Final answer:
The lowest-cost distribution channel in a hotel environment is typically on-property transient room sales, as it involves direct sales without additional costs from intermediaries like CRS, GDS, and IDS.
Step-by-step explanation:
In today's hotel environment, the lower-cost distribution channel often refers to the most efficient and cost-effective method of selling hotel rooms to customers. Among the options given, a. On-property transient room sales typically represent the lowest cost distribution channel since this involves direct sales without intermediaries. A property's central reservation system (CRS), global distribution system (GDS), and Internet distribution system (IDS) all typically involve certain fees or commissions that can make them more expensive than direct on-property sales.