Expedia News and Updates

Expedia Group is one of the most influential players in online travel, with a portfolio of brands and platforms that shape the digital booking landscape. PhocusWire provides timely, in-depth coverage of Expedia news and updates, including leadership changes, platform innovation, and shifts in its global strategy across lodging, air, and experiences.

The latest developments from Expedia and the OTA market

Track how Expedia is evolving its technology stack, streamlining traveler engagement, and reimagining its marketplace to compete in a rapidly changing OTA environment. Our reporting includes insights on product development, loyalty integration, and strategic partnerships that reflect broader trends in online travel retail.

Priceline Group CEO confirms Rocketmiles deal
News
Priceline Group CEO confirms Rocketmiles deal
By Nick Vivion | March 10, 2015
After weeks of "no comments" and general shrugging of shoulders, Priceline Group's deal to buy Rocketmiles is official. Rocketmiles, which incentivizes hotel bookings through mileage bonuses with o Read More
Expedia CFO's global plan: acquire, invest, and consolidate
News / Distribution
Expedia CFO's global plan: acquire, invest, and consolidate
By Sean O'Neil | March 10, 2015
Mark Okerstrom, chief financial officer for Expedia Inc, loves doing deals. The more complex, the better, he says. In the past two years, the 42-year old lawyer led the company's successful acquisi Read More
Expedia eyes South America, invests $270 million in Decolar online travel agency
News
Expedia eyes South America, invests $270 million in Decolar online travel agency
By Kevin May | March 10, 2015
More strategic moves by Expedia Inc as it invests $270 million in South American online travel agencies Decolar and Despegar. The investment will give Expedia a minority stake of about 20% in the D Read More
Franchise hotels and the framing of online travel agencies
News
Franchise hotels and the framing of online travel agencies
By Viewpoints | February 27, 2015
For more than a decade, online travel agencies such as Expedia or Booking.com have been demonized by franchise chains for being too expensive. Is the criticism true, or is it possible that the OTAs Read More
Expedia spends $86.3 million to increase stake in AirAsia joint venture
News / Distribution
Expedia spends $86.3 million to increase stake in AirAsia joint venture
By Kevin May | February 17, 2015
Expedia Inc will now command a 75% ownership of its joint venture with AirAsia, after a cash injection of $86.3 million this week. The pair originally formed the partnership in March 2011 as a 50:5 Read More
Orbitz to net $115 million from Expedia if deal falls through due to anti-trust
News
Orbitz to net $115 million from Expedia if deal falls through due to anti-trust
By Nick Vivion | February 13, 2015
The SEC published Expedia's Form 8-K which discloses its proposed merger with Orbitz Worldwide, Inc., and there's a whopper of a clause: Expedia will dish out $115 million to Orbitz in the event that Read More
How the Expedia-Orbitz deal could have happened five years ago
News / Distribution
How the Expedia-Orbitz deal could have happened five years ago
By Kevin May | February 13, 2015
News this week that Expedia has bought rival Orbitz signals a fundamental shift in the world of online travel agencies. But the industry already had an inkling that something like this was on the c Read More
Expedia to buy Orbitz in cash deal worth $1.6 billion
News / Distribution
Expedia to buy Orbitz in cash deal worth $1.6 billion
By Kevin May | February 12, 2015
Expedia Inc has agreed a deal to buy Orbitz Worldwide in a transaction for $12 per share in cash. The acquisition represents an enterprise value of $1.6 billion, a statement says, with a premium of Read More
Expedia spent $2.8 billion on marketing in 2014 (four times its investment in tech)
News / Online
Expedia spent $2.8 billion on marketing in 2014 (four times its investment in tech)
By Kevin May | February 11, 2015
Pumping in $686 million into developing technology sounds like a princely sum for Expedia Inc - but is a shadow of its marketing outlay. During 2014, some $2.8 billion was spent on marketing across Read More
Expedia: Playing catch-up against Priceline while digesting Wotif, Travelocity
News / Distribution
Expedia: Playing catch-up against Priceline while digesting Wotif, Travelocity
By Sean O'Neil | February 5, 2015
Expedia Inc was an early starter in the online travel business. Yet it's been looking enviously at rival Priceline Group's large and profitable acquisitions of Booking.com, Agoda, and Kayak. In the Read More
Expedia buys Travelocity for $280 million
News / Distribution
Expedia buys Travelocity for $280 million
By Kevin May | January 23, 2015
Sabre has finally offloaded its interest in consumer-facing businesses by selling Travelocity to Expedia for $280 million in cash. The acquisition will not come as a huge surprise to many (not leas Read More
Shire Hotels brings price comparison back to home turf
News / Distribution
Shire Hotels brings price comparison back to home turf
By Linda Fox | January 21, 2015
In what can only be described as a bold move, Shire Hotels has introduced price comparison functionality on its website displaying rates from big OTAs alongside its own. In a bid to boost conversio Read More
HRS loses rate parity appeal, calls for unified approach
News / Distribution
HRS loses rate parity appeal, calls for unified approach
By Linda Fox | January 13, 2015
A German court has ruled parity clauses from hotel specialist HRS are anti-competitive, paving the way for similar decisions on other online intermediaries. The ruling from the Higher Regional Cour Read More
The reality of distribution in tours and activities
News / Distribution
The reality of distribution in tours and activities
By Stephen Joyce | January 13, 2015
I write this article in the hope that someday soon the reality of distribution in the tours and activities space will change, and change dramatically. For years I've been advocating for increased d Read More
Expedia creates new Sell Tonight tool to help hotels push last-minute rooms
News
Expedia creates new Sell Tonight tool to help hotels push last-minute rooms
By Sean O'Neil | January 13, 2015
Expedia Inc is adding a "Sell Tonight" function to Expedia PartnerCentral (EPC), the extranet that hotel managers use to upload room and rates inventory to the company's online travel agencies. The Read More
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