Whether you’re a hotelier optimizing revenue, a SaaS developer building tools, or a tech-savvy manager, this hospitality SaaS glossary decodes 150+ essential terms. From PMS and CRS to dynamic pricing and IoT, we’ve structured this guide A-Z with clear examples to help you master the industry’s jargon.

A

API (Application Programming Interface)
A set of protocols enabling different software systems (e.g., PMS, CRS, CRM) to communicate and share data. APIs allow hotels to integrate third-party tools like revenue management systems or guest apps into their core operations. For example, an API might connect a hotel’s PMS to a chatbot for real-time room service requests.

ADR (Average Daily Rate)
A key revenue metric calculated by dividing total room revenue by the number of sold rooms. ADR helps hotels benchmark pricing strategies and evaluate performance against competitors. A high ADR may indicate premium pricing or upselling success.

Allocation Management
The process of reserving inventory for specific channels (e.g., OTAs, wholesalers, direct bookings). Hotels use SaaS tools to allocate rooms dynamically based on channel performance or contractual agreements.

Attribution Modeling
Analyzing which marketing channels (e.g., Google Ads, email campaigns) drive bookings. Advanced SaaS platforms use multi-touch attribution to assign credit to each touchpoint in the guest journey.

Automated Reporting
Tools that generate pre-built or customizable reports on metrics like occupancy, RevPAR, and guest demographics. Reduces manual effort for revenue managers and general managers.

Account Management (for Hotel Groups)
Centralized dashboards for multi-property management, allowing chains to oversee rates, inventory, and staff permissions across locations.

B

Booking Engine
A white-label tool embedded on a hotel’s website to enable direct bookings. Features include payment processing, upselling prompts, and loyalty program integration. Reduces OTA commission costs.

Bed Bank
A wholesale aggregator (e.g., Hotelbeds) that sells bulk room inventory to OTAs, tour operators, and travel agencies. SaaS channel managers help hotels distribute inventory to bed banks.

Blockchain Distribution
Emerging decentralized systems for secure, transparent inventory management. Enables direct bookings without intermediaries, reducing OTA fees.

Brand.com
A hotel’s direct booking website. SaaS tools optimize Brand.com with SEO, personalized offers, and rate parity checks to compete with OTAs.

Business Intelligence (BI)
Advanced analytics platforms that transform raw data (e.g., guest spend, seasonality trends) into visual dashboards. Helps hotels forecast demand and allocate resources.

C

CRS (Central Reservation System)
The core system managing room rates, availability, and reservations across all sales channels (OTAs, GDS, direct). Modern CRS platforms use AI to automate rate updates.

Cross-Selling
Promoting add-ons (e.g., spa packages, airport transfers) during the booking process. SaaS booking engines use AI to suggest relevant upgrades.

Competitive Benchmarking
Tools that track competitors’ rates, occupancy, and promotions in real time. Hotels use this data to adjust pricing and marketing strategies.

Contactless Technology
Solutions like mobile check-in, QR code menus, and digital keys that minimize physical interaction. Enhances guest safety and operational efficiency.

CRM (Customer Relationship Management)
Software that centralizes guest data (stay history, preferences) to personalize marketing and service. Example: Sending a birthday discount to a repeat guest.

D

Dynamic Pricing
Algorithm-driven rate adjustments based on demand, competitor pricing, and market conditions. Integrated with RMS tools to maximize RevPAR.

Direct Channel Optimization
Strategies to drive bookings through the hotel’s website (e.g., exclusive perks, lower rates). SaaS tools A/B test landing pages to improve conversion rates.

Data Lake
A centralized repository storing raw, unstructured data (e.g., guest reviews, social media sentiment) for advanced analytics and machine learning.

Digital Twin
A virtual replica of a hotel’s physical operations, used to simulate scenarios like staffing during peak seasons or energy usage optimization.

E

Event Management Software
Tools for planning conferences, weddings, and banquets. Features include floor plan design, attendee tracking, and catering cost analysis.

Extranet
A secure portal for hoteliers to manage OTA listings, update rates, and respond to guest reviews. Often integrated with channel managers.

Energy Management System (EMS)
IoT-enabled SaaS platforms that monitor and optimize energy consumption (e.g., smart thermostats, lighting controls) to reduce costs and carbon footprints.

F

Folio Management
Tracking all guest charges (rooms, F&B, amenities) and generating itemized invoices. Modern systems allow guests to view folios via mobile apps.

Frictionless Payments
Solutions like mobile wallets (Apple Pay, Google Pay) and one-click checkout to streamline transactions. Reduces checkout abandonment.

Forecasting Module
AI-driven tools predicting future occupancy, revenue, and staffing needs using historical data and market trends.

G

GDS (Global Distribution System)
A network used by travel agents (e.g., Amadeus, Sabre) to book hotels. CRS integrations ensure real-time GDS inventory updates.

Guest Journey Mapping
Visualizing every touchpoint (pre-booking, check-in, post-stay) to identify pain points and improve experiences. SaaS tools track interactions across channels.

Group Booking Management
Software to handle block reservations for events or corporate travel. Manages contracts, room blocks, and billing for large groups.

H

Housekeeping Module
Assigns and tracks cleaning tasks, room statuses, and maintenance requests. Integrates with PMS to notify front desk when rooms are ready.

Hybrid Meeting Tools
Solutions for managing in-person and virtual events (e.g., live streaming, virtual attendee engagement analytics).

