There is no point trying to stop hotels and airlines from fragmenting the way they distribute their products, according to Expedia Corporate Travel president Jean-Pierre Remy
Referring to the current negotiations over content and fees between airlines and the global distribution companies, he said: “It’s a weird challenge. Hotels and airlines are looking to find the most efficient channels and are fragmenting their content through these channels.
“We are doing the opposite – trying to offer our clients any content at any time, bringing together the fragmented offering.
“The trend of fragmentation will continue so there is no point fighting it. Instead we have to develop ways to build direct connectivity.”
Remy said Expedia had grown its corporate business by 50% to over $1 billion gross bookings in 2006 and was now the world’s fifth largest travel management company.
But he admitted that in the UK Expedia has a smaller presence.
“We are probably around 10th or 12th in the UK but we plan to be the fifth within two to three years,” he said.
“I think that is achievable. We are number three in France and five in the world. We have come from nothing in five or six years, so we are growing fast.”
He said the online company was also looking to grow its presence in Italy, Spain, the Netherlands and Scandinavia, and would launch in Asia Pacific in 2007.
“We have built our next generation platform which, as a global platform, we can roll out worldwide,” he said.
by Bev Fearis
