Expedia's future: The online travel company expects to diversify its distribution by using interactive television. (Technology).

Travel Agent, March, 2002 by Michels, Jennifer

Expedia, the largest online travel company in the world, will soon capitalize on the resources of its new majority owner, USA Networks. USA bought enough shares from Microsoft in early February to hold a 94.9 percent voting interest in Expedia. As if agents aren't already concerned about the impact of new distribution channels, Expedia and USA will soon be reaching out to more consumers.

USA Networks, which will be renamed USA Interactive once it closes its own deal with Vivendi Universal, is divided into two groups: the Interactive Group and the Entertainment Group. The latter includes USA Gable (of which USA Networks is a part), the Sci Fi Channel, TRIO, Newsworld International, Grime, Studios USA and USA Films. Once the USA Networks and Vivendi deal is...

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