Hostel Booking Engine APIs (Hostelworld, Hostelbookers, Hostelsclub, etc.)

Could you explain why you can't make an API for front desk software before you shut down access to software like Charts? That way hostels would never even notice the switch from the current method to the API method. Only Charts programmers would know the difference. I think this is the part that makes hostels nervous.

That would be too easy. The booking API is nothing but a promise... it would take years to develop. Also it's not their interest to provide such surface: it would engage competition which they don't want neither. It could have been done during the past 10 ys otherwise. I did ask Hostelbookers about their channel manager compatibility projects a while ago when they mentioned this will be their major strategy with further results in May... so I called them recently and they said it won't be happen until 2010-2011. Until that, they refuse connections with any allocation software. WTF? :confused:

However, all current software are a bit of a hack hence there's no such official agreement with any booking engines... so these software got hacked patches, the allocation works, then being discovered, denied, then re-patched...

I wonder how could hotels solve the allocation problem... Once you have your channel manager set, you could simply upload your allocation to 40+ booking sites.

That would be too easy. The booking API is nothing but a promise... it would take years to develop.

An API would be easy to create from a technical standpoint, and all the major booking engines provide them for affiliates.

The APIs can be seen in action on TFThostels.com -- just search for a hostel and the website will dynamically check availability and prices and deliver it in HTML format. When the customer books, the website will dynamically insert those bookings into the chosen booking engine.

Hostelz.com is another one that uses APIs as it searches through different booking engines for availability.

The technology already exists and it isn't complicated.

Also it's not their interest to provide such surface: it would engage competition which they don't want neither.

I don't think booking engines should become an obstacle to efficient front desk operations. Hostels shouldn't be forced to do things that aren't in the best interests of hostels. Hostels and booking engines depend on each other and should have a respectful, cooperative, mutually-beneficial relationship.

(For example, only being able to allocate the last 15% of beds to one booking engine. If that is true, it will be bad for hostels.)

It could have been done during the past 10 ys otherwise. I did ask Hostelbookers about their channel manager compatibility projects a while ago when they mentioned this will be their major strategy with further results in May... so I called them recently and they said it won't be happen until 2010-2011. Until that, they refuse connections with any allocation software. WTF? :confused:

Did they say what the delay was for?

However, all current software are a bit of a hack hence there's no such official agreement with any booking engines... so these software got hacked patches, the allocation works, then being discovered, denied, then re-patched...

I wonder how could hotels solve the allocation problem... Once you have your channel manager set, you could simply upload your allocation to 40+ booking sites.

Yes, why can't the hostel industry have the same high-tech bed allocation as hotels? :)

So let us hostels take the initiative. We will create an agreed file format. All software writers can set up a button that, when pressed, converts their vacancies into that format, and a similar one that processes bookings received in that format.

You might be interested in this example API from Twitter:
http://apiwiki.twitter.com/

Here's an introductory tutorial of how this API works:
http://twittut.netsensei.nl/?page_id=6

You send requests to a web service in a specified format, and the web service returns data in XML format.

For example, you can send a request to Twitter like this at the command line or programatically:

curl http://twitter.com/statuses/public_timeline.rss

And Twitter will return some XML based on your request (public timeline)

[HTML]

dorkatronique: I should probably use this more often. Gaddayum... I'M HAVING AN 'ARTIST GENRE' CRISIS!!!! 80's disco/synth-pop or head-bangin' electro?!

I wonder how could hotels solve the allocation problem... Once you have your channel manager set, you could simply upload your allocation to 40+ booking sites.

FYI - Hostelsclub has a hotel variant: www.hotelsarea.com
Most of the hotel portal have an XML interface available for channel manager tools to interface with.

Unfortunately, regarding hostel portals:
It must be technically possible from the portal’s side!

It's easy to do it, but they don't do it !
They have it, but they don't give it out !

As I said before, sharing is the point !

We are selling beds in share rooms, right?
And we are trying to synchronize/share all our beds on all portals, right?

