In the travel and hospitality industry, a reservation system is formally known as a Computer Reservation System (CRS) or a Central Reservation System. These are computerized systems used to store and retrieve information and conduct transactions related to air travel, hotels, car rentals, or other activities. When these systems are expanded to allow travel agents and third-party sites to book across multiple different providers (like various airlines and hotel chains), they are known as Global Distribution Systems (GDS). Major examples of GDS platforms in 2026 include Amadeus, Sabre, and Travelport. For smaller businesses, like boutique hotels or restaurants, the system might be referred to as a Property Management System (PMS) or a simple "Booking Engine." Regardless of the specific acronym, these systems serve as the digital backbone of the industry, managing inventory in real-time to ensure that a seat or room isn't sold twice to different customers across the world.