Latest news with #Trivago
Skift
3 days ago
- Business
- Skift
Expedia Makes Gains as Google Hotels Is Increasingly 'Bruised'
Google Hotels is still strong, but weakened by the Digital Markets Act — and Google's own AI Overviews. Agentic AI may one day make the changes we've seen to date under the DMA a mere footnote in the evolution of travel search. With Google Hotels under pressure and "bruised," Expedia, Tripadvisor, Trivago and a newbie, are making gains. Those are some of the findings in a research note from Bernstein on whether Google Hotels is "losing its relevance." The answer is: "Not yet." Bernstein pointed to two developments that are putting pressure on Google Hotels: The European Union's Digital Markets Act forced Google Hotels to a lower position on the Google search results page, and, second, Google's own AI Overviews are slowly becoming the answer to hotel searches. Bernstein examined 19,000 hotels across the U.S. and major European count
Hospitality Net
5 days ago
- Business
- Hospitality Net
What Is a Metasearch Engine? The Ultimate Guide for Hotels
And increasingly, they're doing it on metasearch engines. These platforms have become a crucial battleground for visibility, giving hotels the chance to appear side-by-side with OTAs. If your property isn't showing up – or showing up poorly – you're not just missing clicks. You're missing out on guests. But what are metasearch engines? How do they work and how can you effectively navigate them to benefit from their full potential? What is a metasearch engine? A metasearch engine is a pay-per-click-based platform that aggregates and displays real-time rates and availability from multiple hotel booking sites – such as online travel agencies (OTAs), hotel brand websites and wholesalers – allowing users to compare prices and options in one place. Instead of taking bookings itself, a metasearch engine redirects users to the selected provider to complete their reservation. Popular examples, which we expand on below, include Google Hotel Search (previously known as Google Hotel Ads), Trivago and Tripadvisor. Metasearch engines are widely used by consumers, especially in the early stages of trip planning. They appeal to price-conscious travellers who want to ensure they're getting the best deal, as well as to those looking to understand their accommodation options quickly. Their transparent format, showing multiple prices for the same hotel, gives users a sense of control and confidence. The concept of metasearch dates back to the 1990s, when platforms like Kayak and SideStep emerged to simplify flight and hotel shopping. These tools were created to address growing online choice fatigue, bringing clarity to a fragmented, fast-growing travel market. Metasearch vs traditional search engines A traditional search engine – like Google or Bing – uses a web crawler to index vast chunks of the internet. When a user enters a search query, the engine returns a single list of links to websites it deems relevant, based on a complex algorithm. These platforms are broad in scope, serving up everything from news articles and videos to shopping pages and hotel booking sites. Metasearch engines, on the other hand, are specialized comparison tools. Rather than linking to a wide variety of content, they pull structured data – such as for availability and price comparison purposes – from a defined set of different sources and display them in a unified format. For example, a hotel metasearch engine will show prices for the same room across different booking sites. The main advantage of metasearch is its focus and transparency. Travelers can quickly compare options and make informed decisions based on the most relevant information. However, they don't provide the same breadth of data that a single search engine offers. Crucially, metasearch platforms rely on integrations, so users only see rates from sources that are actively participating. Metasearch vs OTAs OTAs like Expedia and are full-service booking platforms. They list accommodation options, take reservations, process payments and often handle customer service. OTAs earn commission on each booking made through their platform and typically own the entire booking experience from search to confirmation. Metasearch engines, on the other hand, don't process bookings themselves. Instead, they display rates from multiple sources – including OTAs and hotel websites – and redirect users to complete the booking on the chosen site. This makes metasearch a traffic-referral model rather than a transactional one. The advantage of metasearch lies in its price transparency and brand control – you can advertise direct rates alongside OTA listings, encouraging users to book direct on your website. OTAs, however, often offer stronger conversion tools, loyalty programmes and packaged travel options. Some OTAs, like blur the line by operating as both an OTA and a metasearch engine. They may list competing rates (e.g. from sister brands) or aggregate inventory in search results. For you as a hotelier, this dual role creates more competition and highlights the importance of having a strong, visible direct channel presence on metasearch platforms. How do metasearch engines work? Metasearch engines operate through a structured architecture designed to gather, process and display real-time data from multiple sources. At the front end is the user interface (UI), typically a clean, intuitive search bar where users input their destination, dates and preferences. The display layer then shows relevant results in a comparative format, often with filters for price, star rating, distance, user reviews and more. Increasingly, personalization features, such