Expedia has fallen, February 20, 2002, into the hands of USA Networks group, led by skipper Barry Diller media. The group specializes in online business is willing to pay $ 1.83 billion (2.08 billion euros) to get hold of this subsidiary of Microsoft, the second place travel overseas. Especially Expedia has surprised the market by publishing in February figures much better than expected for the second quarter of 2001 (ended December)..

Since then, Sabre, the American company operating in the global system airline reservation namesake, has made an offer to acquire an additional 30% stake in Travelocity. It already holds 70% of the company but only 15% of the voting rights. With this operation, it would take total control of the online travel site. This hostile takeover bid amounts to 345 million dollars (392.05 million euros), or $ 23 per share, while the title was trading around $ 26 in recent weeks.

Finally, Priceline, the last of three sites to remain independent, attracts more attention. Given the situation and the financial parameters, I think there will be a renewed interest in Priceline as a potential target to acquire. Among the companies likely to be interested in this opportunity, we find the great names in the Internet portal such as Yahoo, which still has a billion dollars (1.14 billion euros) in cash, the media group AOL Time Warner, or the two new predator in the world of online travel that are, Sabre and USA Networks.

A transformation that follows the sale of USA Networks entertainment business of Vivendi Universal. With this transaction, USA Networks can be found at the head of four billion dollars (4.55 billion euros) in cash he wants to use for acquisitions. And if Priceline had to fall into his hands, it would symbolize the end of pure Internet companies in online travel in the United States…

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