The Expedia app is part of the company’s ongoing efforts to be on as many platforms as possible. The app is available for free download in the Windows Store.

“There’s the traditional Web and the traditional way that people book,” said Sarah Gavin, director of public relations at Expedia. “The booking behavior on the mobile side is different than the Web.

“Booking on smartphones is very last-minute and 50-70 percent of what gets booked on a smartphone happens within 24 hours,” she said. “Additionally, the tablet space is much more like traditional Web.

“Consumers are spending a lot more time in the dreaming and planning phase. Tablets are a great hybrid of both mobile and Web.”

New experiences
Through the Expedia app consumers can choose from more than 140,000 hotels.

The Windows 8 app also offers consumers mobile exclusive deals.

For example, consumers using Windows 8 will have special access to Expedia’s mobile exclusive deals and save up to 60 percent off.

Furthermore, consumers can earn Expedia Rewards points when they book using the Windows 8 app.

The rewards can be used to redeem flight and hotel bookings through the Expedia Rewards program.

Additionally, consumers can access travel reviews to see what others have to say about their experiences.

The app also features the ability to search real-time inventory and shows users in real time how many rooms are available at a certain property at a certain price point.

“A lot of people use Windows,” Ms. Gavin said. “Where there are people looking to travel, that’s where we want to be.

“We’re doing a lot of outreach through social media such as Facebook and Twitter, as well as promoting the app on our Web site,” she said.

Mobile efforts
Mobile has become an integral part of Expedia’s overall initiatives.

Earlier this year, Expedia let users book their trips through a mobile advertising campaign (see story).

Most recently, Expedia added flight bookings to its mobile application to make it easier for users to manage their travel itineraries (see story).

“Mobile is a huge part of what we do,” Ms. Gavin said. “There are so many on-the-go travelers and we want to capture that last-minute booking.”

Final Take
Rimma Kats is associate editor on Mobile Commerce Daily, New York