In today’s digital-first hospitality environment, OTAs (Online Travel Agencies) play a major role in how guests discover and book stays. Among them, Expedia remains one of the most influential players—connecting hotels to a global audience through its platform and its wider brand network.
This article answers the key question: What is Expedia? More importantly, it explains why hoteliers—especially independent and mid-scale operators—should understand its workings, leverage its reach, and align it with their overall.
What is Expedia?
Expedia is one of the largest online travel agencies in the world, offering hotel bookings, flights, car rentals, and vacation packages through its platform Expedia.com. For hoteliers, it acts as a high-volume distribution partner, helping properties get discovered by global travelers searching for their next stay.
By listing your hotel on Expedia, you tap into an ecosystem that includes dynamic pricing tools, extensive marketing reach, and access to new guest segments you might not attract through direct channels alone.
Recent data shows that in Q4 2024, travelers have been planning trips further in advance, with particular interest in unique destinations like Japan, which saw a 60% year-over-year increase in searches from North America and EMEA regions.
Who Owns Expedia and Hotels.com?
Expedia Group is the parent company, owning a range of major OTA brands including:
- Expedia.com
- Hotels.com
- Vrbo
- Orbitz
- Travelocity
- Hotwire
- Trivago
This shared ownership means your property listed on one platform may appear across multiple sites, expanding your visibility. If you're wondering “who owns Hotels.com”, it’s Expedia Group—a key player in digital hotel distribution.
How Expedia Works for Guests
Travelers visit expedia.com or the mobile app to search for accommodations using filters like destination, price, amenities, and guest ratings. Expedia’s algorithm prioritizes listings based on pricing competitiveness, content quality, and guest review scores.
For hoteliers, this means optimizing your rates, images, descriptions, and availability is essential to remain visible and competitive. Better visibility leads to more bookings—and higher ADR when paired with effective revenue strategies.
According to Expedia Group's Unpack '25 research, travelers are increasingly seeking unique experiences rather than cookie-cutter vacations. In fact, 63% of consumers say they are likely to visit what Expedia calls "Detour Destinations" on their next trip – places that are less crowded but still accessible from popular hotspots.
How Booking on Expedia Happens
Here’s how booking hotel on Expedia works from a guest’s perspective:
- The guest enters travel dates and destinations.
- They browse hotel options based on filters and real-time availability.
- The guest selects a room and proceeds to payment or chooses to pay at check-in.
- Booking confirmation is immediate, and inventory is updated via your channel manager or PMS.
This process is seamless and designed for instant conversions. For hoteliers, having a channel manager that syncs with Expedia ensures rate parity and accurate availability.
Is Expedia Good for Hotel Business?
Yes. Expedia is a reliable channel for increasing bookings, especially during low-demand periods or to target international guests. It’s particularly effective for hotels that don’t have strong brand awareness or direct traffic.
From a business perspective, Expedia also supports upselling opportunities, offers visibility to mobile travelers, and provides you with market data that can shape your hotel revenue strategy.
Benefits of Listing Your Property on Expedia
When you list your property on Expedia, you unlock several advantages tailored for hospitality businesses:
- Global Exposure: Reach millions of monthly visitors across 70+ countries through the Expedia brand network.
- Marketing Support: Participate in Travel Ads, mobile deals, and promotional listings to increase visibility.
- Technology Integrations: Expedia integrates easily with most PMS integrations, payment gateways, and channel manager platforms.
- Performance Reporting: Access booking trends, guest preferences, and competitive pricing data to inform your sales and marketing efforts.
- Inventory Control: Maintain full control of your inventory, blackout dates, and rate plans directly from your PMS or Expedia Partner Central.
For independent hotels and boutique properties, Expedia can often outperform direct sales if managed properly.
How Hotelogix Enhances Your Expedia Strategy
With Hotelogix’s two-way integration, you eliminate manual updates, avoid overbookings, and maintain rate parity, which directly impacts your Expedia listing performance. Its intuitive dashboard also provides detailed reports on booking sources, guest behavior, and revenue trends—helping you fine-tune your OTA strategies and maximize returns.
For hoteliers using Expedia as a key distribution channel, Hotelogix becomes a powerful backend engine to drive operational efficiency, visibility, and profitability.
Expedia vs Hotels.com: What’s the Real Difference?
Both platforms are part of Expedia Group, but they serve different guest profiles and booking behaviors.
Hoteliers should list on both platforms but monitor performance separately. While Expedia book traffic may favor packages, Hotels.com is ideal for driving repeat, hotel-only bookings.
Final Thoughts
Expedia remains a vital tool in a hotel’s online distribution strategy. It helps you diversify booking sources, reduce dependency on a single OTA, and reach price-sensitive and global audiences.
By maintaining active profiles on expedia.com, adjusting rates through your channel manager, and participating in platform promotions, you can significantly increase both room nights and total revenue.
If you're not yet listed, or if your Expedia listing is underperforming, now is the time to evaluate your content quality, pricing strategy, and system integrations.
FAQs On Expedia
Q1. What is the difference between Expedia.com and Expeida com?
A: “Expeida com” is a frequent typo. The correct site is expedia.com, one of the most visited OTAs globally.
Q2. Is Expedia safe and legit for hotel bookings?
A: Yes, Expedia has a long-standing reputation and strict security protocols. It is a trusted platform for both guests and hoteliers.
Q3. Can I cancel a booking made via Expedia?
A: Yes, cancellation policies depend on your hotel’s rate plan setup. Expedia supports refundable and non-refundable booking options.
Q4. How much commission does Expedia charge hotels?
A: Commissions typically range from 10% to 25%, depending on market dynamics, hotel type, and your agreement with Expedia Group.
Q5. Can Expedia integrate with my existing hotel systems?
A: Yes. Expedia connects seamlessly with most PMS systems, payment gateways, and channel managers for real-time updates and hotel automation.