Expedia has introduced a toolkit for hotels, Expedia Powered
Technology, enabling them to offer packages and loyalty enrollment via Expedia
sites, among other offerings.
Private Label Packages stemmed out of a partnership with Vacations
by Marriott. The solution is an Expedia-powered packaging tool. It was also
tested by Barcelo Hotel Group and Omni Hotels & Resorts is the latest group
to sign on to the packaging solution.
Partner Loyalty Enrollment enables hotels to sign up Expedia
site users to their own brand loyalty programs. It was first tested with Red
Lion Hotels Corp., and Expedia said the program has expanded to include three hotel
chains.
Another offering is a meetings, incentives, conventions and
exhibitions solution, MICE Booking Technology, which automates booking for
meeting organizers and hotels. It enables hotels to integrate a MICE online
booking solution on their website. Germany's NH Hotel Group and Best Western
Central Europe are currently using the solution, with a global rollout to
follow, according to Expedia.
Expedia is also working to expand its TravelAds Direct, a
link-off version of its pay-per-click program. A link-off sponsored listing
product sends consumers directly to the advertising hotel's website. Expedia
said it is testing more digital marketing opportunities to add to the product.
Finally, Expedia is offering Rev+, a revenue management tool
that provides data and insights to hotels; it is offered through Expedia
PartnerCentral and comes at no additional cost.
"Expedia Powered Technology was born from rethinking
how we work with our hotel partners -- through listening to their needs, and
leveraging our technology as a driver for industry solutions," Cyril
Ranque, president of Lodging Partner Services, said in a statement. "We
are working to ensure we can not only provide distribution and new audiences
for our partners, but also help solve for other challenges they may have. As we
make the shift to strategically focus on needs of evolving business solutions,
we are committed to using our resources and technology to create new product
offerings that help our partners reach their goals."