In an era of blended travel, meaning tacking on a weekend vacation rental to a business trip in a hotel, Expedia's new loyalty program would be flexible enough to accommodate this sort of trip mashup.
Based on the company's claims, Journera's product could answer travel company prayers for better connectivity — but as with any startup, the trick is getting potential clients to agree.
The prospect of Expedia Group removing all of its vacation rentals from Expedia.com is as likely as senior executive Barry Diller telling his workforce he's cool with everyone working from home.
In Expedia Group's efficiency drive, there's a certain logic to killing some sub-brands as their market share plummets. But what about all those customers who still love Travelocity?
Look for Expedia's vacation rental unit, Vrbo, to keep gaining market share in geographies where it is already strong. But the brand hasn't always been nimble, and it may be missing out opportunities.
With Marriott Bonvoy making loyalty inroads, and subscription programs having a moment, Expedia Group is consolidating its far-flung loyalty programs in a move that coincides with its strategy to simplify its operations.