Expedia.com For International Travel, Expedia.com Helps Consumers Easily Navigate Through Entry Requirements and Visas
Bellevue, Wash. — (January 9, 2002) — Expedia.com® is taking the legwork out of preparing for an international trip with the introduction of easy-to-use visa and passport services. Expedia® is the only online travel site with a service dedicated to helping travelers understand, process and obtain necessary entry documents.
Through a strategic alliance with Express Visa Service, Inc. (EVS), a full-service travel documentation procurement company with more than 20 years of experience, Expedia visitors can research travel entry requirements for any country. Worldwide visa and passport registration forms can be downloaded and sent directly to EVS. Travelers can link to “Passport Information” throughout Expedia.com in the “Traveler Tools” box sidebar and within all confirmation emails and itineraries related to international travel. In addition, EVS is available to answer visa and passport-related questions 24 hours a day, seven days a week via a toll-free number.
“Travelers may not always be aware of the specific documentation needed to enter a country. It is our goal to ensure Expedia travelers have this knowledge and are prepared for their trip,” said Mike Day, senior vice president of operations for Expedia, Inc. “Whether planning a last-minute international business trip or a long-awaited vacation, Expedia provides everything a traveler needs in one place – from travel deals to securing a visa.”
Expedia's visa and passport services provide travelers with the highest quality and support. For example, EVS hand-delivers customers' visa and passport documents to the appropriate embassy or consulate, saving time and ensuring a smooth experience. Travelers can easily check the status of their documents online throughout the process. Additional services include a Health and Travel section with information on required vaccinations and recent international health news, as well as an Express Registration Abroad™ service enabling travelers to alert their local embassy about their visit.
This service recently proved valuable for Paul Neuman, an Expedia.com customer, who utilized the Express Registration Abroad™ service to register with the local US embassy before embarking on his international journey. “Expedia's service gave me and my family peace of mind during our recent international vacation,” said Mr. Neuman. “The service was easy to use and saved a lot of time. Instead of going through various consulates, I was able to receive the proper registration in one convenient location.”
In addition to visa and passport services, Expedia offers essential, up-to-date international travel tools and information. Expedia.com visitors can utilize the Currency Converter (located in the “Traveler Tools” box) to convert between currencies such as the euro. Plus, travel expert Rudy Maxa provides advice on the euro and how it will affect international travel. This article and other important tips can easily be found on the home page in the “News and Advice” section.
About Expedia.com
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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