Groupon Partners with Expedia for Travel Deals
Groupon, the daily deals website, and Expedia, an online travel platform, have announced a collaboration to offer “high quality travel deals.” The initiative, called “Groupon Getaways with Expedia,” will initially target the United States and Canada before potentially expanding to other countries. This joint venture will include not only hotel deals but also packages encompassing airline tickets, car rentals, cruises, and activities at various destinations.
Both companies have confirmed that these deals will adhere to Groupon’s existing model, where members have a limited window to purchase discount vouchers. These discounts are expected to be substantial, typically around 50 percent off the retail rates available on other online travel platforms.
Andrew Mason, Groupon’s CEO, expressed excitement about leveraging Expedia’s extensive network of premier travel providers. The partnership was officially unveiled during Mason’s appearance at the D9 technology conference hosted by All Things Digital in Southern California.
During an on-stage interview at D9, Mason deflected questions about Groupon’s potential initial public offering or the reported $5 billion acquisition bid from Google the previous year. However, he did share that Groupon has seen remarkable growth, with its valuation now estimated between $15 billion and $25 billion. The company has also significantly expanded its workforce, growing from 1,500 employees to 8,000 over the past year.
