Tech News

Saastra launches automated hospitality ecosystem software

Gayatri Vijaykumar - Bangalore

Vishnu Murali Konduru Founder and CEO, Saastra Software

Saastra Software, a Bangalore-based software firm, has launched Saastra, a software claimed to be the first of its kind in the world which would automate the entire ecosystem of the hospitality sector, thereby eliminating the involvement of an agent.

According to its founder and CEO, Vishnu Murali Konduru, the software provides services such as reservation, guest service operation and Property Management Systems (PMS) at zero commissions and with no capital expenditure involved.

Konduru feels that the hospitality sector is one of the least automated ones. "There is no single software wherein a service provider like a hotel can make reservations, manage all their properties and handle sales all together because of which there is a heavy reliance on travel agents. Commissions have to be paid to all the intermediaries, and the service providers usually offset the charges by hiking their prices. By bringing the entire hospitality ecosystem into a single software, the whole requirement of an intermediary can be eliminated." Konduru says that the name Saastra is a pun on Shaastra. "The 'Saa' stands for software as a service and the 'Tra' stands for Transportation and Accommodation."

The software can be rented on a monthly fee basis. "We have identified approximately 385 towns which have hotels and other accommodation providers who may be interested in registering with Saastra. The towns have been divided into four tiers and the monthly fees have been worked out based on factors such as the size of the property, the town it is located in." says Konduru. According to him, the charges can range between Rs 500, for the smaller properties located in tier IV towns to Rs 8,000 for a larger property with 100-plus rooms, located at a tier I city.

Apart from conventional accommodation providers like hotels and resorts, Saastra is targeting home-stays and even college hostels. "A college hostel, which remains vacant during the holidays can be let out to other students or vacationers, so we are offering the software to colleges for free," explains Konduru. The software also lays claim to being the first software in the world to automate the Meetings Incentives Conventions Exhibitions (MICE) segment. "Despite being a US$ 300 billion component of the hospitality industry, it is not automated. The number of variables involved in conducting MICE makes it difficult; we offer a one-stop solution to conduct MICE."

The question of safety crops up in the case of any online transaction. "We have taken all standard safety measures. This is a web-based business and safety is the core of our survival," asserts Konduru. Currently the software is in English, but Konduru plans to launch it in vernacular languages too.