Skift Take
Independent hotels and chains will all feel the impact of the consolidation of Orbitz Worldwide into Expedia Inc. Independents didn't have much clout before the acquisition, and the chains will feel the pressure, too.
Beyond the sexy headlines and stock gains and losses behind Expedia Inc. seeking to acquire Orbitz Worldwide for $1.6 billion and grabbing Travelocity for $280 million, what does it all mean for a small hotel group in the Midwest?
At a sort of ground zero for these sorts of things, Nick Griffioen, director of revenue management at the four-property AHC + Hospitality group in Grand Rapids, Michigan, says in coming years some of his properties, especially the independent hotels, will be trying to accelerate efforts to get travelers to book directly on their own websites.
It Won't Be Easy
That won't be the easiest task because the Amway Grand Plaza Hotel website "isn't trusted by all of America" like the much-higher-profile Expedia.com might be, Griffoen says, referrin
