Expedia.com Expedia and Ticketmaster Form Wide-Ranging Strategic Alliance
BELLEVUE, Wash. –June 4, 2002 –Expedia, Inc. (Nasdaq: EXPE), the world’s leading online travel company, and Ticketmaster (Nasdaq: TMCS), the world’s leading ticketing and access company, today announced a strategic alliance. The agreement includes:
the creation of Citysearch’s new Getaways Channel – a content area that enables site visitors to plan and book trips using an Expedia.com® booking tool;
the addition of Citysearch local content to Expedia.com; and
the availability of selected Ticketmaster event tickets, such as “Rent” on Broadway, within Expedia®’s customer-built trips.
The alliance marks the first time that the two USA Interactive (Nasdaq: USAI) companies, Expedia and Ticketmaster, have announced a significant collaboration to benefit their customers.
“Today’s announcement marks the beginning of a momentous alliance in which consumers are the big winners, as Expedia and Ticketmaster marry the best of our offerings to help travelers at every step of their trip – from planning and booking travel to researching activities at their destination,” said Erik Blachford, president of Expedia, North America. “Every month, nearly seven million people use Citysearch to help plan their weekend activities, and Expedia is the perfect partner to provide the tools and deals they need for a quick getaway, including access to our inventory of specially negotiated and discounted airfares.”
The Getaways Channel is available as a tab in the navigation menu at the top of all Citysearch city guides. As consumers use the site to find and plan what they want to do in their hometown or in cities they want to visit, they can click on Getaways, where they will find an Expedia.com booking tool to shop for and purchase flights, hotels, car rentals, cruises, and vacation packages. Citysearch users can also quickly find discounted hotel rooms to top destinations, and view special promotions and other travel deals.
“The Getaways Channel is about customers going on a regional trip or vacation, whether that means hopping on a short flight or taking a road trip for a three-day weekend,” said John Pleasants, president and CEO of Ticketmaster. “To serve those travelers, we have combined the power of Citysearch functionality and content with Expedia’s award-winning booking engine. Expedia has also shown the ability to secure great deals for travelers, and it’s a win-win opportunity that we can pass along these discounts to Citysearch.com visitors.”
Through the alliance, Citysearch will also become a preferred provider of local content on Expedia, distributing information on attractions, restaurants, music and nightlife, sports and recreation, and shopping. The Citysearch content and expert recommendations, which will be available on Expedia.com later this summer, will enhance the richness of Expedia’s destination information and provide travelers with more insight on what to do on their trips.
“Travelers use Expedia not only to book their trips, but to research what they can do and where they might visit when they reach their destination,” Blachford said. “Citysearch is the expert in events to attend, attractions to see, and places to visit, and that content will benefit Expedia’s customers.”
Expedia and Ticketmaster have recently worked together to sell live event tickets to customers booking a trip on Expedia.com. Expedia customers traveling to Orlando, Fla. earlier this year had the option of purchasing tickets to see an Orlando Magic basketball game, while those traveling to New York can currently add tickets to see “Rent” on Broadway to their travel itinerary.
“Expedia and Ticketmaster are working to provide a seamless shopping experience for everything travelers might want to do once they book their trips – from tickets to sporting events and concerts to theatrical productions,” Pleasants said. “Our earlier collaborations have proven successful, and we look forward to continuing to provide even more options that round out people’s trips.”
About Ticketmaster
Ticketmaster (Nasdaq: TMCS), the world’s leading ticketing and access company, sold 86.7 million tickets in 2001 valued at more than $3.6 billion, through approximately 3,300 retail Ticket Center outlets; 20 worldwide telephone call centers; and ticketmaster.com. Ticketmaster serves more than 7,000 clients worldwide and acts as the exclusive ticketing service for hundreds of leading arenas, stadiums, performing arts venues, and theaters and is the official ticketing provider and supporter of the Athens 2004 Olympic Games. The Company also operates Match.com, a leading subscription-based online dating site, Citysearch, a leading online local network enabling people to get the most out of their city, and ReserveAmerica, the number one access point for outdoor recreation. Headquartered in Los Angeles, California, Ticketmaster is majority owned by USA Interactive (Nasdaq: USAI).
About Expedia, Inc.
Expedia, Inc. (Nasdaq: EXPE) operates Expedia.com, an independent leading online travel service in the United States with localized versions in Europe and Canada. To help travelers travel right, Expedia.com provides a wide variety of travel products and services, such as Expedia® Special Rate hotels and vacation rentals with the guaranteed lowest prices. Expedia’s quality and leadership are recognized by several awards, including both PC Magazine’s “Readers’ Choice” and “Editors’ Choice” Awards, Forbes’ “Favorite General Travel Site,” Smart Business’ MVP Award, PC World’s “Best Bet” and IFITT’s “Best Web site in the Travel Agency, Tour Operator and Cruise Category.” Expedia is ranked the seventh largest travel agency in the U.S. according to Travel Weekly Magazine.
Expedia.com customers are supported by a credit card guarantee (U.S. site only), an industry-leading privacy policy, and live agents via e-mail and an 800-number available 24 hours a day/seven days a week. Expedia.com is also available under Travel on the MSN® network of Internet services.
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