Global distribution system is a computer based reservation system. This is the single point interface where you can book tickets for flights, hotel rooms, rental cars, packages and travel related things. Basically, GDS is widely accessed by the travel agents, online reservation sites, corporations and end customers to book flights tickets and hotel accommodation at a much cheaper price than what is charged in the market. This Global distribution system platform is jointly operated by the airlines, car rental companies and hotel groups. With the advent of internet technology, travel companies are using this computerized reservation system to gain potential clients to the business. Today, many people are showing interest in booking the tickets online. The GDS can be integrated to the travel portals to allow the customers to book air tickets and hotel rooms. 

How GDS is helpful for a smaller travel agency?

The Global distribution system will allow the small travel agency to have quick access to the prices of the flight tickets, hotel rooms, rental cars, cruise reservations, trains and other services. When this GDS is integrated to the travel web portal, it allows the customers to search for the travel books and book tickets online. This is win-win for both the customers and small travel agencies. The travel agencies can earn huge profits while the customers can search for different airlines and book flight ticket with the airline that is offering the best fare. The travel portals are run by the GDS system that allows them to offer customer rates, discounts, rooms and descriptions in the real time. This GDS system acts as a mediator between the travel product, supplier and the retailers who actually sell the flight tickets to the end users. 

About Amadeus

The best GDS that is good for flight booking for a small travel agency is Amadeus. The travel agencies have complete access to the Global Distribution System. However, to have access to any of the GDS that are available in the market, the travel agencies have to enter into the agreement with those companies. 
This allows the travel agencies to offer the great deals, discounts and travel product information to the customers on flight booking at the best rates. The small travel agencies can also integrate GDS to their travel portal. Today, the travelers land on the travel portals to find the travel products for their pleasure or business trips to other destinations. This travel portal is one point destination for the travelers to find air tickets, flights and car rentals and book them in advance to the trip. The GDS system offered by Amadeus will let the customers of the travel agencies to have access to the inventory of the hotel with the current prices, discounts and type of rooms, facilities and tickets that are available in different airlines. 
Amadeus is major GDS system that was established in partnership by Air France, Lufthansa, SAS and Iberia airlines. This was founded in the year 1987 whose major focus is to connect and make airlines available to the customers globally. This is just a drop in the ocean. Today, it offers hotel room and car rental services. 
This allows the small travel agency to have the airline tickets available in their portal so that the customers can book them from anyplace globally in online at the best price. This also gives access to the discounts to the customers. This agency is booking around 40% of bookings that are happening globally. The high percentage of Amadeus bookings are for airline tickets. 
This is found to be the best global distribution system by the travel agencies globally. When the travel agency connects to the computerized reservation system of Amadeus, the customers can have access to the inventory of Amadeus. This is mostly preferred by the travel agents to book air, hotel, car rentals, railway, cruises and other travel activities. This also offers the pricing and reservation functionality to the travel agencies through computerized reservation system. 
Today, many travel agents are looking for the GDS that offers them with the rich travel content. The travel agents would offer the real-time information to the customers so that they can have flight booking based on their convenience and at their desired time. 
Amadeus offers the distribution solution to tourism and travel industry. This helps the small travel agency to deliver the itinerary briskly and efficiently. The fare quotes of Amadeus will allow the travel agencies to meet the complicated fare requests of the customers. The fare quote will look for the best fares in no time. 
The architecture is also non-discriminatory in nature. However, the travel companies can use their respective business rules to sequence and select the offers on travel portals. The Extreme search offered by this GDS is an ideal shopping solution to the travel agencies. This offers new and powerful applications cater the day-to-day needs of the travel agencies. This GDS is helping the smaller travel agencies to generate profits, find out the new revenue channels and generate sales revenue. 
This helps the smaller agencies to find out new customers at a brisk pace. The travel technology tools that are offered by Amadeus are grabbing the attention of many agencies to use it. This is a really boom for the travel professionals to boost the profit streams. This gives access to have control of the live inventory, quick connectivity, real-time pricing and automatic updating of content.