A B2B portal for travel advisors. Created by Expedia with TAAP. But what objectives does it aim at, and what services does it offer? We put these questions to Tiziana Battiston, Country Manager PLS TAAP of Expedia Group.

“We created Expedia TAAP,” explains Battiston, “to provide Travel Agents with a comprehensive solution that allows them to offer exceptional travel experiences through an end-to-end platform that connects them to Expedia's global network of hotels, flights, car rentals and businesses. Our goal is to support agents in today's competitive market, providing the necessary tools and resources and making the business grow with lasting partnerships”.

When it comes to key offerings, Expedia TAAP offers a full suite of tools and benefits, including an intuitive booking platform, competitive commissions, exclusive offers, 24/7 support, and the global reach of the Expedia Group: “The breadth and variety of our offering is what sets us apart. But that’s not all: we have direct contracts with most of our partners, a significant advantage in terms of support, reliability and value for agents,” continues Battiston. “These direct agreements ensure accurate and up-to-date contents at the hotel, room and rate plan levels. In addition, they allow us to guarantee competitive and exclusive rates with the main hotel chains. This is essential for agents who want to offer their customers the best deals while maintaining a high level of service”.

The TAAP offering includes more than 3 million properties in more than 200 countries, more than 35 types of accommodations, including holiday homes, more than 500 airlines, over 220,000 tours, activities and adventures, and more than 120 car rental companies. A privileged point of view on travel trends: “Data from the platform suggests that solo travel is booming, but that those travelling in couples are still in first position. The most popular destinations include New York, Miami and Orlando in the USA, and evergreens such as Paris and Rome in Europe. Asia is growing with Tokyo, Singapore and Bangkok. The Expedia Group's 'Unpack 2025' report also highlights the trend of 'JOMO Travel' (joy of missing out on something) in relaxing destinations”.

Technology will continue to change the rules of the game, and as demand increases in 2025, agents who adapt to technological advances will be well-positioned to grow. This is why it is so important to be at BIT. Tiziana Battiston concludes as follows: “Participating in BIT 2025 will be a unique opportunity to meet live both the agents already enrolled in the agency programme and those who are not yet part of it. We will be showcasing the validity of the product, which allows you to create an entire itinerary in a few clicks, offers dedicated tools for professionals and the extensive online. We are also open to meeting tourism bodies and DMCs to create new synergies and collaborations”.

The event with the most advanced trends, products and services in the sector is at BIT 2025, at fieramilano — Rho from Sunday 9 to Tuesday 11 February 2025.