Expedia Group and its family of brands – including Expedia®, Hotels.com®, Vrbo®, Orbitz®, Travelocity®, Hotwire®, ebookers® and CheapTickets® – announced a joint program calling on travelers to join in an effort to help safely re-open the world, one trip and one shot at a time. Starting today, each purchase made via Expedia Group’s mobile apps will result in a donation to help UNICEF’s global COVID-19 response, including distributing safe, effective COVID-19 vaccines, diagnostics, and treatments in over 180 countries, bringing us all one step closer to experiencing the world again.
Participation is simple. Customers can download any app from one of the Expedia Group brands, plan and purchase a trip through the app and in turn they can help get a vaccine to someone, somewhere in the world who needs it. Travelers can visit here for full program details and to learn more.
Globally, the Expedia Group family of brands represents a community of passionate travelers dedicated to seeing the world but, more importantly, believe in the importance of having an equitable world. They share our vision that travel is a force for good because travel brings people together and broadens horizons. We know traveling won’t be the same until the whole world is open to travel, and so, to get there as quickly as possible, we must all help accelerate rapid and equitable access to COVID-19 vaccines. It is essential that everyone, everywhere has access to vaccines, but currently less than 1 percent of global supply is reaching those living in low-income countries.1 As the world’s single biggest buyer of vaccines, UNICEF’s expertise uniquely positions it to help address the logistical challenge currently facing many low-income countries around the world.
“At Expedia Group, we are a passionate group of employees with a deep understanding of the power travel has to expand horizons and strengthen connections. Right now, the most significant obstacle to all people being able to roam the world freely remains the lack of access to COVID-19 vaccines,” said Peter Kern, Vice Chairman and Chief Executive Officer, Expedia Group. “We support a global and equitable approach to vaccine distribution and embrace efforts to help protect everyone, everywhere. We are proud to contribute to UNICEF and what will be the single largest and most rapid global vaccine deployment ever. I hope other companies, and anyone else who can, will join us in accelerating vaccine rollout, fighting global inequity, and igniting a movement that will help bring the world together. We all must do our part for the world to be truly open again.”
“UNICEF won’t stop until the fight against COVID-19 has been won – but we need the support of both companies and individuals alike in the biggest public health undertaking of our lifetime,” said Michael J. Nyenhuis, President and CEO, UNICEF USA. “With the help of the Expedia Group brands and their dedicated community of travelers, we are one step closer to ending this pandemic and rescuing a generation of children from decades of COVID-caused setbacks.”
A portion of every eligible booking will support UNICEF’s global COVID-19 response. With the help of travelers around the world, the Expedia Group family of brands will donate a minimum of $10M to UNICEF’s work. UNICEF has spent 75 years building an unprecedented global-health support system and is the only organization with the infrastructure, experience, and expertise already in place to make it happen as fast as possible. UNICEF is committed to delivering COVID-19 vaccinations to people who need them most, regardless of where they live, through a network of global health organizations, governments, manufacturers, logistics experts, and philanthropic groups.
Source: Expedia Group
