Priceline, the Internet travel service that lets travellers name their own price for air tickets and hotel rooms, launched in Asia.
Available initially in Hong Kong at priceline.com.hk, the business is operated by Hutchison-Priceline (Travel) Limited-a company formed with investments from Hutchison Whampoa Limited in Hong Kong and priceline.com Incorporated in the United States. Priceline in Hong Kong has a bilingual transactional website in Chinese and English.

Hutchison Whampoa group managing director Canning Fok said Hong Kong was selected as Priceline`s first Asian market because it is the base for the group`s worldwide operations.

Hutchison-Priceline`s chief executive officer, Alfredo Gangotena, said the new travel business presented a win-win-win formula for Asia. “Priceline is great news for Asia`s travellers, for our airline and hotel partners, and for the travel industry as a whole,” he said.

Gangotena said Priceline in Asia currently had 25 Asian and international airline partners and about 8,000 hotels around the world. Priceline plans to launch in Singapore and Taiwan later this year.

 

Related stories on ITN:

(14/03/2002) Priceline to Operate in Hong Kong

(17/02/2002) Priceline.com Launches `Name Your Own Price ` European Hotel Service

(01/02/2002) Priceline to Expand `Name Your Own Price` Service

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