Expedia Inc, the world’s largest online travel company yesterday launched its operations to Rwandan hoteliers and travel operators in the country, in a function that was held in Kigali.

In an interview with The New Times, Ross A Kata, the Market Manager Africa, said that Expedia has recently expanded into multiple Sub-Saharan Africa travel markets including Rwanda, where it is partnering with local tour operators to bring exposure to travellers around the world.

"Easy Travel Africa and Expedia will partner with local hotels to organise Expedia tours, transfers and destination activities for travellers looking to visit Rwanda,” he said.

"This is an opportunity to travel suppliers in Rwanda since it will bring more tourists who come to see how the country is progressing.”

He added that in the long run, the online travel company will make Rwanda one of the key tourism destinations in Africa.

"Our main target is to expose Rwanda and the rest of the African continent to the outside world,” he noted.

According to Diego J. Lofeudo, the Director Market Management Eastern Mediterranean and Africa, Expedia’s network of travel brands provides a wide range of flexible business models for travel suppliers to use in optimising their revenues and distribution strategies.

"Expedia is excited for the opportunity to partner with travel suppliers in African markets that are new to our marketplace and showcase their unique accommodations, travel products and services to travel shoppers around the world,” he said.

According to the officials, the company will place hundreds of travel professionals in local markets around the world to act as consultants on behalf of travel suppliers and provide valuable data and insights to help maximise occupancy and optimise their merchandising.

Expedia’s global market place consists of more than 90 localised Expedia and hotels.com-branded travel booking sites in 60 countries worldwide, attracting an unmatched audience of nearly 60 million travel shoppers every month.

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