MEDIA RELEASE PR41854
Expedia Signs Global Partnership Agreement With One of Japan's Largest Hotel Chains
BELLEVUE, Wash. and TOKYO, Oct. 22 /PRNewswire-AsiaNet/ --
Partnership with Tokyo-based APA Hotels & Resorts broadens Expedia's selection
of lodging options in Asia
Expedia, Inc. (Nasdaq: EXPE), the world's largest online travel company,
today announced it has signed a global partnership agreement with APA Hotels
& Resorts, one of Japan's largest hotel chains operating more than 70
properties throughout the country. Now travel shoppers visiting the more than
90 Expedia(R)- and Hotels.com(R)-branded sites worldwide will have the
ability to book all APA Hotels properties.
This partnership marks the first with a global online travel agency for
APA Hotels & Resorts, which is in the midst of ongoing expansion efforts,
having debuted six new properties in 2010 and scheduled to open twelve
additional hotels after 2011.
"We are delighted to offer our properties in Expedia's global
marketplace," said Toshio Motoya, CEO, APA Hotels & Resorts. "This
partnership provides APA Hotels with reach to a global audience of travelers
far beyond what we've ever achieved before."
"APA Hotels offers a wide variety of properties to fit any traveler's
needs, and will be a welcome addition to the selection of hotels Expedia and
Hotels.com currently offer in Japan," said Peter Lee, director of market
management for North Asia, Expedia Partner Services Group. "We are pleased to
not only enhance the depth and breadth of our lodging in Asia, but also to
deliver value to APA through the exposure, and marketing and promotional
opportunities we will offer them."
About Expedia, Inc.
Expedia, Inc. is the largest online travel company in the world, with an
extensive brand portfolio that includes more than 90 localized
Expedia.com(R)- and Hotels.com(R)-branded sites; leading U.S. discount travel
site Hotwire(R); leading agency hotel company Venere.com(TM); Egencia(TM),
the world's fifth largest corporate travel management company; the world's
largest travel community TripAdvisor(R) Media Network; destination activities
provider ExpediaLocalExpert(R); luxury travel specialist Classic
Vacations(R); and China's second largest booking site eLong(TM). The company
delivers consumers value in leisure and business travel, drives incremental
demand and direct bookings to travel suppliers, and provides advertisers vast
opportunity to reach the most valuable audience of in-market travel consumers
anywhere through TripAdvisor Media Network and Expedia Media Solutions.
Expedia also powers bookings for some of the world's leading airlines and
hotels, top consumer brands, high traffic websites, and thousands of active
affiliates through Expedia(R) Affiliate Network. (NASDAQ: EXPE)
About Expedia Partner Services Group
Expedia Partner Services Group (PSG) is the central point of contact for
travel suppliers to access the global Expedia marketplace of leading travel
brands comprising more than 90 points of sale worldwide. With hundreds of
employees in local markets throughout the world, Expedia(R) PSG makes it easy
for suppliers to meet their global distribution objectives, and delivers a
portfolio of innovative connectivity solutions, rate and inventory management
tools, business intelligence reports, and online marketing expertise.
About APA Hotels & Resorts
APA Hotels & Resorts operates properties all over Japan, ranging from
Sapporo to Okinawa, including APA Hotel & Resort Tokyo Bay Makuhari, with the
tallest hotel building in Japan, and APA Hotel and Resort Myoko Kogen, with
one of the largest site area as a Japanese hotel. APA Hotels and Resorts
initiated its "SUMMIT5" five-year mid-term strategic plan starting from April
1, 2010, and continues to strive toward the goal to operate the largest
number of properties within the three wards in central Tokyo surrounding the
Imperial Palace (Chiyoda-ku, Minato-ku, Chuo-ku), and 40,000 rooms in total
by the year 2015,
Expedia is either a registered trademark or trademark of Expedia, Inc. in
the U.S. and/or other countries. Hotels.com is either a registered trademark
or trademark of Hotels.com, LP. Other logos or product and company names
mentioned herein may be the property of their respective owners. (c) 2010
Expedia, Inc. All rights reserved. CST: 2029030-50
SOURCE: Expedia, Inc.
CONTACT: Katie Deines of Expedia, +1-425-679-7991, press@expedia.com
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