Expedia News

Expedia is showing off its marketing acumen by tapping into a popular social media trend that gets people talking about the brand and thinking about their own upcoming trips.

Business travel-oriented companies, including American Express, Carlson Wagonlit Travel, BCD Travel and HRG, are not as large as leisure-oriented Expedia and Priceline, but the business travel agencies are entrenched near the top of the heap, and they aren't going anywhere in the short term.

Expedia and Orbitz, which launched a rewards program in October 2013 geared to incentivize hotel bookings, are battling for consumer loyalties and competing against one another with these new programs.

Expedia doesn't comment on rumors and speculation unless it is convenient or necessary to do so. It has done so regarding eLong sales rumors because Expedia has a long-term commitment to grow eLong in the highly competitive and strategic Chinese market.

While it is exciting to see the consolidation happening in the online travel booking space, the lack of new scaled startups to challenge the biggies remains a worry for anyone. And possibly consumers as well.

While this seems like an opportunistic buy with Wotif's financial troubles, for Expedia this ties into two priorities: Expanding in Asia-Pacific and growing its global hotel business in competition with the Priceline Group's Booking.com and Agoda.

When Expedia gets around to talking about acquiring Travelocity outright, the relationship between Travelocity parent Sabre and Expedia is already so close they will have no problem getting their phone calls answered. Sabre is counting on such a sale, telling investors that it is guaranteed to increase shareholder value.

The merger and acquisition frenzy in the travel industry continues apace, and Expedia's acquisition of the Auto Escape Group will enhance Expedia's global competition with the Priceline Group.

Layering nearby capabilities and restaurant reviews on top of hotel and flight reservations are a power play in popularizing mobile app usage.

A picture is worth 1,000 words. A Facebook Album is worth "talking about." Don't hesitate, ask your fans to share their prized travel photos, it's a win-win proposition.