Established relationships with the Global Consortia allows T-Connect to assist partners wishing to participate in the various consortia programs that book via the GDS to advance their global outreach.

Consortia are groups of independent travel agencies that come together and negotiate preferred rates with hotels in order to provide better rates for their clients than other competing agencies. 

These rates in turn provide more bookings for the participating hotels in the program. Partner hotels have their rates loaded using defined viewership to ensure that only the members of that particular consortium have access to the established preferred rate (during the booking process). Many different programs are offered, to suit both the corporate and leisure industry. 

Over 40% of GDS bookings are generated from consortia and negotiated rates (combined), and consortia member travel agents are not likely to book hotels that do not appear under their defined viewership display. 

Most agencies mandate their agents to make all bookings via the GDS and thus travel agents access negotiated (i.e. IBM) and consortia rates (i.e. ABC) under specific rate codes. 

If your hotel does not belong to any consortia programs, it will not appear under the travel agent’s rate access codes.  It is extremely important to participate in consortia programs in order to increase electronic reservations. 

Due to the changing trends in travel agency sales to end consumer sales (i.e. the internet), many independent travel agents have joined consortia to stay competitive within the industry. 

All consortia rates must be a minimum of 10% below your lowest published corporate rate and at parity with all consortia. Consortia participation fees vary and are payable directly to each Consortia.