Expedia sees strong outlook for online travel

Arthur Hoffman, Expedia’s managing director, noted that while real-world travel agents will never become completely obsolete, an increasing number of travelers around the world will book their trips over the internet and from the comfort of their own home. According to a recent survey, nearly 60 percent of Americans now reserve their travel online, rather than by enlisting the help of a travel agent, and Hoffman believes that there is a “strong outlook” for further growth, when it comes to the online travel industry.

Expedia, which has been in existence for the past 10 years, is not only the oldest online booking service, but also the most prominent, even though it must now compete with powerful rivals, such as Orbitz. Yet all evidence seems to indicate that there is still plenty of room for further growth. Repeated surveys have shown that the most popular products and services purchased online are all travel-related, and these include air ticket purchases, hotel reservations, car rentals and holiday packages. Nevertheless, the room for growth remains significant, especially in those parts of the developed world where online travel has not caught on to the extent that is evident in the US. For example, in Australia and New Zealand, only a modest 20 percent of all travel is arranged over the internet.

This figure may, however, suggest that many people in this part of the world are still suspicious of purchasing products over the internet. As such, Expedia continues to offer telephone booking facilities, while major international companies, like Flight Centre, operate physical locations.

www.expedia.com