Expedia.com Teams Up with TripAdvisor to Create Interactive 'Drive Getaway' Ideas Tool

BELLEVUE, Wash., July 9 /PRNewswire/ -- Expedia.com(R), the world's leading online travel site, today announced the launch of a new interactive "Drive Getaway" ideas tool, developed in partnership with TripAdvisor(R), the world's most popular and largest travel community. The Drive Getaway tool (www.expedia.com/drivegetaway) provides users with ideas for driving-distance trips accessible from their starting city on a single tank of gas or less. Using the tool, people can access lists of TripAdvisor's top-rated destinations and area attractions, as well as Expedia.com's highest-ranked hotels that are a specified driving distance from thousands of origination cities worldwide. The tool marks the first time TripAdvisor destination content is available on Expedia.com.

"This summer, many travelers are stretching their vacation dollars by looking for value closer to home," said Tim MacDonald, general manager of Expedia.com. "The combination of our Drive Getaway tool, the thousands of deals running in our Biggest Hotel Sale Ever, and our new pre-paid gas card offer is a terrific example of the unmatched value Expedia.com provides travelers looking for easy and affordable trips this summer."

In order to narrow destination options, the Drive Getaway tool allows users to filter results for each starting city by offering three "trip length" choices: full tank (151-300 miles), half tank (76-150 miles) or quarter tank (0-75 miles). In addition to the recommendations, the tool also provides TripAdvisor user-generated photos of destinations and attractions. Following are several examples of search results from the Drive Getaway tool:

Starting City: Chicago

• Full Tank Getaway - Springfield, Ill. - TripAdvisor's Top-Rated Attractions: Abraham Lincoln Presidential Library, Old State Capitol State Historic Site, Oak Ridge Cemetery; Expedia's Hotel Picks: The State House Inn - A Clarion Collection Hotel, Drury Inn and Suites Springfield, Staybridge Suites South
• Half Tank Getaway - Milwaukee Wis. - TripAdvisor's Top-Rated Attractions: Milwaukee Art Museum, Harley-Davidson Museum, Miller Park; Expedia's Hotel Picks: Iron Horse Hotel, Schuster Mansion Bed & Breakfast, Doubletree Hotel Milwaukee City Center
• Quarter Tank Getaway - Lisle, Ill. - TripAdvisor's Top-Rated Attractions: Chicago Improv, Morton Arboretum, First Division Museum at Cantigny; Expedia's Hotel Picks: Hyatt Lisle, Wyndham Lisle-Chicago Hotel, Marriott Hickory Ridge Conference Hotel

Starting City: Los Angeles

• Full Tank Getaway - Paso Robles, Calif. - TripAdvisor's Top-Rated Attractions: The Grapeline Paso Robles, JUSTIN Vineyards and Winery, Wine Wrangler; Expedia's Hotel Picks: La Bellasera Hotel and Suites, La Quinta Inn & Suites Paso Robles, Vine Street Inn
• Half Tank Getaway - San Diego, Calif. - TripAdvisor's Top-Rated Attractions: Another Side of San Diego Tours, USS Midway Museum, Torrey Pines State Reserve; Expedia's Hotel Picks: Hotel Solamar - a Kimpton Hotel, The Sofia Hotel, Best Western Stratford Inn
• Quarter Tank Getaway - Laguna Beach, Calif. - TripAdvisor's Top-Rated Attractions: Crystal Cove State Park, 1,000 Steps Beach, Laguna Art Museum; Expedia's Hotel Picks: Hotel Seven4one, Casa Laguna Inn & Spa, The Surf and Sand Resort

This collaboration between Expedia.com and TripAdvisor represents strategic efforts within the brand portfolio of Expedia, Inc. - parent company to Expedia(R) and TripAdvisor - to leverage the best of its marketplace for the benefit of travelers.

Adding fuel to the launch of the Drive Getaway tool, Expedia.com also today announced another incentive to hit the road this summer. From now until the end of July, Expedia.com is rewarding travelers with a $50 Gas Money Prepaid Mastercard(R) when they book a hotel stay of three or more nights at participating Expedia Special Rate hotels in the continental U.S. and Canada for travel before August 15. The offer is part of Expedia.com's Biggest Hotel Sale Ever, a promotion offering thousands of hotel deals and discounts of up to 30 percent off everyday rates in the U.S. and Canada.

For more information about Expedia.com's Drive Getaway tool and Biggest Hotel Sale Ever, or for details about the pre-paid gas card promotion, visit www.expedia.com.

About TripAdvisor Media Network

TripAdvisor(R) Media Network, operated by TripAdvisor, LLC, attracts more than 33 million monthly visitors* across 14 popular travel brands: TripAdvisor(R), www.airfarewatchdog.com, www.bookingbuddy.com, www.cruisecritic.com, www.flipkey.com, www.frequentflier.com, www.holidaywatchdog.com, www.independenttraveler.com, www.onetime.com, www.seatguru.com, www.smartertravel.com, www.travel-library.com, www.travelpod.com and www.virtualtourist.com. TripAdvisor-branded sites make up the largest travel community in the world, with more than 25 million monthly visitors*, 10 million registered members and 23 million reviews and opinions. Featuring real advice from real travelers, TripAdvisor-branded sites cover more than one million destinations, hotels, restaurants and attractions and operate in the U.S. (http://www.tripadvisor.com), the U.K. (http://www.tripadvisor.co.uk), Ireland (http://www.tripadvisor.ie), France (http://www.tripadvisor.fr), Germany (http://www.tripadvisor.de), Italy (http://www.tripadvisor.it), Spain (http://www.tripadvisor.es), India (http://www.tripadvisor.in), Japan (http://www.tripadvisor.jp), Portugal and Brazil (http://www.tripadvisor.com.br), Sweden (http://www.tripadvisor.se), and The Netherlands (http://nl.tripadvisor.com). TripAdvisor also operates in China under the brand daodao.com (http://www.daodao.com). TripAdvisor(R) Media Network provides travel suppliers with graphical advertising opportunities and a cost-per-click marketing platform. Collectively, the sites comprising the TripAdvisor Media Network have won hundreds of awards and accolades from press and industry worldwide. TripAdvisor and the sites comprising the TripAdvisor Media Network are operating companies of Expedia, Inc. (Nasdaq: EXPE).

TripAdvisor and the TripAdvisor logo are registered trademarks of TripAdvisor LLC in the U.S. and/or other countries. Other logos or product and company names mentioned herein may be the property of their respective owners.

About Expedia.com

Expedia.com is the world's leading online travel site, helping millions of travelers per month easily plan and book travel. Expedia.com (http://www.expedia.com/, 1-800-EXPEDIA) aims to provide personalized service, the latest technology and the widest selection of vacation packages, flights, hotels, rental cars, cruises and in-destination activities, attractions, and services. With the Expedia Best Price Guarantee, Expedia.com promises to offer to its customers the best rates available online for all types of travel. Expedia.com is an operating company of Expedia, Inc. (NASDAQ: EXPE).

Expedia, Expedia.com and the Airplane logo are registered trademarks of Expedia, Inc. in the U.S. and/or other countries. TripAdvisor is either a registered trademark or a trademark of TripAdvisor LLC, in the U.S. and/or other countries. Other logos or product and company names mentioned herein may be the property of their respective owners. (C) 2009 Expedia, Inc. All rights reserved. CST # 2029030-40

SOURCE Expedia.com

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