This morning, at the EXPLORE conference at the ARIA Resort in Las Vegas, Expedia announced the launch of Travel Shops, a new storefront on the Expedia app that centralises content creators’ travel recommendations.
Lead image: Oneika Raymond
This innovative feature saves travellers from the tedious task of scrolling through social media to find past recommendations and new inspiration, offering a more streamlined and convenient experience.
B&T was on the ground in Las Vegas for an exclusive preview of the new storefront from Oneika Raymond and Brent Conti, two of the 14 influencer partners that have formed the exclusive launch of the new offering.
This new storefront is not just a convenience for travellers but also a powerful tool for content creators. It allows them to earn commission, increase visibility, and, most importantly, customise their own personalised space for travel content. Through this feature, Expedia is empowering and valuing the creativity and expertise of content creators.
The platform developed from the knowledge that 80% of travellers use social media to guide their travel plans and 69% trust influencer recommendations more than they trust ads or sponsored content. “We saw an opportunity to reinvent how consumers interact with travel content on social media platforms,” said Jochen Koedijk, CMO, Expedia Group.
“Travel Shops are a first-of-its-kind travel platform that bridges the gap between content creators and travellers, creating a central hub for curated travel recommendations and a seamless shopping experience. Travel Shops give creators the tools to build unique marketplaces, making it easy to share travel recommendations and providing a more personalized experience for travellers”.
“Influencers are the new class of travel agents, but they lack the tools until today,” said Lauri Metrose, SVP of communications at Expedia Group, at a live discussion of the product launch.
“The travel category is one of the most profitable categories. And there has never been a tool to be able to monetise it. And so that was what we’re doing the travel shops”.
By the end of the year, Travel Shops will be open to all users. “Everybody who loves to travel will be able to access it. It’s like the Amazon storefront for travel,” said Metrose.