as remembering past searches or tailoring results based on user behavior, enhance relevance and drive engagement. Behind the scenes, metasearch engines rely on data feeds and integrations rather than crawling different search engines on the open web. These data feeds are supplied by OTAs, hotel chains, wholesalers and booking engines. Each time a user searches, the engine pulls in current rates and availability from these partners, ensuring results are accurate and up to date. To determine which listings appear first, metasearch engines each use their own algorithm for ranking. These may factor in bid amount (how much your hotel as a partner is willing to pay per click), price competitiveness, ad relevance, click-through rates and even user preferences. Hotels or OTAs often manage their visibility through bidding platforms, paying more to appear higher in search results. This pay-per-click (PPC) model makes metasearch both a digital marketing and distribution channel. You must therefore balance bid strategies, rate parity and conversion performance to succeed, making participation both high-potential and operationally complex. The top metasearch engines for hotels A few names names dominate this space, each with its own audience, reach and strategic value for hoteliers. Examples of metasearch engines include: Google Hotel Search : Integrated into Google Search and Maps, this is one of the most popular metasearch engines, capturing high-intent traffic at the point of discovery. : Integrated into Google Search and Maps, this is one of the most popular metasearch engines, capturing high-intent traffic at the point of discovery. Trivago : Known for its hotel-focused advertising and global reach, Trivago offers robust tools for hoteliers to promote direct rates and manage PPC campaigns. : Known for its hotel-focused advertising and global reach, Trivago offers robust tools for hoteliers to promote direct rates and manage PPC campaigns. Tripadvisor : Originally a review platform, Tripadvisor also acts as a metasearch engine by displaying booking options from OTAs and hotels alongside user-generated content. : Originally a review platform, Tripadvisor also acts as a metasearch engine by displaying booking options from OTAs and hotels alongside user-generated content. Kayak : Popular for flight and hotel comparisons, Kayak is part of the Booking Holdings group and shares inventory across sister sites like and Priceline. : Popular for flight and hotel comparisons, Kayak is part of the Booking Holdings group and shares inventory across sister sites like and Priceline. Skyscanner: Though best known for flights, Skyscanner also compares hotel rates and appeals to price-sensitive, mobile-first travellers. These platforms can drive significant direct bookings when used strategically in your hotel's distribution mix. How to improve performance on metasearch engines Ranking high on metasearch engines is critical for your property because would-be guests typically click on the top few results, just like in a Google search. A top position can significantly increase visibility, click-through rates and ultimately direct bookings. With a pay-per-click model, however, visibility alone isn't enough; your hotel must ensure that it's converting that traffic effectively. To strengthen performance, you should focus on several key areas: Rate parity : Ensure that the direct rate listed on metasearch platforms is equal to or better than OTA rates. Competitive pricing encourages users to book direct and improves ad relevance. : Ensure that the direct rate listed on metasearch platforms is equal to or better than OTA rates. Competitive pricing encourages users to book direct and improves ad relevance. Bidding strategy : Since most metasearch engines operate on a PPC basis, increasing your bid can raise your placement. Use smart bidding tools to target high-converting traffic without overspending. : Since most metasearch engines operate on a PPC basis, increasing your bid can raise your placement. Use smart bidding tools to target high-converting traffic without overspending. Website experience : Once a user clicks through, your hotel's booking site must load quickly, be mobile-optimized and offer a seamless user journey. Poor user experience leads to high bounce rates and wasted spend. : Once a user clicks through, your hotel's booking site must load quickly, be mobile-optimized and offer a seamless user journey. Poor user experience leads to high bounce rates and wasted spend. Conversion optimization : Clear calls-to-action, trust signals (like reviews and secure payment badges), and streamlined booking flows increase the likelihood of turning clicks into confirmed bookings. : Clear calls-to-action, trust signals (like reviews and secure payment badges), and streamlined booking flows increase the likelihood of turning clicks into confirmed bookings. Strong content and visuals : High-quality images, detailed descriptions and updated amenities help listings stand out in a competitive field. : High-quality images, detailed descriptions and updated amenities help listings stand out in a competitive field. Search engine optimization (SEO) : Tying in with the above, optimize your booking engine, hotel web pages and social media output with relevant keywords, structured data and fast load times to improve quality scores and organic visibility, which can support your paid performance on metasearch. : Tying in with the above, optimize your booking engine, hotel web pages and social media output with relevant keywords, structured data and fast load times to improve quality scores and organic visibility, which can support your paid performance on