How do I get started with OpenGDS?
For Partners & OTAs:
To access our connectivity backbone and API, you must apply for a partner account. Please visit our Join OpenGDS page to submit your details, and our commercial team will set up your environment.
For Properties & Chains:
Joining is completely free and instant. You can create your account directly via our registration portal and immediately start configuring your portfolio.
To access our connectivity backbone and API, you must apply for a partner account. Please visit our Join OpenGDS page to submit your details, and our commercial team will set up your environment.
For Properties & Chains:
Joining is completely free and instant. You can create your account directly via our registration portal and immediately start configuring your portfolio.
How much does OpenGDS cost?
For Partners & OTAs:
We offer tailored pricing models designed to scale with your API volume and business needs, rather than a rigid one-size-fits-all subscription. Please fill out the application form to receive a custom proposal.
For Properties & Chains:
OpenGDS is 100% free. We charge no setup fees, no monthly subscriptions, and take absolutely zero commission on your bookings.
We offer tailored pricing models designed to scale with your API volume and business needs, rather than a rigid one-size-fits-all subscription. Please fill out the application form to receive a custom proposal.
For Properties & Chains:
OpenGDS is 100% free. We charge no setup fees, no monthly subscriptions, and take absolutely zero commission on your bookings.
How do I initiate a new partnership?
For Partners & OTAs:
Navigate to Partner Network > Leads in your dashboard to discover properties looking for new partnerships. Here, you can view their sales contact details to negotiate a commercial agreement. Once an agreement is reached, simply click 'Start partnership' to send the official connection request. If a property you want to work with is not yet on the network, reach out via our support portal, and our team will help onboard them.
For Properties & Chains:
List your property in our global directory by navigating to Partner Network > Sales Configuration in your dashboard and setting up your sales contact details. This makes you visible to partners and OTAs and allows you to receive inbound connection requests. You can also actively browse and connect with new demand channels via the Marketplace.
Navigate to Partner Network > Leads in your dashboard to discover properties looking for new partnerships. Here, you can view their sales contact details to negotiate a commercial agreement. Once an agreement is reached, simply click 'Start partnership' to send the official connection request. If a property you want to work with is not yet on the network, reach out via our support portal, and our team will help onboard them.
For Properties & Chains:
List your property in our global directory by navigating to Partner Network > Sales Configuration in your dashboard and setting up your sales contact details. This makes you visible to partners and OTAs and allows you to receive inbound connection requests. You can also actively browse and connect with new demand channels via the Marketplace.
How are accommodations and room types created?
For Partners & OTAs:
While properties typically manage their own physical accommodations (such as room types, suites, apartments, or cabins), you have the full capability to configure these on their behalf by navigating to Accommodations in your dashboard. This allows you to offer a full-service onboarding experience. You can set up occupancy rules, upload images, map custom Interface IDs to seamlessly link them to your own system, and control the exact display sequence.
For Properties & Chains:
You need to define your physical inventory before partners can link their rate plans. Navigate to Accommodations in your dashboard to create your specific room types, suites, apartments, or cabins. Here you can configure the total number of available units, set strict occupancy rules, and upload high-resolution images. Additionally, you can add detailed descriptions, assign amenities, or even configure two-way iCal synchronization to link your availability with external calendars.
While properties typically manage their own physical accommodations (such as room types, suites, apartments, or cabins), you have the full capability to configure these on their behalf by navigating to Accommodations in your dashboard. This allows you to offer a full-service onboarding experience. You can set up occupancy rules, upload images, map custom Interface IDs to seamlessly link them to your own system, and control the exact display sequence.
For Properties & Chains:
You need to define your physical inventory before partners can link their rate plans. Navigate to Accommodations in your dashboard to create your specific room types, suites, apartments, or cabins. Here you can configure the total number of available units, set strict occupancy rules, and upload high-resolution images. Additionally, you can add detailed descriptions, assign amenities, or even configure two-way iCal synchronization to link your availability with external calendars.
How are Rate Plans configured?
OpenGDS operates on a Partner-Driven model, meaning the configuration of pricing and distribution strategies is driven by the demand side.
For Partners & OTAs:
You are in full control. The rate plans you configure by navigating to Rates in your dashboard are entirely private and only visible and editable by your organization. While connected properties can monitor or update daily ARI data (Availability, Rates, and Inventory) depending on your specific contract settings, all core configurations, including booking windows, descriptions, marketing content, and cancellation policies, are managed exclusively by your team.
