Helping specialist tour operators and activity providers with travel ecommerce

TIDS registration

Hi all,

Hope someone can help. We have a bit of an expansion program on the cards and we are currently sourcing suppliers in other winter resorts for the next ski season.

One thing I am looking at doing is getting a few things in place such as tour op failure cover insurance, and a TIDS number.

In order to get a TIDS number, I require;

"2 letters of recommendations from recognised TIDS supporters"

However, I don't work directly with any of the hotels or car hire places listed - only via third party affiliate companies.

Has anyone else found themselves in this position and if so, did you find a solution?

Thanks in advance,

Ed Ockelton
White-Peak Holidays

www.white-peak.com

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Permalink Reply by Edd McArdle on May 9, 2011 at 8:57

Hi Ed

First of all, I've got to ask - why do you need a TIDS number?

A similar problem that I encountered was an agency being set up who were making accommodation bookings in a single country on a GDS, where most of the hotel chains being booking were pretty small. Getting a TIDS number was important to get their hotel commissions.

They were able to get a letter from their GDS easily enough, but hadn't booked with any of the companies listed as TIDS supporters [http://www.iata.org/ps/accreditation-travel/tids/Pages/nam.aspx]

It was straight-forward enough to solve. Book-and-hold bookings were made on the GDS for a date several months in the future on one of the chains from that list. Then they phoned up the hotel chain, and were able to get a letter from them. Once they had the letter, then the booking was cancelled - no money was lost by the hotel chain or agency.

Hope this helps,

Edd

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Permalink Reply by Ed Ockelton on May 9, 2011 at 18:12

Thanks for your reply.

As well as my standard portfolio, I want to be able to offer ad hoc hotel accommodation in Europe when necessary. I believe that having a TIDS number will gain me credibility with this.

I don't use a GDS - the closest I get is TourCMS. Am I barking up the wrong tree?

TIDS registration

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