Online travel agencies have been powering elements of third party websites for years - but here is one deal that flies in the face of the current direct-intermediary saga.
Expedia and Marriott have signed what they are touting as a "next generation partnership", by which they mean the Vacations By Marriott service will use a dynamic packaging platform powered by the OTA.
The agreement is a relatively simple one used by Expedia Global Partner Solutions - and one often used by other third parties when needing a flight or hotel product element added to their existing website (such as airports for the latter, or tourism boards for both).
In this case, Expedia will be used by Marriott so that visitors to its Vacations service can add an air ticket, tour, attraction or ground transportation to their accommodation.
Expedia claims to have some 475 airlines available on the system.
Marriott CEO Arne Sorenson says:
"We believe there is considerable untapped opportunity between our two companies to drive value to hotel owners and travelers alike by strengthening our Vacations by Marriott's offering.
"We are thrilled to launch this new product with Expedia's technology, and to explore new areas of partnership beyond our existing distribution relationship."
Whilst many will think this is just another affiliate deal (it is, in its basic form), such an agreement comes at the same time as Marriott, alongside other major hotel chains, works tirelessly on its marketing to urge travellers to book direct... at the expense of intermediaries such as Expedia (though it is never named).
The #ItPaysToBookDirect campaign is more than 12 months old now and, initially, triggered a fair degree of upset from the likes of the American Society of Travel Agents, which questioned if the marketing was "legal and truthful" as well as apparently being anti-travel agent.
Marriott hit back at the time, saying the campaign was "simply another common practice effort to create awareness of our existing site to inform customers who choose to make their own reservations".
Still, nothing like a new opportunity for some temporary peace and harmony in hotel-OTA relations.
Expedia Inc CEO, Dara Khosrowshahi, says the company is "going through an exciting period where we are evolving how we think about our business", including how it works with its partners."
He adds:
"Our investments in technology, marketing and data analysis help us to better serve partners and travelers around the world, and enable us to move our value beyond distribution, for the benefit of our partners."