What is a Global Distribution System (GDS)
A global distribution system is a centralized database of vendors in a specific industry. In the travel industry, a global distribution system, or GDS, is a company that provides travel agencies and airlines with information about flights and fares. Meta Search Engines are a modern example of a GDS that is customer facing. GDSs are used by travel agencies to make reservations for their customers, and by airlines to provide information to travel agencies. GDSs were created in the 1960s by airlines who wanted to streamline their operations. They were built on top of computerized systems for booking flights and issuing tickets, which were first introduced in the 1940s. The purpose of GDSs was to provide access to flight information from multiple airlines through one network; this would allow travel agents to book flights from multiple carriers without having to call each one individually. Although there are several different GDSs around the world (including Amadeus, Travelport, Sabre, Galileo/Worldspan).
Why are Global Distribution Systems useful
Global distribution systems are useful because they help spread the word about your product, allow you to offer your products at a lower price, and can provide an easy way to communicate with customers. First of all, global distribution systems allow you to reach a wider audience with your product. For example, if you sell shoes online and have a global distribution system set up, then anyone in the world can access your website and buy your shoes. This is useful for companies who want their products to be available anywhere in the world. Second of all, having a global distribution system allows you to offer your products at a lower price than if they were only available locally. For example, if I live in California but want some apples from Washington state (which has better apples), then I could order them through Amazon's global distribution system—and save myself some money by not having them shipped directly from Washington! Thirdly, having a global distribution system allows me as a consumer easier access to customer service when something goes wrong with my order or when I have questions about how something works or why it was made that way instead of another way like some other company might do.
