Keeping up with a growing number of competitors on the online travel scene, Microsoft’s travel Web site, Expedia.com, has debuted four new features aimed at its best customer-the business traveler.
The Travel Arranger feature lets one person in a company book travel for a group, while Repeat A Trip speeds up the purchasing process by bringing up a list of past trips so travelers can rebook the same airline, hotel, and rental car by simply changing the reservation date. Customers also can now download Expedia.com itineraries into their Outlook or Lotus Notes calendars and print a receipt for their expense reports, or get real-time airline timetables and updates on the status of their flights on personal digital assistants with wireless modems.
Business travelers, who make up an estimated 30% of Expedia.com’s customer base, are the most profitable segment of the travel market because they’re more likely to book at the last minute and fly at peak times-at the front of the plane, where ticket prices are highest.
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