STAMFORD, Conn. -- Priceline.com said its new on-line hotel booking
service at www.priceline.com has been so successful that expansion
plans are under way already.
The hotel service debuted with about 1,000 hotels in 26 U.S.
cities and sold more than 1,500 room nights in its first two weeks
of operation, according to Priceline.com.
One-star properties are being added immediately to the product
mix, which originally encompassed hotels rated two stars or
better.
Beginning in January, hotels in 35 additional U.S. cities and
resort destinations will be added, bringing total inventory to more
than 1,500 hotels offering 2.3 million empty rooms per month,
Priceline.com said. Some of the cities due to come on line in
January include Albuquerque, N.M.; Colorado Springs; Colo.;
Minneapolis; Nashville, Tenn.; San Antonio, and Tucson, Ariz.
Priceline.com said it has sold more than 100,000 air tickets
since it debuted in April and now ranges as one of the national's
top 10 sellers of leisure air tickets.
"Following this expansion, our focus will then turn to adding
international hotels by the end of the year," Jay Walker,
Priceline.com's president and founder, said.
Priceline.com sells hotel rooms the same way it sells air
tickets -- by letting users set a price, submit a bid and hope a
supplier accepts it. Priceline.com also plans to sell rental cars
and cruises.