-leipzig.de/em/fileadmin/user_upload/doc/Issues/Volume_06/Issue_02/The_Role_of_Global_Computer_Reservation.pdf
