Viator Outperforms Tripadvisor Experiences in Bookings Growth
Photo Credit: Man on a bridge in Oberland, Switzerland. Source: Unsplash Fabio Comparelli. Unsplash / Fabio Comparelli. Unsplash
Skift Take
Viator is the star performer in the Tripadvisor portfolio, and after trying for a time to focus on the Tripadvisor experiences brand instead, it might be time that CEO Matt Goldberg went all in on the brand bringing in the money.
It's been eight years since Tripadvisor took over Viator. And while Tripadvisor at one point downplayed Viator as an acquired brand, Tripadvisor could now be changing tack with its current two-brand experiences strategy.
In 2017, longstanding Viator executives left the company, highlighting the tension caused by Tripadvisor handing over the management and control of its attractions offering to what was then its vacation rentals team. Fast forward to 2023, and Tripadvisor is pushing two experiences brands by actively marketing Viator, while still keeping Tripadvisor Things To Do.
For example, in the fall of 2022, Tripadvisor launched a "Do More with Viator" marketing campaign. Viator spokesperson Laurel Greatrix said the campaign contributed to Viator's 2022 growth to reach more customers and, ultimately, achieve higher revenue and gross booking values.
As a result, Viator is emerging as a star performer for Tripadvisor. Despite a reported loss of $11 million in the fourth quarter, Viator is the furthest ahead of the anything else in Tripadvisor's brand portfolio when compared to the same period in 2019, as detailed in Tripadvisor's financial results for the fourth quarter and full-year 2022.
Viator delivered record revenue and scale. Its revenue grew by 208 percent compared to 2019 to $127 million in the fourth quarter in 2022 and its gross bookings reached $600 million, some 220 percent of 2019 for the same period . Its overall gross bookings value was approximately $2.7 billion in 2022 or 186 percent
