Travelocity - A Quick Read

Do you need a short refresher course on who and what Travelocity Is? This is the blog post for you. Before you get travelling, you’re going to make some arrangements and Travelocity is one of the resources available to you.

Travelocity is an online travel agency. Which means they sell travel products and services online as opposed to a brick and mortar storefront (like a traditional travel agency). Essentially, they (Travelocity) buys travel products and services in bulk and sometimes at a discount (think hotel rooms, cruise tickets, car rentals, attraction tickets and tours) and sells them to consumers.

Travelocity is owned by Expedia Inc. Travelocity’s competitors include direct booking sites, travel agents and Booking Holdings (including Booking.com and Priceline).

So why buy from them and not directly from the airline or hotel company? It has to do with the “published rates” each of the suppliers can advertise. Personally, I like booking directly with the supplier, but Traveocity has built a big business packaging vacations so consumers save money! They also are competing for your loyalty with promotions, price alerts and interactive apps making it super easy to book when your ready.

Great travel deals for deals for hotels can be found on Travelocity but remember to read the fine print before you book. Also, look for customer service options including emergency contacts and 24-hour live customer support should things go a  little sideways on your travels.

The bottom line is to shop around when searching for inspiration or pricing for a particular vacation. I usually start with Kayak (an aggregator), breeze through the OTAs such as Expedia, Priceline, Travelocity and Orbitz and then compare buying directly with the hotel, airline or resort.

Hope this helps! And, happy booking, people! Have you booked with Expedia or Travelocity? Please share your thoughts in the comments below.

Erik

PS. Here’s a little explainer video about the definition of an OTA. and helpful tip about what you bring with you on your vacation.

Erik The Travel Guy is a respected travel industry expert and host of the nationally syndicated PBS travel television series Beyond Your Backyard. He spends, on average, 25 weeks traveling around the world, hosting his show(s), making short-form travel videos and speaking at events and conferences. He lives in New York City and most enjoys spending time with his two daughters.