Skift Take
From hotel reviews, to pop-up advertising, metasearch, restaurants and now hotel bookings, TripAdvisor has gone through many incarnations. CEO Stephen Kaufer has driven many of the changes and plans to be around for quite some time longer to seize on a huge opportunity ahead.
There's an argument making that rounds that Google's moves to implement a Book on Google feature, where consumers would book hotels in Google search or maps, is a lot of hype, or even a non-event, because Google would never want to alienate its largest travel advertisers: online travel agencies such as the Priceline Group and Expedia.
In an interview with Skift at TripAdvisor's swanky new headquarters in Needham, Massachusetts, CEO Stephen Kaufer was having none of that.
"We watch [Google] fairly carefully," Kaufer said. "We know from experience that these things tend to take a while to catch on, both from the supply side, as well as the demand side, and the customer side. I take their entry into the space with this booking flow very seriously. I think it is clearly an event versus a non-event.
"So I will disagree with those [who see Google's entry as a non-event]. It may not have a lot of volume at the moment, but I don't think Google would be shy about ... Or the argument that they wouldn't want to move forward for the fear of antagonizing their travel customers, I don't think that would stop them."
On the hot-button Book on TripAdvisor feature, following the announcement a little more than a week ago that the Priceline Group had decided to participate, and the subsequent 25 percent boost to TripAdvisor's market cap, Kaufer said he would welcome Expedia's joining and expects all of the major hotel chains to jump in.
He declined to discuss whether the Priceline Group's Booking.com, Priceline.com or Agoda will get any exclusive or preferential treatment in Book on TripAdvisor, and acknowledged that companies participating in TripAdvisor Instant Booking may have the flexibility to be branded differently than one another during the Book on TripAdvisor process. In that process, consumers can book a hotel from Marriott, Best Western or Booking.com, for example, right on TripAdvisor without having to navigate to the hotel or online travel agency website.
Kaufer discussed numerous issues, including his vision for TripAdvisor and contemplation of getting into new areas, such as events. He draws the line on helping consumers pick auto mechanics, however. Of that scenario, Kaufer said: "Probably not."
An edited version of the interview follows:
Skift: Safe to say TripAdvisor has been in a big transition, with the addition of Instant Booking. Are you betting the company on it?
Stephen Kaufer: We feel travelers are looking for that convenie
