Expedia’s Hotel Boss on Becoming a Global Platform
Photo Credit: Cyril Ranque serves as the president of Lodging Partner Services for the Expedia Group, overseeing Expedia’s lodging supply relationships and operations globally. Expedia Group
Skift Take
We still think there's a pretty good chance that we'll see Expedia-branded hotels in the near future if not sooner.
When Skift asked Cyril Ranque, president of Expedia Lodging Partner Services, how likely it would be for an online travel agency like Expedia to launch its own hotel brand or soft brand in the near future, Ranque said, "Honestly, you can never say never."
His comment reflects the ever-changing dynamics between hotel brands, hotel owners, and the online travel agencies — a complex relationship that continues to evolve in the wake of the direct booking wars, and the emergence of new distribution disruptors such as Google, Airbnb, and Amazon.
We spoke with Ranque about these changes at the NYU International Hospitality Industry Investment Conference in early June, and what follows are excerpts of our conversation with him.
The Possibility of an Expedia Hotels Brand
While Ranque doesn't necessarily see Expedia launching its own hotel brands or soft brands anytime soon, he said the company does want to be viewed as a partner to hotels.
Expedia CEO Mark Okerstrom Is Speaking at
