Planning a trip to a new destination can be a challenge with decisions about which airport to fly into, where to stay, and local activities that are available, all in an unfamiliar region or city.

To provide travelers with the local expertise they need to make these decisions, Orbitz introduces live destination specialists for select vacation hotspots, who are available to assist online bookers with planning the perfect vacation.

"Booking a trip online is quick and easy when you're traveling to familiar territory," said Tom Russell, Group Vice President of Brand Marketing, Orbitz Worldwide. "For new visitors to popular places like Orlando, Las Vegas, Hawaii or Cancun, access to a travel expert with local insider knowledge can be invaluable in helping make decisions that will ensure a memorable trip."

Orbitz destination specialists are a team of travel experts with extensive knowledge of local information in key travel markets. Each specialist has completed intensive training and spent significant time in their select locations to gain local knowledge and expertise. Destination specialists are available to travelers as they browse Orbitz.com to assist with vacation package bookings, consisting of air, hotel and car reservations, as well as attractions and services.

When a customer is browsing vacation packages in select markets on Orbitz.com, and a specialist is available, a message will appear asking the customer if they would like to speak live to an Orbitz destination expert. If the customer elects to do so, they enter their phone number and the specialist immediately calls the customer to answer any questions they may have.

Destination experts are currently in place for the Hawaiian Islands as well as Mexico's Yucatan Peninsula, including Cancun, Riviera Maya and Cozumel. Future plans call for the addition of specialists to serve roughly 12 markets, including Cabo San Lucas, Puerto Vallarta, Dominican Republic, Orlando, Miami and the Florida Keys, Jamaica, Bahamas, Las Vegas, Southern California and Puerto Rico.