Embracing the Media Model

Will be interesting to see if other OTAs follow Expedia's lead and enter into creative hybrid transaction/media models with top suppliers. (Talking about within the core Expedia.com search paths. Obviously Expedia has embraced the media model as a whole - they bought TripAdvisor, SmarterTravel, etc.)

This is a smart move, as more and more consumers leverage OTAs as search platforms and book directly with suppliers, this is a way to monetize the search activity and create a value-added relationship with their supplier partners.

Read more about the Expedia/IHG agreement here or over at Diane Clarkson's blog.