IBS Software Acquires APS® for $90 Million as It Targets Major Growth in Hospitality Sector

Acquisition allows IBS Software to add state-of-the-art CRS, PMS and RMS capabilities to its established booking engine and distribution platform, significantly increasing its addressable market in hospitality

ATLANTA, Jan. 16, 2024 /PRNewswire/ -- IBS Software, a leading SaaS solutions provider to the travel industry globally, has reached an agreement to acquire the ground-breaking hotel and travel technology provider Above Property Services (APS®). The $90 million transaction will further solidify IBS Software's position in the hospitality market and strengthen the brand, to underpin an ambitious expansion of its reach in the hospitality industry.

The strategic acquisition will enable IBS Software to provide the only unified platform in the hospitality industry for seamlessly managing the entire customer journey from booking to fulfillment for the global hotel chain, resort, and gaming markets. The move will significantly expand the company's offering with the addition of cutting-edge CRS (Central Reservation System), PMS (Property Management System) and RMS (Revenue Management System) solutions.  With this acquisition IBS Software adds Call Center and Demand-side (stored and third-party inventory) solutions to its already established booking engine and distribution platform used by over 36,000 hotels worldwide, including many of the world's largest and best-known hotels and resorts.

APS was founded in 2012 by Aaron Shepherd, an industry pioneer who developed a number of the world's leading hospitality PMS and CRS solutions. The company was established to completely reinvent hotel software from the ground up, offering a revolutionary cutting-edge unified platform optimized for the hotel enterprise sector. A typical hotel organization requires multiple core software platforms to capture bookings and provide services, requiring multiple vendors and integrations. Each system needs unique logins, user interfaces, training requirements, upgrade paths, pricing and contract terms, breeding inefficiency – especially considering 80% of the data in each application is redundant and has to be replicated or synchronized. 

Over the last decade, APS's platform has created a new standard for speed, flexibility and stability for travel and hospitality CRS, PMS and RMS – empowering businesses to transform how they connect with guests and drive revenues, while significantly streamlining    operations.

Aaron Shepherd, Founder and CEO of APS, added: "IBS Software and APS both recognize the crucial need to accelerate next-level transformation in travel and hospitality to create unparalleled value for its clients. It is this shared vision that has inspired our collaboration. APS has successfully developed the only unified cloud-native microservices platform that frees operators from the limitations of legacy, monolithic technologies, providing flexibility, speed, and the ability to scale infinitely. Today's news gives APS customers the stability and resources of a large, multi-national travel leader and will give IBS Software clients and partners access to the most modern and comprehensive modular solution in the industry, ushering in a new era of growth and propelling them to new heights. I personally, am delighted to be joining IBS Software and very excited to be part of this evolution as an industry leader, with the acquisition of APS."

Peter Krebs, Head of Travel & Hospitality Solutions at IBS Software, commented: "There is an unmet need in the hospitality industry to simplify how rooms and other services are sold. Too many businesses are being held back by legacy technology that prevents them from living up to their potential. It's vital they have the tools they need to be effective in a rapidly changing marketplace. We were blown away by the capabilities of the ground-breaking APS platform and the value it delivers to travel businesses, providing them with the power to simplify their tech stack to instantly create new services and offers. We are very excited to bring Aaron Shepherd and his entire team onboard, and with this IBS Software and APS will be uniquely placed to offer the only unified platform for the global hospitality chain and enterprise market. We couldn't be more excited about what we can achieve together."

V K Mathews, Founder and Executive Chairman of IBS Software, said: "APS is a true disruptor in the travel tech industry. Led by Aaron Shepherd, a visionary in the sector, the team has executed flawlessly on its vision to streamline complex processes in the hospitality businesses to deliver integrated, end-to-end services that differentiate and improve the customer experience. This acquisition will significantly enhance IBS Software's offerings in hospitality, expanding our market reach and win market share in multiple segments, including medium to large hotel chains as well as luxury, resort and gaming customers."

According to a recent h2c Global Hospitality Distribution Study, the CRS is the leading distribution system for 89% of large hotel chains and 60% of medium-sized hotel chains, with 20% of hotel organizations planning to replace their CRS within three years. Through this transaction, IBS Software will substantially extend its total addressable market and capitalize on the growing demand.

Steffan Berelowitz, Head of the Hospitality Business at IBS Software, will lead the development and expansion of the hospitality business, working closely with Aaron Shepherd.

The transaction is subject to customary closing conditions.

NOTES TO EDITORS

ABOUT IBS SOFTWARE

IBS Software is a leading SaaS solutions provider to the travel industry globally, managing mission-critical operations for customers in the aviation, tour & cruise, hospitality, and energy resources industries. IBS Software's solutions for the aviation industry cover fleet & crew operations, aircraft maintenance, passenger services, loyalty programs, staff travel and air-cargo management. Across the hospitality sector, IBS Software offers a cloud-native, unified platform for hotels and travel sellers, including central reservation (CRS), property management (PMS), revenue management (RMS), call center, booking engine, loyalty and distribution. For the tour and cruise industry, IBS provides a comprehensive, customer-centric, digital platform that covers onshore, online and on-board solutions. The Consulting and Digital Transformation (CDx) business focuses on driving digital transformation initiatives of its customers, leveraging its domain knowledge, digital technologies and engineering excellence. IBS Software operates from 16 offices across the world. Further information at www.ibsplc.com. Follow us: Blog | Twitter | LinkedIn | Facebook | Instagram

ABOUT ABOVE PROPERTY SERVICES (APS®)

Above Property Services (APS®) is leading the charge to deliver innovative, scalable, and services-oriented platforms for the global travel industry and other related verticals. We think differently, and we are constantly innovating. APS offers the only platform that can evolve seamlessly in response to industry demands, with credit to a microservices architecture that empowers continuous development and refinement.

Built from the ground up, the APS ecosystem empowers continuous development and refinement of your critical business processes via a unique microservice architecture. Designed for performance, flexibility, security, and stability, the future-proof framework is up and running quickly, delivering a scalable, cost-effective solution that can work with or replace your existing tools and investments. APS is a platform that adapts to you – not the other way around.

Powering both large and small companies, we understand the industry's challenges in the past, and we have developed a platform suited for the future.  To learn more about APS, visit www.aboveproperty.com.

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SOURCE IBS Software