Expedia
Expedia Inc. is an online travel agency owned by Expedia Group, based in Seattle.[1] The website and mobile app can be used to book airline tickets, hotel reservations, car rentals, cruise ships, and vacation packages. Expedia.com was launched on October 22, 1996 by Microsoft.[2] History1996–1999: Microsoft roots and IPOMicrosoft launched the first public beta of the Expedia booking engine in October 1996, positioning it as a consumer complement to its MSN portal.[3] After early traffic growth, Microsoft announced plans to float the unit; the initial public offering on 10 November 1999 was priced at US$14 and the shares closed the first day at US$37, valuing the business at more than US$2 billion.[4][5] 2001–2005: USA Networks/IAC era and spinoffIn July 2001 Barry Diller’s USA Network (later IAC/InterActiveCorp) agreed to purchase a 75 % stake in Expedia for about US$1.5 billion, marking one of the first large-scale Internet travel acquisitions.[6] IAC took full control in 2003 and subsequently consolidated its various travel holdings. Shareholder pressure to unlock value led IAC to spin off its travel division as a standalone, Nasdaq-listed company, Expedia Inc., on 9 August 2005.[7] 2005–2019: Expansion and TripAdvisor splitDuring the late 2000s Expedia broadened its portfolio with brands such as Hotels.com, Hotwire, Vrbo and regional OTAs. In April 2011 the company announced plans to separate its user-generated-content unit TripAdvisor; analysts welcomed the move and Expedia shares rose 11 %.[8] 2020–present: Restructuring, AI initiatives and new leadershipIn February 2020 chairman Barry Diller ordered a sweeping cost-cutting programme that eliminated about 3,000 jobs (≈12 % of staff) after characterising the organisation as “bloated and sclerotic.”[9] SponsorshipsStarting the 2018-21 cycle, Expedia Group became the first-ever global sponsor of the UEFA Champions League and the UEFA Super Cup as Expedia extended to another season until 2024, but downgraded to the regional basis which it focuses to the U.S. market only starting in 2022–23 season as Hotels.com ended the sponsorship after 2021-22 season.[10] Starting the pandemic-hit 2020-21 season, Expedia struck the deal with the 2020 English champions, Liverpool F.C. as a global sponsor of the website in 3 seasons until 2023. In July 2021, Expedia became Wrexham A.F.C.'s shirt back sponsor for two years.[11] Criticism and legal issuesDelays in refunds of flights cancelled due to COVID-19In 2020, during the COVID-19 pandemic, customers complained regarding the process to get refunds for cancelled flights. Customers complained of excessively long call times and being unable to get through to a representative.[12] This led to many lawsuits.[13][14] False advertising and trademark violationIn August 2016, Buckeye Tree Lodge and Sequoia Village Inn, LLC filed a class-action lawsuit in California accusing the company and its partners of violating trademark rights of numerous independent hotel and motel establishments by running advertising implying that consumers could book reservations for those hotels on Expedia even though Expedia had no relationship with those hotels, in violation of the Lanham Act, and also falsely noting that hotels with which the company had no relationship were "sold out".[15] In April 2021, the lawsuit was settled and the company promised not to engage in false advertising.[16] See alsoReferences
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