CHICAGO – August 19, 2008 – Orbitz.com (http://www.orbitz.com/), a pioneer in online
travel, today announced it is the first major online travel agency to offer a dedicated
vacation rental site (www.www.zonder.com). Through a partnership with
Zonder, a leading vacation rental provider, Orbitz is giving its customers access
to the largest portfolio of vacation homes that can be booked instantly online.
Created to give customers a user-friendly, one-stop experience for finding the best
lodging options, Orbitz’ vacation rental
properties include unique offerings of private homes,
condo rentals, cabin rentals
and villas for a variety of budgets and vacation experiences. With Zonder’s platform,
Orbitz travelers view real-time availability and receive immediate booking confirmations.
“Orbitz continues to demonstrate leadership and innovation as the first major online
travel agency to give our customers dedicated access to this growing segment of
the travel industry,” said Steve Barnhart, Chief Executive Officer and President
of Orbitz Worldwide. “In today’s challenging economy, travelers can benefit from
the price savings and the extra space and amenities that come with alternative lodging
options. With the addition of vacation rental inventory, Orbitz customers have another
option when planning a vacation that suits their needs and budget.”
Orbitz vacation rental offerings give customers the tools to easily find and book
vacation rentals online. Travelers can easily browse top destinations or a search
for a specific destination and find a vacation rental that meets their needs by
refining their search with a number of options, including:
- Price
- Number of travelers
- Distance to destination
- Amenities (hot tub, pool, pet friendly, internet access, etc.)
- Property Type (house, condo, cabin, etc.)
- Location Type (ocean view, beach front, ski-in/ski-out, etc.)
- Household Comforts (BBQ, blender, dishwasher, microwave, etc.)
- Outdoor Recreation (surfing, skiing, fishing etc.)
- Services (in-unit laundry, grocery store, etc.)
Orbitz vacation rentals offer benefits
for travelers looking for options not traditionally available at hotels, such as
full kitchens to save on food costs from dining out, private laundry units, a private
pool or hot tub, additional space for groups and families and the privacy of their
own home or unit.
Weekly rates for a vacation rental on Orbitz.com range from $107/night for a 2-person
condo in Lake Tahoe, CA to $138/night for a 6-person private home in Orlando, FL.
Examples of vacation rentals and pricing available on Orbitz include:
- 3 Bedroom, 3 Bath Ski-in/Ski-Out Vacation Home in Vail, CO, 7 Nights (mid Sept),
from $260 a night
- 2 Bedroom, 2 Bath Beach Vacation Rental in Puerto Vallarta, Mexico, 7 Nights (mid
Sept), from $102 a night
- 3 Bedroom, 2 Bath Vacation Condo in Orlando, FL 7 Nights (mid Sept), from $118 a
night
Orbitz has partnered with Salt Lake City-based Zonder to bring this portfolio of
vacation rentals to its customers. Zonder provides rich, accurate content about
each property, a photo slideshow, a detailed description of the property and amenities,
and a proprietary search technology that gives customers a faster, easier way to
find and book the perfect vacation rental property. Zonder is a trusted intermediary
between the property manager and the renter, facilitating all rental payments directly,
so travelers no longer have to take the personal risk of sending their payment and
personal information directly to an unknown party.
“This deal is a very big milestone for the vacation rental industry which has seen
tremendous growth in popularity,” said Bob Barnes, CEO of Zonder. “We are happy
Orbitz has selected Zonder as their partner to bring vacation rentals to travelers
everywhere.”
To book a vacation rental on Orbitz.com, visit www.vacationrentals.orbitz.com.
About Orbitz
Orbitz (www.orbitz.com) is a leading online travel company that enables travelers
to search for and purchase a broad array of travel products, including airline tickets,
hotel rooms, rental cars, cruises and vacation packages. Since launching its website
www.orbitz.com to the general public in June 2001, Orbitz has become one of the
largest online travel sites in the world based on gross travel bookings. On Orbitz,
consumers can search more than 80,000 suppliers worldwide including airlines, hotels,
vacation rentals and car rental companies. Orbitz is a brand that is owned and operated
by Orbitz Worldwide (NYSE: OWW).
About Zonder
Based in Salt Lake City, Utah, Zonder (www.zonder.com) was the first vacation home
rental distributor to offer accurate, real-time availability and online bookings.
In addition to marketing the largest portfolio of vacation homes that can be booked
instantly online, Zonder bookings are backed up by the Zonder Guarantee. Only Zonder
gives consumers and partners the necessary tools to efficiently search through tens
of thousands of vacation home rentals and narrow their results using a variety of
filtering criteria. In addition, Zonder offers partners a powerful, flexible technology
platform that makes it simple to add vacation rentals to their product offerings.
Founded by search industry veterans, it is the technology behind Zonder that enables
its powerful search, filtering and real-time booking capabilities.
Media Contacts:
Abigail Hunt
Orbitz
(312) 894-4734
abigail.hunt@orbitz.com
Amanda Deveaux
PJ Inc. for Zonder
amanda@pjinc.net
(212) 629-8445