The sale further shrinks Sabre compared to its larger competitor, Amadeus. But it will benefit from less debt and more focus on its distribution business.
The sale of EasyHotel underscores how hard it was for the brand's founder to replicate his success with airlines in the hotel world. It also reveals one real estate investor's faith in budget hotel investments in Europe.
Typically, in mergers, the bigger fish swallows the smaller one, stamping its quirky innovations into corporate conformity. This deal is attempting something different.
Let freedom ring. Tripadvisor can call its own shots now without running major decisions through a parent company that at times had different interests and priorities.