Interview: Expedia’s CEO on the Transformation of Travel Booking
Photo Credit: Expedia Inc. CEO Dara Khosrowshahi. Expedia Inc.
Skift Take
Booking.com is a big-time leader in travel marketing through Google, and Expedia spends a ton of money on search engine marketing, too. While both companies are committed to this type of "pull" marketing, Expedia is making a big bet on multi-device search and "push" notifications as the future of travel booking.
Editor’s Note: Skift is publishing a series of interviews with online travel CEOs talking about the Future of Travel Booking, and the evolving habits and device preferences of travel consumers. Check out all the interviews as they come out here.
Want to get a glimpse of the future of travel booking? Then talk to Expedia Inc. CEO Dara Khosrowshahi, as Skift did, about the massive bet the company is making on push notifications across all devices, products and brands as the world of "pull" and search, while still vital and strong, may see its role diminished in travel marketing.
Under this scenario, Expedia in the background will undertake the ever-more complex task of shopping for travelers while they sit back, and inform them when their air, hotel or car preferences are ready.
Khosrowshahi expounded on what he views as the most important trends in travel booking, spoke about the need to be a "street fighter" in China, opined that the Orbitz loyalty program isn't really
