USA TODAY Travel Media Group Expands Further Into Digital Platforms With Acquisition of Tripology

MCLEAN, Va., April 17, 2013 /PRNewswire/ -- USA TODAY Travel Media Group is adding more tools for travelers and expanding further into digital platforms, and today announced the completion of its acquisition of Tripology. Terms of the acquisition were not disclosed.

Tripology is an interactive travel referral service focused on connecting travelers with experienced travel specialists. Available free to consumers, Tripology utilizes proprietary technology to match traveler requests with travel professionals. Tripology offers the best of both worlds, combining a content-rich online experience with access to specialists offering expertise. Tripology's user-friendly consumer website, Tripology.com, has been designed to be easy and risk free for consumers to use when they seek the expertise of a travel specialist.

"The acquisition of Tripology fits well into our overall growth strategy. The USA TODAY Travel Media Group has been expanding its digital portfolio of travel news, products and services over the past year. For decades, we've provided our audience with helpful and easy to use travel content and now we're adding more tools to help consumers with their travel experience," said John Peters, president of USA TODAY Travel Media Group. "Time-starved travelers researching and booking cruises, honeymoons, family reunions, and other complicated travel often require the services of a travel professional and Tripology can match them with a specialist."  

USA TODAY plans to offer Tripology.com referral services across Gannett media outlets, which include a network of more than 100 local and national websites reaching 52 million unique users monthly.

The USA TODAY Travel Media Group continues to increase its offerings to USA TODAY's travel partners and on-the-go audience by reaching travelers every step of the way in their travel planning experience — from research and booking to travel and reviews. Earlier this year, USA TODAY acquired 10Best.com, a provider of original, unbiased, and experiential travel content of top attractions, things to see and do, and restaurants for top destinations around the world.  In 2012, USA TODAY created The Point, a new guest-facing digital news, information, travel utility and entertainment platform. The Point sits on top of the hotel wifi network — as a means to provide real time information and services to hotel guests. The platform is now deployed in more than 3,000 hotels and 450,000 guestrooms in the U.S. USA TODAY also announced the launch of HotelMe, a website that gives consumers access to verified hotel reviews from fellow travelers.

USA TODAY is a multi-platform news and information media company. Founded in 1982, USA TODAY's mission is to serve as a forum for better understanding and unity to help make the USA truly one nation.  Through its unique visual storytelling, USA TODAY delivers high-quality and engaging content across print, digital, social and video platforms.  An innovator of news and information, USA TODAY reflects the pulse of the nation and serves as the host of the American conversation – today, tomorrow and for decades to follow. USA TODAY, the nation's number one newspaper in print circulation with an average of more than 1.7 million daily, and USATODAY.com, an award-winning newspaper website launched in 1995, reach a combined six million readers daily. USA TODAY is a leader in mobile applications with more than 17 million downloads on mobile devices. USA TODAY is owned by Gannett Co., Inc. (NYSE: GCI).

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SOURCE USA TODAY Travel Media Group