Uber has announced a significant expansion of its ecosystem with the launch of new functionalities aimed at concentrating all the services linked to a trip in a single application. The main novelty is the integration of hotel reservations through an agreement with Expedia, which will allow users to access more than 700,000 accommodations directly from the app, with filters by price, category or ratings, and using the usual payment methods. The service, presented at the annual Go-Get event in New York, will be completed with the addition of Vrbo’s offering later this year.
“Travel is our next frontier”said Dara Khosrowshahi, current CEO of Uber and former CEO of Expedia, until 2017. During the presentation, the objective of simplifying travel planning to the same level as requesting a ride was set. Along the same lines, Ariane Gorin, CEO of Expedia Group, has highlighted the complementarity of both companies: “Where Uber takes you, we help you stay.” The integration will also allow the company to offer benefits to Uber One users – which already has more than 46 million members – such as discounts on hotels or credits linked to reservations.
Dara Khosrowshahi and Ariane Gorin at Uber’s Go-Get event
Beyond accommodations, Uber has presented a set of functionalities that expand its proposal towards a transversal platform. Among them, “Travel Mode” stands out, which offers personalized recommendations at destinations, such as restaurants or points of interest, and introduces a room service which allows you to order Uber Eats directly from the hotel. It has also announced “Eats for the Way”, which makes it possible to pre-order food or drinks on premium routes such as Uber Black.
The company has also reinforced the role of artificial intelligence in the user experience. With “Cart Assistant”, users can generate shopping lists from images or text, adjusted to a budget and even with meal planning. Added to this is the incorporation of voice reservations, which allows you to request routes using spoken commands, and “Shop for Me”, a service that sends a delivery person to purchase products at any establishment, even outside the network of associated businesses.
The entry into hotel reservations places Uber in direct competition with consolidated platforms such as Booking or Airbnb, and reinforces a strategy aimed at expanding its presence in premium and travel-related services. In parallel, the company has reinforced its positioning in executive mobility with the acquisition of Blacklane, specialized in chauffeur services in more than 500 cities.
With this expansion, Uber advances in its objective of becoming a “super app” for everyday and travel services, relying on strategic alliances and the development of its own capabilities in artificial intelligence to simplify interaction and consolidate its position in the market.
