Orbitz Worldwide's Future Relies on Leaving its Airline Past Behind
Skift Take
The Orbitz partnership to power American Express Travel contributed about one third of Orbitz's all-important hotel room night growth in the third quarter. Orbitz has been doing some interesting things, including the relaunch of its rewards program, but it is still very rough slog ahead.
Having been hired as Oribtz Worldwide CEO more than four years ago to reduce its reliance on selling airline tickets, Barney Harford almost sounded as though he was giving a valedictory address today during the online travel agency's third quarter earnings call.
Orbitz Worldwide had notched its third consecutive quarter of hotel room night growth (up 22%), and for the first time in the company's history, hotels and vacation packages accounted for half of total revenue in the trailing 12 months.
"We are putting our weight behind insurgent strategies" and using our assets to advantage, Harford said, after being asked by an analyst about the co
