Expedia Group is expanding its Travel Shops feature with the launch of more than 100 shoppable storefronts from media companies, brands and influencers that it has invited to join the platform.
“Travelers are already getting inspiration through Instagram and TikTok, so creating a path to go from looking to booking is a natural evolution that meets travelers where they’re at,” said Lauri Metrose, senior vice president of global communications at Expedia Group.
The shoppable storefronts launched in May at Expedia Explore in Las Vegas as a way for creators to share their recommendations and earn commissions from bookings.
Expedia said next year it will open the opportunity to everyone.
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New shops on the site now come from publishers such as Travel + Leisure, Variety and Condé Nast Traveler, tourism boards such as Visit The USA and Go Dominican Republic, brands such as Arsenal FC and individuals such as actor Jaime Camil.
“The idea for these Travel Shops really came from our marketing teams’ deep insights into how people use social as part of their trip planning and realizing that if we found a way to integrate it into our product, it would be both something that is attractive for the influencers themselves and also really value add for our travelers,” said Ariane Gorin, CEO of Expedia Group, at the time of the product’s launch in May.
Travel Shops is part of the Expedia iOS application in the United States and in the United Kingdom. As social media marketing continues to flourish, many travel sellers are capitalizing on opportunities to bolster growth and exposure through social media platforms. Others, like Expedia, are taking it a step farther to enable bookings. Klook, for example, is integrating its booking capabilities with TikTok.
Scroll, Heart, Fly – Social Media’s Impact on Travel 2024
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