ABSTRACT
The evolution of information technology over the past few years has affected the travel distribution system. This chapter traces various stages of development of the digital travel distribution system. The first step entailed the birth of Global Distribution Systems (GDS) during the 1960s that linked the Central Reservation Systems (CRS) of each travel supplier. The second step was caused by the development of the Internet in the 1990s which enabled travel companies of all sizes to create their own websites and then build a direct connection with travellers, overcoming tourism intermediaries. More recently, the spread of social media affected the evolution of travel distribution due to a change in travellers' behaviour, in particular the style of communication with travel suppliers and with other consumers. The foregoing analysis of the evolution of the travel distribution system shows an increasingly crowded and competitive context. Information technology has deeply affected travel distribution by generating the processes of disintermediation and reintermediation.
