What is an internet booking engine (IBE)?
An internet booking engine, or IBE, is the software that lets travelers search availability, choose what they want, and pay for it directly online, whether that is a flight, a hotel room, or an event ticket. It is the part of a travel site that actually closes the sale.
Travelers book a flight, a hotel room or an event ticket directly online.
The part of a travel site where browsing turns into revenue.
Live availability, pricing rules, seat or room selection and secure payment.
The IBE is the customer facing tool; a GDS is the wholesale network it connects to.
Behind a simple search box sits a lot of work: live availability, pricing rules, seat or room selection, and secure payment, all happening in seconds. When it is smooth, the traveler barely notices it. When it stalls, they leave.
Figure 1. Behind the search box
The traveler sees one search box; the engine handles availability, pricing rules, selection and payment, and often connects to a GDS for availability and fares. From the definitions in this post; structure, not data.
For travel businesses it is mission critical, because the booking engine is where browsing turns into revenue.
NeoSOFT built a digital ticket booking platform for a UK airline, and a proof of concept is a common first step for systems this central.
What is the difference between an IBE and a GDS?
An IBE is the customer facing booking tool. A GDS is the wholesale network it often connects to in order to find availability and fares.
Internet booking engine (IBE)
Customer facing- The booking tool travelers use
- Search, choose and pay directly online
- Where browsing turns into revenue
Global distribution system (GDS)
Wholesale network- The network an IBE often connects to
- Supplies availability and fares
Related services: custom software development.
Related reading
Related terms: global distribution system (GDS), passenger name record (PNR).
