Orbitz for Agents Debuts with Commissionable Hotels, Packages

Orbitz officially confirmed Travel Pulse’s earlier report that it has launched Orbitz for Agents, which will give travel agents the opportunity to earn commissions on hotel reservations and customized travel package bookings. Orbitz said the new program gives travel agents a broad range of hotel options around the world, including promotional rates on thousands of properties.

The Orbitz for Agents program also allows travel agents to create customized travel packages (flight and hotel; flight, hotel and car; and hotel and car). By pricing the airline ticket and hotel room as a package, Orbitz for Agents also will give agents access to highly discounted rates on airline tickets, hotel rooms and car rentals that airlines, hotels and car rental companies would not allow Orbitz to offer separately.

“Orbitz for Agents is an easy to use solution for travel agents to book hotels and customized travel packages while earning extremely competitive commissions,” said Ronnie Gurion, president of Orbitz Worldwide Distribution. “Orbitz for Agents also gives travel agents the ability to set and charge service fees on a transaction by transaction basis.”

Standard commission rates will be 10 percent for hotel reservations and 4 percent for travel package bookings. Travel Pulse had originally reported Orbitz would pay 5 percent on packaged bookings, based on the percentage that was on the Orbitz for Agents beta-test website.

Orbitz also said the first 500 travel agents to sign up and make their first booking on www.orbitzforagents.com by March 15, 2010 will earn higher commissions on hotel and travel packages through March 31, 2011. Promotional terms include 12 percent for hotel reservations and 5 percent for travel package bookings.