Bookings, Payments & Property Management. Simplified.

RoomSeeker™ Software Case Study:

Empowering SANParks with Scalable Booking and Property Management

Managing accommodation and activities across multiple national parks is no small task. From thousands of beds to daily housekeeping operations and visitor logistics, SANParks needed more than a basic hotel management system—they needed a robust, centralised solution.

Over 20 years ago, Real Travel and Tourism Systems (RTTS)—part of the KRS Group—stepped up to build that solution. The result: RoomSeeker^™, a powerful, real-time hospitality and property management platform tailored to the needs of South Africa’s premier conservation authority.

The Challenge: Outdated Software and Fragmented Operations

SANParks struggled with legacy hotel systems that couldn’t handle the scale and complexity of managing accommodations across multiple parks. They required a central booking system that could unify operations, improve guest experience, and maintain data integrity across all properties.

The Solution: RoomSeeker™ Centralised Booking System

RTTS delivered RoomSeeker^™, a scalable, cloud-based system that provides:

• Real-time inventory and booking management across call centers, online platforms, and on-site walk-ins.
• Centralised control and auditing for tracking all changes, from admin updates to guest reservations.
• End-to-end visibility into bookings, guest data, and system performance across the entire SANParks network.
• Flexible configuration for rates, rules, and workflows suited to diverse property types.

RoomSeeker^™ enabled SANParks to manage visitor bookings efficiently while maintaining complete control over operations, compliance, and guest service quality.

The Solution: RoomSeeker^™ Centralised Booking System

RTTS delivered RoomSeeker^™, a scalable, cloud-based system that provides:

• Real-time inventory and booking management across call centers, online platforms, and on-site walk-ins.
• Centralised control and auditing for tracking all changes, from admin updates to guest reservations.
• End-to-end visibility into bookings, guest data, and system performance across the entire SANParks network.
• Flexible configuration for rates, rules, and workflows suited to diverse property types.

RoomSeeker^™ enabled SANParks to manage visitor bookings efficiently while maintaining complete control over operations, compliance, and guest service quality.

Key Benefits Delivered

• Scalable Visitor Management
  RoomSeeker^™ handles high-volume seasonal bookings with ease, ensuring stability and uptime even during peak periods.
• Enhanced Security & POPIA Compliance
  With secure data handling protocols in place, RoomSeeker^™ ensures all personal guest information is protected and compliant with South Africa’s POPIA regulations.
• Seamless Integration
  The platform integrates smoothly with payment gateways, loyalty programs, and guest communication tools, creating a connected ecosystem that streamlines operations and enhances guest experiences.

RoomSeeker^™ now plays a vital role in supporting SANParks mission to protect and promote South Africa’s natural heritage, while delivering a seamless, secure, and guest-friendly booking experience across the country.

Tailored RoomSeeker™ Customizations for SANParks

SANParks maximized the value of RoomSeeker^™ by implementing strategic customizations tailored to South Africa’s unique operational landscape.

The enhancements focused on streamlining gate access, securing auditable payment workflows, and delivering customized reporting and business intelligence tools—transforming RoomSeeker^™ into a solution that aligned perfectly with SANParks day-to-day needs.

The development journey began with a waterfall approach, where RTTS and SANParks worked closely to gather detailed software requirements, define project deliverables, and align on specifications. Once approved, both teams collaborated to define timelines, compile a project roadmap, and set clear expectations through weekly progress meetings.

As the project evolved, the development team adopted a hybrid Agile methodology, combining the best of Scrum, Kanban, Lean, and Modern Agile principles.

This shift accelerated delivery, with new features released every two weeks. SANParks gained real-time visibility into progress through tools like Jira, and continuous feedback loops ensured strong alignment between development and business goals.

Key Customization Achievements

• Self-service eCommerce platform: Empowered guests to manage their own bookings online, significantly reducing call centre dependency.
• Regulatory compliance: Ensured adherence to POPIA and PCI DSS, while implementing secure data storage and archiving dormant client data.
• Third-party integrations: Connected seamlessly with systems for SMS notifications, emergency alerts, and the Wild Card loyalty programme

RoomSeeker^™ uses a modular software architecture that supports long-term scalability and high-volume performance, critical for meeting the needs of SANParks expansive national booking system.

Each technology component was selected to ensure performance, responsiveness, and seamless integration across a distributed environment.

Agile SDLC and Quality Assurance

Our team followed an Agile Software Development Life Cycle (SDLC) with a strong emphasis on quality assurance and test coverage. We applied Test-Driven Development (TDD) practices for both unit and integration testing, ensuring every feature met strict performance and reliability standards.

After each development sprint, we gathered client feedback and documented changes in a structured change control process.

Before releasing any new functionality or integrating unfamiliar technology, we conducted a Proof of Concept (PoC) to evaluate impact, validate performance, and ensure transparency with the client.

Every module, feature, and integration underwent a full sign-off process, including bug tracking, post-deployment monitoring, and a rollback plan to mitigate risk in production environments.

Technical Excellence and Cross-Functional Expertise

If any new technology were introduced into the environment, or if a tricky part of the system was being changed, RTTS would do a Proof of Concept (PoC) first to ensure the client had visibility into the change and any impacts it would have on performance or service.

Every component of the technology and solution implemented had to be signed off before it was released, and this included testing, addressing bugs, and managing integrations. Builds were monitored post-implementation to ensure there were no unexpected issues and a rollback plan was put in place should the need arise.

“Over the years, the constant upskilling of the team was required, keeping everyone up to date with technology changes. The team had to react to legislation quickly and efficiently to ensure SANParks was always compliant and aligned.

Our team brought project management, business analysis, scrum master, DevOps, database administration, and design skills to the implementation, blending multiple skills to deliver on a successful solution,” Haseley Mohamed, COO of RTTS.

What the Client has to say

A sustainable relationship

Today, SANParks has a reliable booking and property management solution capable of adapting to changing business needs within an eCommerce site that enables self-service bookings and changes.

Visitors can manage their bookings without needing to contact the call centre, and this has improved revenues tremendously.

The RTTS development team’s combined work ethic, commitment to service delivery, and close collaboration with SANParks ensured the project and ongoing success. RTTS continues to support SANParks with ongoing maintenance and improvements, ensuring the system is up-to-date and responsive to SANParks’ growing needs.

The modular design and API integrations have equipped SANParks with the flexibility to expand service offerings, enabling future scalability without additional support costs.

Both RTTS and SANParks continue to work together to ensure RoomSeeker^™ remains agile, operational, and relevant to the company’s needs.