Expedia.com Expedia and Hotels.com Announce Global Distribution Agreement with Choice Hotels International
BELLEVUE, Wash. – May 10, 2005 – Expedia® and Hotels.com™ today announced a global agreement with Choice Hotels International (NYSE:CHH) that provides Expedia.com® and Hotels.com customers with enhanced access to the more than 5,000 hotels that comprise the Choice Hotels family of franchised properties. Choice Hotels brands include Comfort Inn®, Comfort Suites®, Quality®, Sleep Inn®, Clarion®, MainStay Suites®, Econo Lodge®, and Rodeway Inn®.
“Core elements of our strategic plan include leveraging our distribution size and scale to reach more customers and build strong brands to benefit our franchisees and investors,” said Mary Beth Knight, vice president, e-commerce at Choice Hotels. “This expanded global relationship with Expedia and Hotels.com, which provide access to nearly 25 million travel shoppers a month, is a critical part of that strategy. In addition, through proactive merchandising and marketing, Choice will be able to accurately and prominently promote our hotels, reaching customers we otherwise might not have reached.”
Expedia and Hotels.com customers will now find it easier than ever to find accommodations at any Choice brand hotel around the world, and hotels will have increased access to the nearly 25 million shoppers that visit Expedia and Hotels.com each month.
“Our business is built with great partners such as Choice Hotels,” said Andy Assante, vice president of national accounts at Expedia and Hotels.com. “Their properties around the world add tremendous value to the diverse mix of options we have available for booking on our sites.”
As part of the agreement, Choice Hotels is implementing a direct connection with Expedia® and Hotels.com. Built on the Open Travel Alliance (OTA) standard, Expedia’s direct connect technology reduces the cost of each transaction booked through Expedia and Hotels.com. The technology also makes it more efficient and cost-effective for hotels to manage inventory and rates available on Expedia and Hotels.com through the Choice Hotels central reservations system.
About Choice Hotels
Worldwide lodging franchisor Choice Hotels International markets more than 5,000 hotels in over 40 countries under the Comfort Inn, Comfort Suites, Quality, Clarion, Sleep Inn, MainStay Suites, Econo Lodge, and Rodeway Inn brand names. The company’s newest brand, Cambria Suites, launched in January 2005. For more information on Choice, visit the company’s web site at www.choicehotels.com.
About Expedia, Inc.
Expedia, Inc. is the world’s leading online travel service and the fourth largest travel agency in the United States. Expedia’s award-winning Expert Searching and Pricing (ESP) technology delivers the most comprehensive flight options available online. ESP also allows customers to dynamically build complete trips that combine flights, Expedia® Special Rate hotels and other lodging, ground transportation, and destination services and activities. Expedia’s quality and leadership have been recognized in awards such as PC Magazine’s “Editors’ Choice” and Forbes’ “Favorite General Travel Site.” Expedia is an operating company of IAC/InterActiveCorp (NASDAQ: IACI). CST: 2029030-40
About Hotels.com
Hotels.com, the experts in booking hotel stays online or offline, offers reservation services through its own websites (including www.hotels.com and others), its interactive affiliate network (www.IAN.com), and its toll-free call centers (1-800-2-HOTELS). Hotels.com gives travelers the widest selection of lodging accommodations from traditional hotels to vacation rentals at over 17,000 properties in more than 400 cities in North America, Europe, the Caribbean and Asia. The company is a one-stop shopping source for hotel pricing, amenities and availability, and also specializes in providing travelers with accommodations during sold-out periods. Hotels.com is an operating business of IAC/InterActiveCorp (NASDAQ: IACI). CST: 2059975-40.