ECT Doubles, Gets ARC, Goes Offshore

Gross bookings volume handled by Expedia Corporate Travel doubled in the fourth quarter of 2004 compared with the same period a year earlier, following progressively higher growth rates each quarter of the year, officials said last week. Meanwhile, ECT has diversified its full-service configurations to include outsourced and offshore servicing--and is scheduled by the end of March to get its own ARC number to smooth supplier contracting.