Expedia Group is developing a dedicated marketing function focused on AI agents rather than travelers or business clients. This approach is described as B2A, or business to agent. The strategy is based on how purchase decisions work: people rely on brand recognition and loyalty, while AI agents reason through options without needing shortcuts. Competitive advantage therefore moves from name familiarity to whether an agent can find and evaluate what makes properties, routes, or packages distinct. Expedia’s chief marketing officer says agents are becoming a new audience alongside businesses and consumers. Current booking behavior shows limited impact, with less than 1.5% of Expedia traffic attributed to answer engine optimization efforts.
"“Agents are becoming a new audience, in addition to businesses and consumers,” Expedia Chief Marketing Officer Jochen Koedijk said at an Expedia Explore panel in Las Vegas this week. “This is not a transition from consumer to agent, but it's in parallel.”"
"People use brand recognition or loyalty to streamline purchase decisions. AI agents don't need shortcuts. They reason through every option, and the competitive edge shifts from name familiarity to whether an agent can find and evaluate what makes a property, route, or package different."
"For now, that shift is barely visible in booking behavior. Less than 1.5% of Expedia's traffic is coming from answer engine optimization efforts, or AEO"
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