Expedia Cozies Up to Google While Boycotting TripAdvisor Hotel Bookings
Photo Credit: Google plans to enable hotel bookings right in Google Maps, Google search and Google+ and Expedia will test being a partner for these Book on Google hotel bookings. Google
Skift Take
Expedia is content to work with Google on hotel bookings while stiff-arming TripAdvisor. There is likely more to the warming and cooling relationships than just the relative economics.
Expedia Inc. is cozying up to Google to enable Expedia hotel bookings right in the search engine but Expedia is keeping its distance from hotel bookings on former sister site TripAdvisor.
Speaking during Expedia's second quarter earnings call July 30, CEO Dara Khosrowshahi said the company plans to test Book on Google, which enables consumers to book hotels through partners in Google search and maps, and on Google+ but Expedia doesn't have plans to do likewise with TripAdvisor's program, Instant Booking.
Comparing TripAdvisor Instant Booking with Book on Google, Khosrowshahi said: "One difference we see with the Google treatment of the bookings is that the Google treatment tends to be much more clear that the booking is actually with the OTA (Online Travel Agency) and Google is not the merchant etc. It is
