Expedia.com Destination Hotels & Resorts Signs Inventory Agreement with Expedia and Hotels.com
BELLEVUE, Wash. – September 7, 2004 – Expedia, Inc. and Hotels.com™ announced today an agreement with Destination Hotels & Resorts (DH&R) to provide Expedia.com® and Hotels.com customers with access to DH&R’s luxury and upscale hotel properties. This agreement enables DH&R to reach the 30 million monthly visitors shopping for travel on Expedia® and Hotels.com.
DH&R is a collection of 29 independent hotels in both resort destinations and city locations. Expedia and Hotels.com customers now have enhanced access to inventory at the company’s properties, from the Resort at Squaw Creek in Lake Tahoe, Calif. and The Argent in San Francisco to NINE ZERO Hotel in Boston and Wild Dunes in South Carolina.
“This is a mutually beneficial relationship as Expedia and Hotels.com extend Destination Hotels & Resorts’ reach to today’s informed and independent travelers,” said Trevor Stuart-Hill, vice president of distribution and revenue systems. “Those travelers now have an even greater collection of unique properties in interesting destinations to select from.”
The agreement also includes the development of a direct connection between DH&R and Expedia and Hotels.com. Direct connectivity with DH&R’s property management system streamlines the reservation process and provides DH&R properties with a cost-effective tool to manage the inventory and rates on Expedia and Hotels.com. Direct connect technology also provides online shoppers with more accurate, up-to-the-minute room availability data.
“We are excited about working closely with DH&R, one of the top independent hospitality companies, whose popular hotels and resorts will now be accessible to our customers,” said Edward Muncey, vice president of sales at Expedia and Hotels.com. “Establishing a direct connection between our sites and DH&R will enhance our ability to match the inventory of DH&R’s luxury and upscale properties with travelers shopping on Expedia and Hotels.com.”
About Destination Hotels & Resorts
Destination Hotels & Resorts is a privately held lodging management company located in Englewood, Colo. With 29 independent, luxury and upscale hotels, resorts and golf clubs, DH&R is the third largest independent hospitality management company in the country. The company’s portfolio features more than 7,500 guest rooms, 17 golf courses and eight full-service spas. DH&R properties are located in key metropolitan and resort markets including New York, San Francisco, Washington, D.C., Chicago, Denver, Dallas, Boston, San Diego, Aspen, Phoenix, Jackson Hole, Maui and Lake Tahoe. Destination Hotels & Resorts also provides consumers with access to a unique collection of lodging properties in the United Kingdom through a sales and marketing alliance with the De Vere Hotel Group PLC. This partnership extends the reach of DH&R to the U.K. with a partner who offers a similar portfolio of distinctive hotels and resorts. For more information on the properties in the Destination Hotels & Resorts collection or the De Vere alliance, please visit www.destinationhotels.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 an operating company of IAC/InterActiveCorp (NASDAQ: IACI). CST: 2029030-40
About Hotels.com
Hotels.com is a leading provider of lodging worldwide, offering 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 12,000 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.
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