Call center

This is a central location phone bank, also called central reservation office (CRO). In its simplest form, it
consists of a telephone and a reservation agent. Generally, call centers have the ability to place multiple
reservations at the same time through central computer reservation systems (CRSs), usually through an
800 number. Hotel companies may have call centers that serve many different properties within the
corporation. Airlines and car rental companies usually have one centralized call center in each of the
different countries where they operate, all interlinked through the CRSs. Centralized call centers have the
advantage of providing consistent service and decreasing the company ’s costs, such as management and
training. Multi-branded companies, however, may have different call centers and, in some cases,
different CRSs within their system, mostly due to mergers and acquisitions.
The term ‘CRS reservations’ is sometimes used to refer to the reservations originating from the call
center, even though the CRS serves as an intermediary between most other channels and the property
management system (PMS). There are companies that provide third party call centers (e.g. Utell), which
may handle all incoming calls or overflowing calls in periods of high demand.
Meeting planners, group TA,corporate TA

Meeting planners and group travel agents, also simply called ‘third parties’ or ‘third party meeting
planners,’ are companies that specialize in providing business travel services, such as meeting
planning, incentive travel, and convention services. Their roles may overlap, but generally these
third parties prescreen hotels, negotiate rates, and organize events, working with travel agents or
acting as specialized travel agents in order to cater to corporate group travel needs. Examples of
third parties are Carlson Marketing Group, PGI HRT, and Krisam. Corporate travel agents perform
similar roles, but they are part of a corporation (e.g. American Express, Sony, etc.) and attend
exclusively to the corporation needs. National, state, and local tourism agencies

These agencies promote tourism in certain geographic areas. They may be sponsored by the state or
constitute business associations with the common goal of providing information and promoting
travel in certain regions. Tourist agencies advertise resources, tourist attractions, and help
customers to plan their trips providing maps, guides, and effectuating bookings, generally though
destination management systems (DMSs). They are usually located either in strategic target markets
(e.g. the Spanish Office of Tourism, in Los Angeles) or in entrance or strategic points (e.g. the Los
Angeles Convention and Visitors Bureau).

Tour operators and wholesalers

According to Lewis and Chambers (1999), tour operators and wholesalers differ from the previous
channels in that they take nominal possession, or secure an allotment, of the suppliers inventory to
sell to the public. Wholesalers, also called consolidators, can often negotiate for deeply discounted
rates because they buy large volumes or have access to a surplus inventory of deeply discounted
tickets and hotel rooms that they are free to sell at slightly marked-up prices. Their advance
purchase agreements for hotel rooms also mean that consolidators are often able to provide
inventory when other resources list products as sold out. The wholesalers obtain rates and
availability directly from the supplier and create packages with different accommodation and
transportation options, such as airlines, cruise lines, railroads, car rentals, and bus companies, which
are sold directly to the consumer or through travel agents. Examples of wholesalers are America
West, GoGo Tours, and Mark Travel. Tour operators offer discounted packages, which may include
meals and tours, and may specialize in certain markets or destinations. Motorcoach tours are typical
tour operator products. The Japanese Tourist Bureau ( JTB) is an example of a tour operator.

Consortia, affiliations,companies