Amazon launched its first travel site in a few test markets back in April, but already it looks like the experiment may have run its course.
When you visit Amazon Destinations website now, you’re greeted with a message that says the company stopped selling hotel reservations on Oct. 13. The only other detail the site offers is that previously booked trips will still be honored at hotels.
The Seattle Times first reported the closure. An Amazon spokesperson told the newspaper, “We have learned a lot and have decided to discontinue Amazon Destinations.”
Amazon Destinations debuted in April, threatening to rival similar services from sites like Expedia and Priceline. Amazon didn’t offer quite the same level of vacation services, focusing more on local getaways spanning a couple nights at nearby destinations. It began with just three markets in Seattle, New York and Los Angeles but added three others in July.
Amazon is known to be in a constant state of experimentation, trying out everything from buttons to instantly order certain items, to an Uber-like delivery system. Some of those have worked over the years, others haven’t.
Recently the company has been testing the waters with less tradition e-commerce offerings, selling new things like handyman services through Amazon Home Services and local deals through Amazon Local. Those marketplaces are still going strong, but yesterday’s closure serves as a reminder of just how quickly these new options from Amazon can come, and go.