Expedia Group will become the exclusive distributor of
Marriott International's wholesale rates, availability and content, starting
Oct. 15.
Under the agreement, third parties will have
to contract with Expedia Partner Solutions to access Marriott's wholesale
rates. Tour operators, however, will still
be able to access wholesale rates directly from Marriott.
The model "will eliminate the complexity and
inefficiency of today's wholesale redistribution model for Marriott hotels,"
Expedia said in a statement, as well as provide a "consistent and reliable
shopping experience for travelers."
Expedia described wholesale distribution today as "fragmented
and complex," with a number of third-party redistributors and various
technologies to navigate.