metasearch. Analytics and A/B testing: Regularly review campaign data to identify what's working, test landing pages and refine targeting strategies for ongoing performance improvement. Together, these efforts will ensure your hotel not only shows up but wins bookings. Metasearch is only one piece of a strong distribution strategy While metasearch engines are a powerful search tool for driving visibility and direct bookings, they represent just one part of a hotel's broader distribution strategy. Relying solely on metasearch can leave you exposed to fluctuations in ad performance, bidding costs or changes in consumer behavior. Metasearch should be seen as a complementary channel, working alongside OTAs, direct website bookings, Global Distribution Systems (GDS) and even offline sales as part of an overall channel strategy. It plays a critical role in increasing price transparency, attracting high-intent users and giving you a chance to compete directly with OTAs for bookings. However, its success depends on having competitive rates, strong brand presence and a seamless booking journey. To manage this complexity, hotels often use channel management tools, which help distribute inventory and rates consistently across all platforms in real time. These tools reduce the risk of overbookings, ensure rate parity and make it easier to adjust pricing strategies across different channels from one central dashboard. By integrating metasearch into a well-balanced, tech-enabled distribution strategy, you can maximize reach, maintain control and drive more profitable bookings across the board. Improve hotel visibility and drive bookings with Channel Manager As part of our platform for small and independent hotels, Lighthouse has brought Channel Manager to the world of hotel revenue and distribution management. Designed to support independent hoteliers by simplifying distribution and maximizing visibility across channels, Channel Manager helps you: Increase bookings by connecting to over 200 channels Save time with automated distribution and centralized channel management Boost your profit with AI-driven pricing distributed to booking channels. Would you like to maximize revenue with minimal effort? See how Channel Manager can help. About Lighthouse Lighthouse is the leading commercial platform for the travel & hospitality industry. We transform complexity into confidence by providing actionable market insights, business intelligence, and pricing tools that maximize revenue growth. We continually innovate to deliver the best platform for hospitality professionals to price more effectively, measure performance more efficiently, and understand the market in new ways. Trusted by over 70,000 hotels in 185 countries, Lighthouse is the only solution that provides real-time hotel and short-term rental data in a single platform. We strive to deliver the best possible experience with unmatched customer service. We consider our clients as true partners—their success is our success. For more information about Lighthouse, please visit: View source
Yahoo
08-06-2025
- Business
- Yahoo
Trivago watched its revenue forecast plummet from $1 billion to nearly zero—so the company tapped a set of former interns to turn it around
Interns are often brushed off for being at the bottom of the totem pole, but at some companies, it's become a part of the secret recipe for landing a gig in the C-suite. Trivago is part of a list of companies, including Nike, HP, and EY, that have promoted former coffee-fetchers to the top of the corporate ladder. In the matter of a month during the pandemic, travel planning company Trivago's revenue forecast plummeted from $1 billion to virtually zero. It was a 'near-death experience' that resulted in a 'deep winter' for the company, according to CEO Johannes Thomas. Actual revenue sank 70% to 249 million euros in 2020 from 839 million euros in 2019, the latter equivalent to about $940 million at the time. But even as restrictions were lifted and travel surged back, Trivago still had not recovered—and thus it was time for a shake-up in the C-suite. 'After you have a near-death experience and three years of depression, you have a team that doesn't believe anymore,' Thomas, who was brought in as CEO to turn the company around in 2023, tells Fortune. But for Thomas and other executives, what's notable about their experiences is not their most recent roles—it's how they started their careers. Thomas first joined Trivago in 2011 as an intern working in online marketing, and he's quietly assembled other former interns, including Chief Financial Officer Wolf Schmuhl and Chief Marketing Officer Jasmine Ezz. Thomas says having leaders who understand the business and its culture from the ground up are key to returning the company to its former glory. And while Trivago's revenue for 2024 was still half what it was five years ago in 2019, first quarter 2025 revenues increased by 22% to $124 million. While retirees are often known for traveling frequently, one of Trivago's focuses is on young people—and it makes sense considering Gen Z's spending habits. The generation was the only group that reported an increase in year-to-year travel spending between 2023 and 2024, according to Berkshire Hathaway's State of Travel Insurance Report. The average trip was over $11,000. '(We're) trying to build an ecosystem—a culture and environment where young people can grow and where people can thrive,' Thomas says. That's another reason why Trivago's C-suite is not stacked with Gen Xers, but instead millennials who understand how young people think, spend, and travel. According to Thomas, the average Trivago customer is 34 years old, and 20% have families. By focusing on young people as a company, Trivago not only is able to tap into a customer market, but also an employee talent market. 