For Properties & Chains:
You do not need to create or maintain complex B2B rate plans in your dashboard. Your role is simply to provide the physical infrastructure: your Accommodations and Supplements. Your connected partners will then build, manage, and distribute their own specific rate plans seamlessly mapped to your inventory.
For Partners & OTAs:
You are in full control. The rate plans you configure by navigating to Rates in your dashboard are entirely private and only visible and editable by your organization. While connected properties can monitor or update daily ARI data (Availability, Rates, and Inventory) depending on your specific contract settings, all core configurations, including booking windows, descriptions, marketing content, and cancellation policies, are managed exclusively by your team.
For Properties & Chains:
You do not need to create or maintain complex B2B rate plans in your dashboard. Your role is simply to provide the physical infrastructure: your Accommodations and Supplements. Your connected partners will then build, manage, and distribute their own specific rate plans seamlessly mapped to your inventory.
How does Channel Manager and PMS connectivity work?
For Partners & OTAs:
You can monitor connectivity statuses by navigating to Extra > Channel Manager in your dashboard. Please note that a property only needs to link their Channel Manager to OpenGDS once; they do not need to establish a new technical connection for every individual partner. For properties that are not yet connected, the exact setup process varies per tech provider: either the property initiates the connection directly from their system, or the provider's support team handles the setup manually.
For Properties & Chains:
Navigate to Extra > Channel Manager in your dashboard to view the available connection options. Depending on your provider, you can either set up the connection yourself using your OpenGDS Property ID and specific credentials, or you may need to request your provider's support team to establish the initial link. You can find more information about this topic in our Integrations Guide.
You can monitor connectivity statuses by navigating to Extra > Channel Manager in your dashboard. Please note that a property only needs to link their Channel Manager to OpenGDS once; they do not need to establish a new technical connection for every individual partner. For properties that are not yet connected, the exact setup process varies per tech provider: either the property initiates the connection directly from their system, or the provider's support team handles the setup manually.
For Properties & Chains:
Navigate to Extra > Channel Manager in your dashboard to view the available connection options. Depending on your provider, you can either set up the connection yourself using your OpenGDS Property ID and specific credentials, or you may need to request your provider's support team to establish the initial link. You can find more information about this topic in our Integrations Guide.
How do Supplements and Add-ons work?
For Partners & OTAs:
By navigating to Supplements in your dashboard, you can either link public add-ons created by the property to your rate plans, or create your own 'Partner-managed' (private) supplements for exclusive deals. You can configure complex pricing structures, such as per piece, per person, or per night, and even allow guests to select specific dates for the add-on. Additionally, you can enforce strict rules like minimum or maximum length of stay restrictions, advance booking cutoffs, and specific child rates.
For Properties & Chains:
Navigate to Supplements in your dashboard to define your available extras, such as breakfast, bike rentals, or parking. You can determine if an add-on is optional or mandatory, set specific validity periods, and configure advanced settings like 'only valid with children' for items like baby cots. To ensure flawless synchronization, you can also assign Channel Manager mapping IDs to these supplements. Once configured, connected partners can link these upsell items to their rate plans to distribute them seamlessly within their booking flow.
By navigating to Supplements in your dashboard, you can either link public add-ons created by the property to your rate plans, or create your own 'Partner-managed' (private) supplements for exclusive deals. You can configure complex pricing structures, such as per piece, per person, or per night, and even allow guests to select specific dates for the add-on. Additionally, you can enforce strict rules like minimum or maximum length of stay restrictions, advance booking cutoffs, and specific child rates.
For Properties & Chains:
Navigate to Supplements in your dashboard to define your available extras, such as breakfast, bike rentals, or parking. You can determine if an add-on is optional or mandatory, set specific validity periods, and configure advanced settings like 'only valid with children' for items like baby cots. To ensure flawless synchronization, you can also assign Channel Manager mapping IDs to these supplements. Once configured, connected partners can link these upsell items to their rate plans to distribute them seamlessly within their booking flow.
Why is availability or pricing not updating?
For Partners & OTAs:
Navigate to Status in your dashboard to view the currently active availability, rates, and restrictions. If data from the Channel Manager or PMS is not reflecting here, you might have accidentally locked the rate plan (which often happens when duplicating an existing setup). Check your rate plan configuration and ensure that options like 'Ignore Channel Manager availability updates', 'Ignore Channel Manager restriction updates', 'Ignore Channel Manager length of stay updates', or 'Ignore Channel Manager rate updates' are not unintentionally enabled. You can also navigate to Extra > Status Log to see a detailed audit trail of exactly which updates were pushed to your environment.