Hospitality IoT
Smart devices (e.g., connected thermostats, occupancy sensors) that automate room customization and energy efficiency.

I

Integrated Payment Gateway
Secure payment processing embedded into PMS or booking engines. Ensures PCI compliance and supports multiple currencies.

Inventory Pooling
Sharing unsold inventory across sister properties or partner hotels to maximize occupancy. Managed via SaaS platforms.

Intelligent Chatbots
AI-driven assistants handling guest queries (e.g., Wi-Fi passwords, late checkout) via SMS, apps, or websites.

J

Journey Analytics
Analyzing guest behavior across channels (website clicks, app usage) to optimize marketing and service delivery.

JSON (JavaScript Object Notation)
A lightweight data format used in APIs to transfer reservation or guest data between systems like PMS and CRM.

K

Keyless Entry
Mobile app or wearable device-enabled room access. Integrates with PMS to grant access only during booked stay dates.

Kiosk Check-In
Self-service terminals for guests to check in, select rooms, and print keys. Reduces front-desk queues during peak hours.

L

Loyalty Management
Systems for tracking points, tier status, and personalized rewards. SaaS platforms automate targeted offers (e.g., double points for weekend stays).

Lead Management
Tracking and nurturing potential group bookings or corporate clients through CRM pipelines.

M

Meta-Search Engine
Platforms like Google Hotels or TripAdvisor that aggregate rates from OTAs and direct channels. Hotels bid for top placement via SaaS tools.

Maintenance Management
Software to schedule equipment repairs, track work orders, and manage vendor contracts. Prevents downtime in critical areas like HVAC.

Mobile Staff Apps
Apps enabling housekeeping, concierge, and maintenance teams to receive tasks, update statuses, and communicate in real time.

N

Night Audit
Automated end-of-day reconciliation of revenue, occupancy, and guest accounts. Flags discrepancies for review.

NFC (Near-Field Communication)
Contactless tech enabling mobile keys, payments, or personalized offers when guests tap their phones on NFC readers.

O

OTA (Online Travel Agency)
Third-party platforms like Booking.com or Expedia. SaaS channel managers sync inventory/rates to avoid overbooking.

Overstay Management
Tools to track late checkouts and automatically charge fees, reducing manual follow-up.

P

PMS (Property Management System)
The operational backbone for hotels, handling reservations, check-ins, billing, and reporting. Cloud-based PMS allows remote management.

Personalization Engine
AI analyzing guest data to deliver tailored experiences (e.g., room preferences, dining recommendations).

Predictive Maintenance
IoT sensors predicting equipment failures (e.g., elevators, boilers) before they disrupt operations.

Q

Quality Assurance (QA) Software
Tools to audit service standards via guest feedback, mystery shopper reports, or staff performance metrics.

Queue Management
Virtual queuing systems for restaurants or spas, allowing guests to wait remotely via SMS alerts.

R

RevPAR (Revenue Per Available Room)
ADR × Occupancy Rate. The ultimate metric for evaluating a hotel’s revenue health.

Reputation Management
Monitoring and responding to reviews on TripAdvisor, Google, and social media. SaaS tools automate sentiment analysis.

RFID Wristbands
Wearables for cashless payments, room access, and personalized experiences at resorts or festivals.

S

SaaS (Software as a Service)
Cloud-based software licensed via subscription (e.g., cloud PMS, RMS). Updates are automatic, reducing IT costs.

Sustainability Analytics
Tracking energy/water usage, waste, and carbon emissions to meet ESG goals.

Single Sign-On (SSO)
Allows staff to access multiple tools (PMS, CRM, HR software) with one login, improving efficiency.

T

Task Automation
Robotic Process Automation (RPA) for repetitive tasks like invoicing or inventory reordering.

Tokenization
Replacing sensitive payment data with tokens to prevent fraud. Critical for PCI compliance.

Tour Operator Integration
Connecting PMS with tour operator systems to manage bulk bookings and commissions.

U

Upselling Engine
AI suggesting upgrades (e.g., suites, late checkouts) during booking or check-in.

User-Generated Content (UGC)
Incorporating guest photos/reviews into marketing campaigns via SaaS platforms.

V

Virtual Reality (VR) Tours
Immersive 360° room views integrated into booking engines to boost conversions.

Voice Search Optimization
Ensuring hotel content is compatible with voice assistants (e.g., “Hey Google, find hotels in Paris”).

W

Waitlist Management
Tools to manage overflow demand during sold-out periods, automatically offering alternatives.

Wholesaler Management
Platforms to negotiate and distribute inventory to wholesalers like Tourico Holidays.

X

XML Integration
A data format used by GDS and OTAs to exchange rates and availability with hotel CRS.

XaaS (Everything as a Service)
The trend toward subscription-based models for hardware, software, and IoT in hospitality.

Y

Yield Management
Strategies to maximize revenue by adjusting prices based on demand forecasts.

Yielding Calendar
Visual tools to set dynamic pricing rules for specific dates or events (e.g., concerts, holidays).

Z

Zero-Based Budgeting
Building budgets from scratch each period, often supported by SaaS analytics to justify expenses.

Zero-Click Check-In
Guests bypass check-in via pre-arrival digital forms and mobile keys sent to their phones.

This hospitality SaaS glossary is your cheat sheet to navigating the industry’s tech-driven landscape. Bookmark this page, share it with your team, and revisit as we update terms to reflect new innovations.

Have a term to add? Let us know in the comments!

Frequently Asked Questions