The online travel agency Expedia announces a new global orientation, which should take into account the new travel landscape and new travel needs. Shiv Singh, Senior Vice President and General Manager at Expedia, explains what the rebranding will entail.
Expedia’s renewed commitment to travelers follows a year that was a very difficult one for the travel industry due to the corona pandemic. Customer analyzes carried out over several months served as the basis for the new direction. The goal: to better understand the central obstacles and difficulties of vacationers and to get them out of the way. The company describes the repositioning as a key moment in development and as the starting shot for a redesign.
Both the product range and the appearance of the user interface have been revised. Expedia would like to better respond to the wishes and needs of travelers in the aftermath of the corona pandemic.
“In the last 25 years, the focus of our corporate development has been primarily on booking volumes and growing transaction numbers. However, last year we realized that our customers want more from a travel company. They want a trustworthy partner by their side who will accompany them from planning to the end and help them get the most out of their trip, says Shiv Singh, Senior Vice President and General Manager at Expedia.
New Look of the Online Platform
The core of the rebranding is to be a new look for the online platform on more than 70 websites and apps for mobile devices. The product selection is specifically designed so that travelers can put together a complete trip on a single platform according to their wishes and needs. These include flights, accommodations, rental cars, and activities. Expedia is also introducing a number of innovations that are in line with the brand’s ambition to be the ideal travel partner for its customers:
- In the travel plan, users can now see all the details of their trip in one place, whether in the app or on the website.
- Anyone who has started a search in the Expedia app but has not yet booked, can now pick up where they left off. The resume planning feature shows recent searches. Recently made bookings are also displayed to the user.
- Expedia will soon also be launching a new product offering combined travel elements. These are products (flights + accommodation + activities) that have been put together in advance for a transparent total price.
Travel insurance offering further developed
Expedia has also continued to develop its travel insurance offering. The company plans to take a number of steps later this year to make it easier to choose and use insurance. This includes reformulating the insurance terms into an easy-to-understand text, a simplified process for submitting an insurance claim with clear information on required documents and information on the next steps after submitting an insurance claim.
Expedia also continues to invest in its virtual assistant. With this automated customer service, vacationers can cancel their entire trip. They can also get answers to questions about their travel plan. The selection and booking of flights have also been redesigned. The aim of the changes is so that customers can quickly find the most suitable flights and tariffs for them.
New brand identity
Not only the search and booking platform have been revised. Expedia is also introducing a new brand identity that will be implemented worldwide. This extensive creative concept was made possible by the largest marketing investment in the last five years.
The year 2021 also brings new faces. For example, actress, screenwriter and producer Rashida Jones will appear in US television commercials. Naomie Harris appears in the British and German TV commercial. “Our new brand positioning is a promise to all travelers who want to be well informed, want absolute freedom of choice and now more than ever want a helping hand during their entire trip. We know people want to travel again and we want to make sure they feel good about choosing Expedia as their travel partner, ”concludes Singh.
Source: https://www.tophotel.de/rebrandingexpedia-gibt-neue-markenpositionierung-bekannt-91420/
