The below blog will throw light on how PMS and Channel Manager can work together to enhance revenues and streamline operations for hotels, vacation rentals and ensure they can get higher revenues and easier operations.
1. What is a Property Management System (PMS)?
A PMS is the digital front desk of a hotel which performs regular front desk operations like
- Manage online and offline reservations in one place
- Allocate rooms automatically and avoid conflicts
- Handle check-in and check-out smoothly
- Track guest history, preferences, and profiles
- Manage invoices, folios, and payments
- Oversee housekeeping and maintenance tasks
- Generate real-time reports for smarter decision-making
2. What is a Channel Manager?
A Channel Manager is the system that keeps your property connected to all major Online Travel Agencies (OTAs) like Booking.com, Airbnb, and Expedia and performs the following tasks:
- Instantly updates rates and inventory across OTAs
- Pools reservations from every channel into one dashboard
- Prevents double bookings by syncing availability in real time
- Maintains rate parity across channels
- Provides insights on OTA commissions and booking patterns
Without a Channel Manager, staff would need to log into each OTA separately, creating errors, wasting time, and risking lost revenue.
3. Challenges of Running PMS and Channel Manager Separately
Many hotels still use PMS and Channel Manager from different providers, often with weak or partial integration which results in following issues:
- Manual entering of OTA bookings into the PMS leading to waste of time.
- Guest messages, reviews, or commission data often never reach the PMS.
- Overbookings and mismatched rates occur due to delayed updates.
- Vendors often point fingers when issues arise, leaving hoteliers stuck in the middle.
Instead of improving efficiency, these fragmented setups slow down operations and limit opportunities for hotel revenue optimization.
4. The Power of PMS and Channel Manager Integration
When PMS and Channel Manager are built into the same system—or tightly integrated—the benefits are immediate and significant:
One Central Dashboard : Staff can manage reservations, Front desk, billing, OTA distribution, and reports all from a single login.
Real-Time Data Sync : New reservations, cancellations, and modifications flow directly into the PMS, while updated availability pushes instantly to OTAs—ending overbooking nightmares and no need to manage two separate systems.
Dynamic Pricing & RMS Support : With an inbuilt Revenue Management System (RMS), rates can adjust dynamically based on demand, seasonality, or occupancy. The PMS tracks performance, the RMS calculates the right price, and the Channel Manager distributes it instantly. Moreover, the PMS can take dynamic rates and use it for offline bookings also making the overall process more effective.
Enhanced Guest Experience : Guest reviews, special requests, and communication from OTAs are stored directly in the PMS, giving staff the context needed to personalize service and improve operations.
Consolidated Analytics : Hoteliers get one clear view of revenues, occupancy, room wise performance, channel performance, and guest satisfaction, making it easier to spot trends and adjust strategies.
Simplified Vendor Management : By choosing an all-in-one provider, hotels avoid the blame game between multiple vendors and enjoy faster support.
5. How to Choose the Right PMS and Channel Manager
Before investing in technology, hotels should consider a few key points:
- Is it cloud-based and accessible from anywhere?
- Is the interface simple and intuitive enough and easy for staff to train?
- How many OTAs and distribution channels are supported?
- Does it include an inbuilt RMS for automated, data-driven pricing?
- Can it scale to support group hotels or multi-property chains?
- Is it priced flexibly for small independents as well as large chains?
A unified PMS + Channel Manager system that ticks these boxes will deliver measurable improvements in both guest service and profitability.
6. Leading Providers in the Market
Some well-known providers like Cloudbeds, RoomRaccoon, and Ezee offer PMS and Channel Manager solutions. However, most fall short on advanced features such as integrated dynamic pricing RMS or complete ERP functionality.
Aiosell, for example, is unique in offering not just PMS and Channel Manager, but also RMS, Booking Engine, POS, Accounting, HR, CRM, and more—all under one affordable, scalable platform.
7. Case Study: Muscatel Hotels
Muscatel Hotels in Darjeeling and Gangtok began with a single property but grew to eight within three years. A large part of that expansion came from using an integrated PMS + Channel Manager + RMS. Automation allowed them to keep pricing competitive, manage distribution effectively, and focus on guest satisfaction. Read their full story here.
Conclusion
In a competitive market, hotels cannot afford to run disconnected systems. Guests expect smooth service, and owners need tools that make it easier to maximize hotel revenue.
A cloud-based PMS paired with a powerful Channel Manager ensures seamless operations, better guest experiences, and stronger financial performance. For independent hotels, hostels, or even chains, choosing an integrated solution is less about convenience and more about staying competitive.
With platforms like Aiosell, which combine PMS, Channel Manager, RMS, and full ERP modules, hotels gain a reliable partner to simplify operations and drive growth. Integration is no longer optional—it’s the secret weapon for success in modern hospitality.