So, we have a product to sell on share basis and we want to share this to everyone, in order to get paid !:D

Well, the ''portal problem'' here, think different:
They share the portal with everyone in order to get our share product to sell and once they sell it, they get the money straight away!
And here, they ask themselves, why to share our business?:D

To all portals:
Sharing is the point ! Once we share our product with more providers, we sell more and we create our image, brand and reputability.
You should do the same ! Unless you don't have a good strategy/marketing !:D

Our short answer is this:
1.All our first 20 or so users started using our software NOT because it synchronised with agents but because they like the systems and the booking engine.
2.Sure online booking has become more important so it is our ability to integrate with the main agents that becomes one of the main attractions.
3.As there becomes many agents then the ability to integrate with many agents will become more of an attraction.
4.For many hostels it is our booking engine and free web optimisation advice that is the main attraction.
5.If HW and HB find a way to legally disconnect API's then the API's will still supply to all hostels and hostels will simply manually enter bookings from just two main agents rather than from 20+ smaller agents.
6.If hostels do not either improve their website or list with all other agents via an API then they are encouraging hostels to open and compete with them.
7. Smaller agents breed hostels that will all eventually get listed and compared to your hostel on the two main agent sites.
8. The best way forward is to have your own hostel website with an independent tailorable booking engine that automatically adjusts allocation to all agents.

There will always be hostels that require something that agents like Hostelworld can not provide. This is where an API fits in, what I would prefer to define as Automated Agent Allocation Hostel Front Office Room Management Software. Hosteloffice enables hostels to tweek and tailor the information and structure of their rooms and hostel offering.

Two years ago at the Dublin Conference hostels requested a separate booking engine for their website so they do not have to have the same low prices on their website. You would think HW would be motivated to provide this so that travellers would be more inclined to book with HW direct. I have my theory on why this has not occurred but I am keen to read what other people think?

A few years back HW gave the No. 1 in the world award to a hostel open for less than a year and that catered to stag parties taking them to strip clubs. Staff at other hostels in the city were livid as they did not want their country promoted as a sex city. I tried to cox HW in a better direction by pointing out that their system is not family friendly as they do not have Family Rooms as an option. Many years later HW have just now enable family rooms as an option. It is great that they catch up but 3 to 5 years to respond to suggestions from their best information resource can be too long for most hostels.

Again software like we provide www.hosteloffice.com prevents hostels from having to wait years to have a booking engine on their website that best represents what the hostel offers.

Years ago I asked HW to enable You Tube integration within information. HW did not respond for over a year so I made the same suggestiuon to HostelBookers. The response from HB was 'That's a Great Idea' and within months they were off videoing hostels. Our software enable hostels to promote their own You Tube information, and not just the one video.

I could go on with examples.But the point I am making here is that the largest booking agents are not responsive enough. It seems to me that they are most responsive when they have competition or see a way to dominate the market.

Competition for these agents seems to be defined as 'something they perceive to be as a threat to their income'. So there are bound to be areas that in reality do not threaten income but effort is made to dominate that area anyway.

Business being motivated by profit alone I hope is not sustainable. Other ways of looking at a business by examining Total Throughput, Sub Optimisation, Win Win, Internal and external customers, Health & Safety etc would be parts of an more humane online system. HW has a very good system so you can network online with other travellers. But why don't they have a Safe Travel option so people can register their travels and alerts can be sent to nominated phone numbers based on certain triggers?

Josh ought to set up a Safe Travel Twitter via this HostelManagement system.

I would suggest the reason why better services are not provided is simply because the two largest agents are focussed on the money. I have written in an email to HW that with the number one position comes responsibility and no longer can they simply just pursue profit. So there should be no excuse of not being aware of the idea.

As a hostel owner you want to make money but you also want happy guests and happy staff. The best way to achieve this is through being genuine. The current top agents unfortunately focus the hostels on the money only. These top agents don't want to be the forum for the best You Tube video or the best Podcast on a city because they want to create these videos and podcasts themselves and dominate the market. Just look at how Colm from HW achieved his Webby Award.

Sure there are many hostel owners/managers that don't care. But when these top agents come across people that do care and can offer value to to their business they ought to engage in conversation.

Tell me I am wrong?