REDMOND, Wash., and CONCORD, Mass., Jan. 5, 1999 — The following is the monthly newsletter for the MSN
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Expedia
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travel service, highlighting the latest site information and trends in online travel. Expedia includes many third-party offers; some restrictions may apply. For more information on all offer details, please go to http://expedia.MSN.com/ .
1998 Highlights
In addition to looking ahead to the new year, Expedia Express looks back and notes some highlights of a tremendous year for MSN Expedia.
Weekly Revenue Hits $8.5 Million
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MSN Expedia closed 1998 as the No. 1 online travel site with more than $8.5 million in weekly revenues. Consumer confidence in purchasing online travel, coupled with high-volume holiday travel sales, sparked the surge.
Credit Card Guarantee Introduced
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To address consumers’ security concerns and demonstrate confidence in its ability to protect customers’ information online, MSN Expedia introduced the industry’s best online credit card guarantee. Not only does this security service cover the $50 deductible for all online travel purchases made through MSN Expedia, but once invoked at MSN Expedia, the credit card guarantee remains good for 12 months on any other purchases – online or offline. Microsoft is proud to state that, thanks to the top-level site security, the service remains unused.
MSN Expedia Travel Network Flourishes
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The Expedia Travel Network, introduced in January 1998, has grown to more than 30 travel suppliers. This collection of some of the best travel sites on the Web gives consumers one-stop shopping access to cruises, vacation packages, resorts and a multitude of other travel-related products and services. To date, sales through the Expedia Travel Network total more than $8 million.
Top 10 Cyber-Traveler Destinations Booked Online via MSN Expedia in 1998
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San Francisco
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New York
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Washington, D.C.
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Los Angeles
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Chicago
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Orlando
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Atlanta
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Las Vegas
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Seattle/Tacoma
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Boston
Top 10 Cyber-Traveler Departure Cities Booked via MSN Expedia in 1998
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New York
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San Francisco
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Washington, D.C.
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Seattle
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Chicago
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Los Angeles
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Atlanta
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Boston
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Dallas/Fort Worth
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Denver
What’s New
Top Honors
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MSN Expedia earned its fifth honor as one of PC Magazine’s Top 100 Web Sites. Expedia is the only online travel site to be recognized five times in a row.
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MSN Expedia was selected in Yahoo! Internet Life’s Best of the Web issue as one of the Best Travel Networks.
Special Deals on Cruises –
http://expedia.MSN.com/daily/etndeals/
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Users can book a Norwegian cruise with Cruise Outlet
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Travelers can take a seven-night cruise on the Norway to the Eastern Caribbean for only $598 per person. If they book the minimum available inside cabin by Jan. 31, they automatically get upgraded to the best available outside cabin. Savings are available on select sailings from Jan. 2, 1999 through Feb. 27, 1999.
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Travelers can sail on the Norwegian Wind for a seven-night cruise to the Western Caribbean for $872 per person. If they book by Jan. 31, 1999, they can save up to $2,000 per couple on select sailings from Jan. 3 to March 28.
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Renaissance cruise package
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Travelers can take an 11-day Greek Isles cruise tour including a five-day cruise for only $1,799 per person. This price includes free round-trip air fare from New York and two-night deluxe hotel stays in Athens, Greece, and Istanbul, Turkey. Prices per person based on double occupancy.
Expedia and Corbis Offer Postcards –
http://expedia.MSN.com/daily/communicate/
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Travelers wanting to share stunning travel images with friends or family now can send postcards instantly from MSN Expedia. Provided by Corbis, these photo greetings feature brilliant photos of various locations and can include personalized messages from the sender.
The Online Travel Resource
Straight From the Experts –
http://expedia.MSN.com/daily/forums/
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Ed Perkins , noted consumer columnist, will forecast the air fare outlook for 1999.
Chat With the Experts –
http://expedia.MSN.com/forums/
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Users can learn French. Users can join the Expedia French expert in January as she helps travelers learn basic French and, more important, helps them plan a trip to France to hone their new French language skills. This feature occurs every Wednesday from 7 p.m. to 8 p.m. EST and 4 p.m. to 5 p.m. PST.
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Users can find the thrills. Users can join Expedia theme park expert Gary Bungart for up-to-the-minute late-breaking travel and theme parks news. This month Expedia covers Cirque du Soleil opening in Orlando, Fla., Test Track opening at Epcot, Asia in Preview at Disney’s Animal Kingdom, and the soon-to-open Islands of Adventure at Universal Studios Florida. This feature occurs every Thursday from 9 p.m. to 10 p.m. EST and 6 p.m. to 7 p.m. PST.
Favorite Places This Month –
http://expedia.MSN.com/daily/favorites/
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Nostalgic Hawaii is profiled beginning Jan. 4. Learn about favorite activities to experience in Hawaii, such as scuba diving, deep-sea fishing, outrigger canoeing, or discovering a new cosmopolitan restaurant.
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Romantic San Francisco’s famous festivals, museums, restaurants and more will be profiled beginning Jan. 18.
Full Circle –
http://expedia.MSN.com/daily/magazine/
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Users can view the extensive grasslands and rocky outcroppings of one of the world’s largest wildlife sanctuaries, the Serengeti Plain in Africa.
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Other product and company names herein may be trademarks of their respective owners.