Online Travel Agencies 4Q And Full Year 2010: A Strong Finish, An Uncertain Future

Summary

For the global travel market, 2010 may have been a time of recovery following a traumatic 2009, but for online travel agencies (OTAs), it was a banner year. Aggregate total gross bookings of the three public U.S. OTAs, Expedia, Orbitz and Priceline, grew in 4Q10 and the the full year. But as the global industry regains momentum, the outlook for OTAs may not be as rosy.