Online travel agencies are expanding programs that offer travel agent commissions on hotel bookings and travel packages.
Expedia this month launched its affiliate program in North America, and Orbitz expanded its program in Europe.
Expedia's program is an extension of similar efforts in Europe and Asia and comes just a few months after Orbitz unveiled orbitzforagents.com in North America.
"Expedia is committed to providing the most comprehensive, efficient and flexible service to our customers and partners," said Tim MacDonald, senior vice president and general manager of Expedia.com. "Our Travel Agent Affiliate Program has been extremely successful in Europe and Asia, and we are very excited to bring it to the travel agent community in our largest market.
"We recognize that offline agents are a critical part of the travel landscape, and TAAP provides the perfect way for Expedia to work with this community."
Expedia's Travel Agent Affiliate Program was first launched in Italy in 2002 and has since expanded to the U.K., France, Germany, Canada, Australia and New Zealand. The program currently has more than 8,000 members worldwide.
Orbitz, meantime, expanded its program with its European partner, Ebookers. The program, ebookersforagents.com, is expanding first to the U.K. and Ireland.
Orbitz launched its travel agent program in North America in February. In just the first two months, the company said, it signed more than 4,000 travel agents.
Orbitz's program is free to join, and Expedia's program is free until June 30, after which it will charge agents a $50 one-time fee to join.
To become a member of the Expedia program, agents can register by clicking on the travel agent access link in the footer ofExpedia.com. To join the Orbitz or Ebookers programs, agents can sign up at orbitzforagents.com and ebookersforagents.com.
This report appeared in the May 17 issue of Travel Weekly.