" Uber is becoming an app for everything — helping people get around, get deliveries, and now travel, all in one place. "This is summarised in a few words by Dara Khosrowshahi, CEO of Uber, the new direction adopted by the platform. On the occasion of GO–GET – a sort of Uber keynote – the American giant took a step it had embarked on several years ago. Just four years ago, in April 2022, the promise was mentioned. Jamie Heywood, Regional General Manager, UK, Northern and Eastern Europe at Uber, declared at the time: « Later this year, we plan to incorporate flights, and in the future hotels, by integrating with leading partners into the Uber app to create a seamless door-to-door travel experience. ".
700,000 hotels expected
This time, it's official: hotels are arriving within an increasingly multi-faceted Uber universe. And it is through a partnership with an already well-established player in the sector that the newcomer intends to grow: Hotels on Uber will rely on an agreement with the group Expedia, for now restricted to the US domestic market.
Uber intends to list “in the long term” more than 700,000 establishments worldwide. As for advantages, note that Uber One members will receive 10 % refunded in Uber One credits on all hotel bookings. They will also save at least 20 % on an “evolving list” of more than 10,000 hotels worldwide.
A double entendre
The agreement between the two giants works in both directions: Uber journeys should be integrated directly into the Expedia application, starting in June, at least as a pilot version. Push notifications will also be sent to travellers before they arrive at their hotel to book Uber journeys, also at a reduced rate.
For Uber CEO Dara Khosrowshahi, this integration must address a form of " Cognitive surcharge . This is how he explains it: " We are all going through a period of real cognitive overload: too many apps, too many decisions, too much noise. Ultimately, our mission is to help people regain control of their time, spending less of it managing the logistics of daily life and more of it living fully. ".
" The journey should be a seamless experience, and this partnership brings us closer to a truly frictionless travel experience "says Ariane Gorin, CEO of Expedia Group. By connecting our bilateral marketplace with Uber, we are integrating Uber rides directly into the Expedia app and Expedia Group's accommodation inventory into the Uber app through our Rapid API technology. Together, we are helping travellers spend less time planning and more time enjoying their trip. "
In addition to this integration between hotels and ride-hailing services, Uber has unveiled other features. For travellers, a new "Travel Mode" feature is particularly noteworthy. This is intended to offer travellers personalised recommendations for local addresses, popular tourist attractions, and reservations via OpenTable during their journeys, the Uber version of "room service," with delivery to their hotel room door. and even forgotten articles for those travelling to new destinations Uber officials state: Users can now consider the Uber app their personal travel concierge. ".
