From starting as an Intern in our Chicago office to joining the Partner Growth & Agility team in Austin as a Graduate, Blake’s journey at Expedia Group is rooted in curiosity and a passion for helping partners thrive. With a double major in Legal Studies and Business Management from Tulane University, he now supports hotel partners across North America in shaping traveller experiences. In this blog, he shares how the Graduate Program has accelerated his growth, deepened his understanding of the travel industry, and the skills he has developed along the way.

Blake Belaire | Commercial Graduate | Austin, TX, USA

 Tell us about your team and your role.

I work in the Partner Growth & Agility team and we focus on developing and supporting hotel partners in the North American region. We conduct structured account reviews to identify gaps in rate and market competitiveness, evaluate performance risks, and recommend data-backed strategies to help partners achieve their goals and objectives. Our team is unique in that we interact with a lot of the behind-the-scenes aspects of what travelers look for in their experience. Be it a healthy supply of rooms on the Expedia site, or attractive rates that differentiate a property from their local competitors, my team works with nearly all facets of the hotel experience for both partners and travelers. In helping partners navigate these topics, we ultimately work to power global travel for everyone, everywhere.

My role is exciting because I learn every day about something new. Prior to working in the PGA team, I knew next to nothing about hotels and the backend work that builds a competitive market. Working on this team has exposed me to structured account auditing, contract negotiation, objection handling, and stakeholder communication in situations that impact both parties financially. Our work helps guarantee simplicity for the traveler’s selection of choice, and seeing measurable improvement in partner success reinforces the importance of trusting each other and maintaining clear communication with each other. 

How did the university experience help to prepare you for working at Expedia Group?  

[College attended: Tulane University | Graduated: in Spring 2025 | Major in: Legal Studies | Major in: Business & Management]

Time management across coursework and extracurriculars is very similar to the experience of balancing multiple job duties at the same time. I learned to prioritize by need, and the same principle has been true within my role. Group projects were also critical for learning how to articulate my reasonings, trusting others to finish their tasks on target pace, and aligning on optimal solutions for everyone involved. On the commercial side of the business, this is an especially necessary skill. If you don’t have a foundation of trust with your partners, conversations can lose momentum fast. 

How has being on the Graduate Program contributed to your experience at EG?  

Being on the Graduate Program has introduced me to so many people that I may otherwise not have met at EG without the program. All the grads are in one cohort, and while I sit on the hotels team within the Commercial division, I’ve been able to make friends with my peers and other grads in Vrbo, marketing, and engineering. I’m especially grateful for the trust granted to the grads. In my role, I’m able to navigate difficult topics with partner hotels in decisions that have revenue impacts for both Expedia and partners. Outside of my role, I’ve been able to serve on the Grad Council and help the Emerging Talent & Careers team make decisions about the program, events, and provide feedback.  

How does your role make an impact on travel?

My role is directly connected to travel and one of the most crucial elements of the traveler experience: where the traveler stays. I’ve learned that there is a whole ecosystem within the travel industry of hotel needs, types of travelers, and the technology that facilitates these parts. A business might have great rates and strategies within their market, but without proper technology or supply they might not be able to reach their fullest potential. Similarly, a business could be underperforming in their market because they aren’t capitalizing on attracting certain travelers (business, package, local, etc.) when competitors are doing so. There are a lot of meticulous details that you can get into during partner conversations, and no two hotels are the same. A lot of work goes into creating an optimal experience for travelers, and before this role I never knew these technicalities.  

Why would you recommend a career at EG?

Expedia’s Intern and Graduate Programs have each provided a strong foundation for my development as a young professional. Across both programs, my managers have been exceptional role models for how to navigate corporate environments while maintaining high standards of work ethic and discipline. As my first direct points of exposure to the corporate world, they set the tone early while also curating a fun experience for us as interns. The structure of the Intern Program also exposed us to senior leadership within the hotel space, mentorship programs within our team, and insights into how a large company like Expedia Group operates and makes decisions.   
  
The Graduate Program built on that foundation by offering broader exposure to different lines of business and expanded insights into the responsibilities and performance expectations of the role. Further, there are several learning sessions held by the Emerging Talent & Careers team in the first few months of the program that focus on building different skillsets necessary for success in an office environment. For anyone looking to begin their careers with meaningful responsibility and structure these programs offer an exemplary starting point. 

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