Expedia Enters Marketing Partnership With Jin Jiang, China's Largest Hotel Group

Expedia Enters Marketing Partnership With Jin Jiang, China's Largest Hotel Group

January 17, 2007

    SYDNEY, Australia and SHANGHAI, China, Jan. 17
/Xinhua-PRNewswire/ -- Expedia, Inc. (Nasdaq: EXPE), the
world's leading online travel company, today announced a
partnership with Jin Jiang International Hotel Management
Company (JJIHMC), the largest hotel owner and operator in
China. As part of the agreement, Jin Jiang, which owns and
operates more than 250 hotels, from luxury five-star
lodging to economy accommodation, will now make its entire
inventory of JJIHMC hotels available to Expedia(R)
customers.  

    The new alliance expands upon Expedia's
industry-leading inventory in the rapidly growing Asia
Pacific market and helps ensure customers receive the best
online rates at the hotel of their choice. As the world's
foremost online travel network, Expedia provides Jin Jiang
with state-of-the-art technology, online travel expertise,
targeted marketing opportunities and broad, global reach.
The agreement comes as Jin Jiang has completed its IPO on
the Hong Kong Stock Exchange and plans to expand outside of
China, and grow to 500 hotels and inns by 2010.

    "We have set an aggressive strategy for growth in
the next four years," said Michael Meade, senior vice
president of sales and marketing of Jin Jiang Hotels.
"Jin Jiang International Hotel Management Co., Ltd.,
has introduced a new online distribution strategy including
the launch of the Central Reservation System (JREZ) powered
by system service provider HUBS1. Expedia is a critical
component of that strategy. This partnership enables us to
reach a greater audience and increase our brand awareness
while providing our customers with the convenience and
confidence of booking with the world leader in online
travel." 

    "We are delighted for the opportunity to provide
value-added services that link both hotel suppliers like
Jin Jiang International Hotel Group and distributors like
Expedia together in a real-time fashion," said D.
Teddy Zhang, president and CEO of HUBS1. "Through the
HUBS1 platform, hotels in China can greatly benefit from
Expedia's global network, and at the same time, offer a
better booking experience for Expedia's customers. This
partnership changes the way hotel inventory is being
distributed in China."

    "This new partnership with Jin Jiang typifies the
kind of flexible, mutually beneficial relationships Expedia
seeks to establish with its partners," said Cameron
Jones, regional director of Expedia(R) Partner Services
Group, Asia Pacific. "By providing Jin Jiang with
tailored merchandising and added visibility through
Expedia's global network, specifically in North America and
Europe, Expedia gives Jin Jiang a market-leading partner to
significantly increase the number of high value customers
staying at their hotels."

    About Expedia, Inc.

    Expedia, Inc. is the world's leading online travel
company, empowering business and leisure travelers with the
tools and information they need to easily research, plan,
book, and experience travel. Expedia, Inc. also provides
wholesale travel to offline retail travel agents. Expedia,
Inc.'s portfolio of brands includes: Expedia.com(R),
hotels.com(R), Hotwire(R), Expedia(R) Corporate Travel,
TripAdvisor(R) and Classic Vacations(R).  Expedia, Inc.'s
companies also operate internationally with sites in
Canada, the United Kingdom, Germany, France, Italy, the
Netherlands, Australia, Japan and China, through its
investment in eLong(TM).  For more information, visit
http://www.expediainc.com/ .

    About Expedia(R) Partner Services Group

    Expedia(R) Partner Services Group offers its supplier
partners choice, seamless coordination and complete access
to our vast traveler base.  The formation of the Partner
Services Group is a testament of Expedia's commitment to
continually refine the way we conduct business by seeking
our suppliers' input and customizing our services to meet
their needs. 

    About Jin Jiang Hotels

    Jin Jiang Hotels is the largest hotel owner and
operator in China, and is ranked 22nd amongst the top 300
major hotel companies in the world and is the largest
Asian-owned hotel company. Jin Jiang Hotels is division of
Jin Jiang International Group, a leader in tourism industry
which also includes other operating divisions such as
Travel, Transport, Logistics, and other enterprises.
Including properties under development, Jin Jiang owns,
manages or franchises more than 250 hotels and inns, with
more than 51,000 rooms in China.

    About HUBS1 

    HUBS1, the first tailor-made web-based central
reservation and distribution system for the Greater China
hotel industry, provides a truly cutting-edge technology
platform that enables hotels to reach domestic and
international customers and future hospitality demand. 
HUBS1 technology consists of real time multi-language
booking engine, channel management, and seamless
connections to Global Distribution System (GDS), Internet
Distribution System (IDS), hotel Property Management System
(PMS) and international travel agents and corporate
customers.

    NOTE:  Expedia, Expedia.com are either registered
trademarks or trademarks of Expedia, Inc. in the U.S.
and/or other countries. Classic Vacations is either a
trademark or registered trademark of Classic Vacations, LLC
in the U.S. and/or other countries. hotels.com is either a
trademark or registered trademark of hotels.com, L.P. a
subsidiary of hotels.com in the U.S. and/or other
countries. Hotwire is either a trademark or registered
trademark of Hotwire, Inc in the U.S. and/or other
countries. TripAdvisor is either a trademark or registered
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.


    For more information, contact:

    Pulse Communications
     Georgina Murphy
     Tel:   [phone] or [phone]
     Email: [e-mail]

     Scott Gillespie
     Tel:   [phone] or [phone]
     Email: [e-mail]

    Jin Jiang Hotels
     Helen Wu
     Public Relations and Promotions Manager 
     Tel:   [phone], ext. 526
     Email: [e-mail]
     
     Loretta Chan
     Vice President - Online distribution and marketing of
HUBS1
     Tel:   [phone], ext. 6605


SOURCE  Expedia, Inc.