In a major change of strategy, Hutchison-Priceline (Travel) will offer published-price travel products, a departure from its loss-making United States counterpart's name-your-own-price model.
The Li Ka-shing controlled online ticketing agency announced the change just two days after rival Zuji.com said it was aimed at capturing 30 per cent of the Asia-Pacific Internet market within three years.
Hutchison-Priceline chief executive Alfredo Gangotena said the online ticketing agency would introduce a new range of discounted, published-price products before the Lunar New Year, starting with hotel bookings and car rental.
'We will expand the products to air tickets and package tours later,' he said.
AC Nielsen director Peter Steyn said Priceline's new strategy was partly due to the fact many consumers in Asia were still reluctant to try the online bidding model.
'Priceline recognised that you can't please everybody with the same product offering, so it makes perfect sense to broaden their choices by adding discounted published-price travel products to complement their name-your-own-price products,' Mr Steyn said.
Hutchison-Priceline has been advertising the introduction of the United States 'name-your-own-price' concept into Asia.