Two of the Internet's biggest travel sites posted contrary results for the final ― and tumultuous ― quarter of 2001, an indicator if ever there was one of the seismic shifts taking place in the online travel sector. 1. Expedia, Inc., posted its first-ever profit: $5.22 million on revenue of $81.8 million during the last three months of the year. 2. Priceline.com, Inc., took a net loss of $1.3 million on sales of $235.3 million during the same period, after two previous profitable quarters. The dichotomy reflects the mixed signals now rampant in the travel industry as it regroups and revives after the crippling slowdown that followed the Sept. 11 attacks. Travel sites are shifting their emphasis from flights to hotel bookings, a strategy that has paid off for several operators, including Expedia.
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