'You get rock stars on the senior level football team,' Thomas says. 'And then you have a second team of young talents that have a chance to grow in this combination we try to execute on.' Trivago is not the only company that realized that those with the strongest roots to their company are the best leaders. Last year, Nike became the latest Fortune 500 company to name a former intern as a CEO. Elliot Hill began at the sports-gear giant at age 19 as an apparel sales intern and has only ever had one company at the top of his paychecks. In a statement last year, Hill said Nike has 'always been a core part of who I am.' HP CEO Enrique Lores, Principal Financial Group CEO Deanna Strable, and EY CEO Janet Truncale all similarly went from fetching coffees as an intern to being promoted to the corner office. And while focusing on hard work as an intern may set your path in motion to one day become chief executive, Lores admits that there's also an element of luck. 'You can be very smart or very good,' he previously told Fortune. 'But you also need to be lucky, and that's a very important thing for all of us to accept.' This story was originally featured on
France 24
06-06-2025
- Business
- France 24
Trump trade, immigration policies clouding World Cup preparations
Peace, love and harmony: three countries joining forces in a "United Bid" to roll out the welcome mat for the most popular sporting carnival on the planet, a beacon of hope in a polarised world. "We don't believe sport can solve all the issues in the world," US Soccer chief Sunil Gulati told an audience at a Manhattan skyscraper. "But ... we believe this is a hugely positive signal and symbol of what we can do together in unifying people, especially in our three countries." Fast forward eight years, and the soaring optimism that accompanied the bid's launch in 2017 has run into some stiff geopolitical headwinds, the re-election of President Donald Trump casting a pall of uncertainty over preparations for the event in ways that few could have imagined. While Trump has been a staunch backer of the World Cup from the outset, the US leader has nevertheless taken a combative stance to co-hosts Mexico and Canada since returning to the White House, from trade wars to border crackdowns, while simultaneously calling for Canada to become the "cherished 51st state" of the US. That in turn has led to Canada's Prime Minister Mark Carney vowing to pivot away from the US, declaring in March that "the old relationship we had with the United States -- based on deepening integration of our economies and tight security and military cooperation — is over." 'Tension's a good thing' Trump, who enjoys a close friendship with Gianni Infantino, the president of world football's governing body FIFA, the organisers of the World Cup, has laughed off suggestions that trade turmoil could impact the tournament. "Tension's a good thing, I think it makes it much more exciting," Trump said in March when asked how his administration's tariffs against Canada and Mexico might affect the World Cup. Trump's policies, though, already appear to be hurting US tourism, with hotel search site Trivago last month reporting double-digit percentage declines in bookings to the US from visitors from Japan, Canada and Mexico. Figures from the US government's National Travel and Tourism Office released in April found an 11.6% decline in visits to the US from overseas in March compared to a year earlier. Andrew Zimbalist, an economics professor at Smith College in Northampton, Massachussetts whose books include "Circus Maximus: The Economic Gamble Behind Hosting the Olympics and the World Cup", believes Trump's economic policies could reduce the number of international fans travelling to the World Cup. But, Zimbalist added, "in terms of the actual playing of the games, the tariffs don't affect athletes." "So unless the political situation internationally deteriorates further and people decide to boycott the games in large numbers, I wouldn't anticipate a very large impact," he told AFP. 'Seamless experience' for fans? Other commentators have questioned whether World Cup fans will be deterred by the Trump administration's hardline border crackdown, which has seen visitors from countries including France, Germany, Australia and Canada either turned away at the border or subjected to harsh interrogation and detention. "Will soccer fans really want to crisscross our borders right now — and be squinted at by guards simply because they speak a Romance language or risk being held on a cold floor in a detention cage?," Washington Post columnist Sally Jenkins asked recently. The Trump administration's 2026 World Cup Task Force last month insisted all fans would be welcome, saying football supporters could look forward to a "seamless experience" when visiting the US. Vice President JD Vance though cautioned that foreign visitors would have to leave at the end of the tournament. "We'll have visitors, probably from close to 100 countries," said Vance, the vice-chair of the World Cup task force. "We want them to come. We want them to celebrate. But when the time is up, they'll have to go home." John Zerafa, a Britain-based sports communications strategist, believes the Trump administration may need to "short circuit" current visa processing wait times in order to facilitate large numbers of foreign fans at the World Cup. "I think the US and the Trump administration will go out of their way to try and make that process as smooth as possible," Zerafa told AFP. "But there's also the other part of how that stacks with the MAGA agenda and closing borders. There's a real dichotomy there for Trump and the MAGA base -- you're letting the world in but at the same time you're trying to shut the world out," Zerafa added. "Those two things are very difficult to co-exist, and which one is going to win the day? I can certainly envisage examples of fans applying for tickets, but not being granted visas. And you only need a couple of those stories to emerge in the runup to the World Cup to start painting a difficult backdrop for FIFA and the US." © 2025 AFP
