Skift Take
Expedia’s European investment could have been predicted as soon as Priceline scooped up Kayak, and the travel company will now continue to cluster more brands under its umbrella as it builds out its inventory and global reach.
The Expedia Inc. portfolio is set to grow by one as the travel company announced plans today to take a 62 percent stake in the German travel metasearch site Trivago.
Expedia has grown its business by building up a portfolio of travel brands from around the world that cater to budget, luxury, and business travelers. Expedia offers more than 160,000 hotels in more than 200 countries, and more than 300 airlines, rental car companies, cruiselines and destination services and activities on its websites.
Expedia Inc. reported year-end revenue of $3.4 billion for 2011, a 14 percent increase from 2010. The company beat expectations in both revenue and profits this fall, and expects the purchase to continue its upward earnings trend, especially in Europe.
The majority stake in Trivago will be Expedia's first foray into travel metasearch, although its former holding, TripAdvisor, dabbled in fli
