Published: 16 Jan 2008

The initiative will make it easier for hoteliers to manage their rates and inventory across Expedia's global network of leading travel brands.

"Expedia approaches connectivity solutions for small and large hotels, chains and independent properties in a scalable manner," said Expedia's Senior Director - Hotel Systems Connectivity Dean Gregory, who is speaking on the connectivity technology panel session at the EyeforTravel Distribution Technology conference this week in London.

"The Certification Program makes it easy for independent properties and small-to-medium sized hotel chains to achieve maximum efficiency in managing their rates and inventory with Expedia, which, for many hotels, serves as the single largest channel for bookings."

By awarding certification, Expedia is able to assure its partners that the channel management and rate allocation tools they use are compatible with Expedia's mix of inventory and pricing models.

Last June, the company launched Expedia QuickConnect, which addresses the needs of independent and small-to-medium sized hotel chains by enabling the exchange of rates, availability and booking information through a direct connection with Expedia. With the launch of Expedia QuickConnect, Expedia became the first online travel agency to offer an open API for hotels.

In just the first six months since launching Expedia QuickConnect, hotels in 23 countries and operating on 28 different reservations systems, have established a direct connection to Expedia using Expedia QuickConnect. More than 80 percent of these hotels are located throughout Europe.