Yahoo
06-06-2025
- Business
- Yahoo
Trump trade, immigration policies clouding World Cup preparations
When the United States, Mexico and Canada launched their joint bid for the 2026 World Cup in the shadow of the Statue of Liberty, the prevailing mood was unmistakeably upbeat. Peace, love and harmony: three countries joining forces in a "United Bid" to roll out the welcome mat for the most popular sporting carnival on the planet, a beacon of hope in a polarised world. "We don't believe sport can solve all the issues in the world," US Soccer chief Sunil Gulati told an audience at a Manhattan skyscraper. "But ... we believe this is a hugely positive signal and symbol of what we can do together in unifying people, especially in our three countries." Fast forward eight years, and the soaring optimism that accompanied the bid's launch in 2017 has run into some stiff geopolitical headwinds, the re-election of President Donald Trump casting a pall of uncertainty over preparations for the event in ways that few could have imagined. While Trump has been a staunch backer of the World Cup from the outset, the US leader has nevertheless taken a combative stance to co-hosts Mexico and Canada since returning to the White House, from trade wars to border crackdowns, while simultaneously calling for Canada to become the "cherished 51st state" of the US. That in turn has led to Canada's Prime Minister Mark Carney vowing to pivot away from the US, declaring in March that "the old relationship we had with the United States -- based on deepening integration of our economies and tight security and military cooperation — is over." - 'Tension's a good thing' - Trump, who enjoys a close friendship with Gianni Infantino, the president of world football's governing body FIFA, the organisers of the World Cup, has laughed off suggestions that trade turmoil could impact the tournament. "Tension's a good thing, I think it makes it much more exciting," Trump said in March when asked how his administration's tariffs against Canada and Mexico might affect the World Cup. Trump's policies, though, already appear to be hurting US tourism, with hotel search site Trivago last month reporting double-digit percentage declines in bookings to the US from visitors from Japan, Canada and Mexico. Figures from the US government's National Travel and Tourism Office released in April found an 11.6% decline in visits to the US from overseas in March compared to a year earlier. Andrew Zimbalist, an economics professor at Smith College in Northampton, Massachussetts whose books include "Circus Maximus: The Economic Gamble Behind Hosting the Olympics and the World Cup", believes Trump's economic policies could reduce the number of international fans travelling to the World Cup. But, Zimbalist added, "in terms of the actual playing of the games, the tariffs don't affect athletes." "So unless the political situation internationally deteriorates further and people decide to boycott the games in large numbers, I wouldn't anticipate a very large impact," he told AFP. - 'Seamless experience' for fans? - Other commentators have questioned whether World Cup fans will be deterred by the Trump administration's hardline border crackdown, which has seen visitors from countries including France, Germany, Australia and Canada either turned away at the border or subjected to harsh interrogation and detention. "Will soccer fans really want to crisscross our borders right now — and be squinted at by guards simply because they speak a Romance language or risk being held on a cold floor in a detention cage?," Washington Post columnist Sally Jenkins asked recently. The Trump administration's 2026 World Cup Task Force last month insisted all fans would be welcome, saying football supporters could look forward to a "seamless experience" when visiting the US. Vice President JD Vance though cautioned that foreign visitors would have to leave at the end of the tournament. "We'll have visitors, probably from close to 100 countries," said Vance, the vice-chair of the World Cup task force. "We want them to come. We want them to celebrate. But when the time is up, they'll have to go home." John Zerafa, a Britain-based sports communications strategist, believes the Trump administration may need to "short circuit" current visa processing wait times in order to facilitate large numbers of foreign fans at the World Cup. "I think the US and the Trump administration will go out of their way to try and make that process as smooth as possible," Zerafa told AFP. "But there's also the other part of how that stacks with the MAGA agenda and closing borders. There's a real dichotomy there for Trump and the MAGA base -- you're letting the world in but at the same time you're trying to shut the world out," Zerafa added. "Those two things are very difficult to co-exist, and which one is going to win the day? I can certainly envisage examples of fans applying for tickets, but not being granted visas. And you only need a couple of those stories to emerge in the runup to the World Cup to start painting a difficult backdrop for FIFA and the US." rcw/gj