For Properties & Chains:
Navigate to Status in your dashboard to view the exact availability, rates, and restrictions currently active on your account. If your Channel Manager or PMS pushed an update but it does not appear here, the connected partner might have enabled specific 'Ignore Channel Manager' settings for that rate plan. You can verify this by navigating to Rates in your dashboard to inspect the rate plan configuration and check if these overrides are active. To see if your system successfully delivered the data to OpenGDS, you can navigate to Extra > Status Log to review the detailed history of all incoming updates.
Navigate to Status in your dashboard to view the currently active availability, rates, and restrictions. If data from the Channel Manager or PMS is not reflecting here, you might have accidentally locked the rate plan (which often happens when duplicating an existing setup). Check your rate plan configuration and ensure that options like 'Ignore Channel Manager availability updates', 'Ignore Channel Manager restriction updates', 'Ignore Channel Manager length of stay updates', or 'Ignore Channel Manager rate updates' are not unintentionally enabled. You can also navigate to Extra > Status Log to see a detailed audit trail of exactly which updates were pushed to your environment.
For Properties & Chains:
Navigate to Status in your dashboard to view the exact availability, rates, and restrictions currently active on your account. If your Channel Manager or PMS pushed an update but it does not appear here, the connected partner might have enabled specific 'Ignore Channel Manager' settings for that rate plan. You can verify this by navigating to Rates in your dashboard to inspect the rate plan configuration and check if these overrides are active. To see if your system successfully delivered the data to OpenGDS, you can navigate to Extra > Status Log to review the detailed history of all incoming updates.
How do I manage users and user groups?
For Partners & OTAs:
A User Group is the core organizational unit in OpenGDS, managed via User Management > User Groups in your dashboard. It acts as a secure container to link properties, API credentials, rate plans, and settings together, allowing you to easily separate environments (such as TEST and LIVE) or isolate commercial rules for different brands and regions. By navigating to User Management > Users, you can invite team members and fine-tune their access rights using granular permissions. Here you can also manage account security by setting the required verification method and enabling Two-Factor Authentication (2FA).
For Properties & Chains:
A User Group is the core organizational unit in OpenGDS, managed via User Management > User Groups in your dashboard. It allows you to organize your properties and manage team access at scale, which is ideal for clustering hotels by region or restricting system access per department. By navigating to User Management > Users, you can invite staff members and control their exact privileges using granular permissions. Additionally, this is where you can enforce strict security by configuring specific verification methods and activating Two-Factor Authentication (2FA) for your staff.
A User Group is the core organizational unit in OpenGDS, managed via User Management > User Groups in your dashboard. It acts as a secure container to link properties, API credentials, rate plans, and settings together, allowing you to easily separate environments (such as TEST and LIVE) or isolate commercial rules for different brands and regions. By navigating to User Management > Users, you can invite team members and fine-tune their access rights using granular permissions. Here you can also manage account security by setting the required verification method and enabling Two-Factor Authentication (2FA).
For Properties & Chains:
A User Group is the core organizational unit in OpenGDS, managed via User Management > User Groups in your dashboard. It allows you to organize your properties and manage team access at scale, which is ideal for clustering hotels by region or restricting system access per department. By navigating to User Management > Users, you can invite staff members and control their exact privileges using granular permissions. Additionally, this is where you can enforce strict security by configuring specific verification methods and activating Two-Factor Authentication (2FA) for your staff.
What if my link to create a password has expired?
If your initial setup link has expired, you can easily request a new one. Simply navigate to our login page at cloud.opengds.com and click the 'Forgot your password?' link. Enter your email address, and we will send you a fresh link to set up your account.
Is OpenGDS a traditional GDS?
We are often asked if we connect to legacy GDS networks like Amadeus, Galileo, or Sabre. The answer is no. OpenGDS is an entirely independent, modern B2B distribution engine. We provide a direct connectivity backbone for travel platforms and properties, operating completely separate from the traditional GDS networks.
How do I get further technical support?
If you have explored our Help Center and guides but still need assistance, our technical support team is ready to help. Whether you are a partner troubleshooting a complex API integration or a property needing advanced assistance with your Channel Manager synchronization, you can easily submit a request. Visit our support portal to open a ticket, and our support team will review your case and assist you promptly.