Cendant Buying Orbitz: More Travel Site Consolidation
from the one-big-travel-co dept
There was a time, during the boom years, where some thought Cendant was the e-commerce player to watch. They owned a bunch of different travel related brands and were making a big effort in the online space. However, like so many companies, reality and accounting problems got in the way. However, it looks like they’re trying to claw their way back while letting InterActiveCorp know that its not the only conglomerate of internet-focused travel properties. The company that already owns a variety of travel associated brands (CheapTickets, Avis, Howard Johnson, etc.) is now finalizing a deal to buy Orbitz for $1.2 billion. Orbitz, of course, was supposed to be the next big thing in online air travel, after most of the major airlines invested in it. Like so many web properties born of boom-related hype, it never fully lived up to its expectations.
