AT&T Interactive just announced an exciting new partnership with Expedia Affiliate Network, the online travel company that owns Expedia.com. Users will be able to check hotel rates, room availability and book rooms for hotels listed on AT&T’s YellowPages.com and YP.com.
The move is the latest by a Yellow Pages company towards developing new online tools and partnerships as a means of generating new revenues. As we reported last month, Canada’s Yellow Pages Group acquired Restaurantica.com, a popular restaurant and dining online community, in an effort to capitalize on the growing trend of users making their dining decisions online and based on user recommendations and reviews.
According to the release, the agreement creates a “natural extension” to the travel and hotel information already available on AT&T’s local search sites. In addition to local travel-related listings, users will now have access to Expedia’s expansive hotel content, including maps and points of interest, hotel photos and virtual tours.
While the partnership is a win for AT&T, it’s also a great indication of the importance that online retailers such as Expedia are placing on Yellow Pages’ local search. As Sunil Bhatt, vice president and general manager for Expedia Affiliate Network, notes, “Aligning with AT&T Interactive gives Expedia a way to reach consumers who are already looking for local hotel information.”
And the number of consumers going online for travel is growing. According to PhoCusWright U.S. Online Travel, more than 39% of all travel bookings are now being done on the Web. With today’s announcement, Yellow Pages will have an ever greater opportunity to be a part of the action.