Expedia.com Hyatt Signs Agreement with Expedia.com and Hotels.com
BELLEVUE, Wash. and CHICAGO – April 29, 2004 – Expedia.com® and Hotels.com announced today they have extended their relationship with Hyatt Corporation, signing an agreement to provide Expedia.com and Hotels.com customers with greater access to rooms at Hyatt properties. Hyatt has been a partner with Expedia.com and Hotels.com since 2001.
As part of this agreement, Hyatt will make its inventory of hotel rooms available for booking with the hotel and vacation package offerings on Expedia.com and Hotels.com, enabling Hyatt hotels to market to the nearly 26 million customers looking for hotel rooms on Expedia.com and Hotels.com each month. In turn, travelers will have access to rooms at Hyatt properties around the world. “This agreement further strengthens our relationship with two valuable distribution channels for Hyatt,” said Joan Lowell, vice president electronic distribution, Hyatt Hotels Corporation. “Hyatt wants to reach customers no matter where they choose to book their hotel stay. Our relationship with Expedia.com and Hotels.com enables us to showcase our portfolio of properties to valuable new customers.”
This announcement follows the recent agreement between Hyatt and Expedia.com® to direct connect to Hyatt’s central reservation system in order to achieve greater efficiencies in the booking process. In addition, Expedia, Inc.’s WWTE™private label service powers the Hyatt Vacations offering, giving Hyatt Web site visitors the ability to book air travel, car rental and destination services as part of their whole trip.
“With this agreement, Expedia, Hotels.com and Hyatt have further solidified their relationship in a way that ultimately benefits travelers,” said Lloyd Frink, senior vice president of lodging at Expedia.com and Hotels.com “Hyatt’s quality properties are highly regarded by Expedia’s and Hotels.com’s customers, and this exciting relationship allows us to continue to offer one of the largest selections of properties to travelers worldwide.”
About Hyatt
Currently, there are 209 Hyatt hotels and resorts around the world. Hyatt Corporation and its affiliates operate, manage, franchise or lease 121 hotels and resorts in the U.S., Canada, and the Caribbean. Affiliates of Hyatt International Corporation operate, manage or franchise 88 hotels and resorts in 39 countries. In the U.S., Hyatt worldwide reservations for individuals and groups can be reached at 1-800-233-1234. Outside the U.S., contact the local Hyatt sales office or representative. For more information about Hyatt hotels and resorts, visit Hyatt on the Internet at www.hyatt.com.
About Expedia, Inc.
Expedia, Inc. is the world’s leading online travel service and the fourth largest travel agency in the U.S. 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 a wholly-owned subsidiary of IAC/InterActiveCorp (NASDAQ: IACI). CST: 2029030-40
About Hotels.com
Hotels.com is the largest specialized provider of discount lodging reservation services worldwide, providing service through its own websites (including http://www.hotels.com and others), thousands of affiliated websites, and its toll-free call centers (1-800-2-HOTELS). Hotels.com provides lodging reservation services to travelers for accommodations at over 10,000 properties in more than 400 markets in North America, Europe, the Caribbean and Asia. The company offers a one-stop shopping source for hotel pricing, amenities and availability, and also specializes in assisting travelers to obtain accommodations for sold-out periods. Hotels.com is an operating business of IAC/InterActiveCorp (Nasdaq: IACI). CST: 2059975-40.
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Expedia, Expedia.com, the airplane logo, and WWTE are either registered trademarks or trademarks of Expedia, Inc. in the U.S., Canada and/or other countries. Other products and company names mentioned herein may be trademarks of their respective owners.
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