Expedia said Wednesday it has launched the
Expedia Rate and Inventory Channel Management Certification
Program, which it said will streamline management of rates and
inventory for hoteliers across Expedia's global travel brands.
Expedia, the Bellevue,
Wash.-based online travel agency, said the certification awards
will enable the company to assure partners that the channel
management and rate allocation technology tools they are using are
compatible with Expedia's mix of inventory and pricing
models.
"Expedia approaches
connectivity solutions for small and large hotels, chains and
independent properties in a scalable manner," Dean Gregory, senior
director of hotel systems connectivity at Expedia said in a
statement released by the company. "The Certification Program makes
it easy for independent properties and small- to medium-sized hotel
chains to achieve maximum efficiency in managing their rates and
inventory with Expedia, which, for many hotels, serves as the
single largest channel for bookings."
The Channel Manager
Certification Program is the most recent in a series of
enhancements that Expedia has made to its hotel connectivity
solutions portfolio, the company said.
Expedia QuickConnect
was launched last June, and addresses the needs of independent,
small- and medium-sized hotel chains by enabling exchange of rates,
availability and booking information through a direct connection
with Expedia.
Expedia said hotels in
23 countries, operating on 28 different reservations systems, have
established direct connections to Expedia through Expedia
QuickConnect in the first six months of service.
To contact reporter Dan
Luzadder, send e-mail to [email protected].