Expedia expands P.R. presence with 1st local office
Expedia has several team members now based in its local office in the Puerta del Condado building in San Juan.
The Expedia group, one of the world’s leading travel companies, announced this week the opening of its first local Puerto Rico office in San Juan.
“As one of Expedia group’s top producing destinations within the Caribbean, Puerto Rico is an in-demand market with more than 250 hotel partners,” said Demetrius Canton, director of Lodging Partner Services for the Caribbean, Expedia group.
“While we have the technology and marketing tools to help our partners on a global level, we feel strongly that we are best equipped to assist our partners in these efforts when we are present in their local marketplace,” he said.
Overall, demand increased nearly 15 percent in the first quarter of 2015 when compared to the same time last year. San Juan continues to be the leading destination on the island, with more than 25 percent increase in demand in the first quarter of the year, the executive said.
Expedia local market managers provide market insight to hotel partners so they can set their distribution strategy. Market managers can help identify opportunities to better fill rooms at the right rate by suggesting targeted promotions. They can also help hoteliers understand market forces at play, like the growth of mobile, so that hoteliers can make adjustments to get at least their fair share of demand.
“With several team members now based in our local office in the Puerta del Condado building in San Juan, we have further enhanced our ability to effectively serve our partners and support the continued growth of this important destination,” said Brett Minzner, area manager for Central Caribbean, Expedia group.
Package demand continues to be a major driver for Puerto Rico, with San Juan leading the destination with a 30 percent increase during the first quarter of the year, compared to the same period in 2014. These bookings combine travel components like flights and hotel and generally feature twice as long length of stay, twice the booking window and half the cancellation rate of a standalone, or hotel only, booking.
By working with Expedia group, hotels in the Caribbean gain exposure to the more than 150 websites in more than 70 countries worldwide.
