Who Owns Booking.com?
Booking.com is owned by Booking Holdings (NASDAQ: BKNG), a publicly traded American multinational company. Booking.com was acquired by Booking Holdings in 2005 and is headquartered in Amsterdam, Netherlands. For Q4 2025, Booking Holdings reported revenue of $6.35 billion (+16.1% YoY), with gross bookings of $43.0 billion. The company held its full-year 2025 earnings conference call on February 18, 2026.
Parent Company
Booking Holdings
Acquired
2005
Status
Publicly Traded
Headquarters
Amsterdam, Netherlands
Who Owns Booking.com?
- Parent Company: Booking Holdings
- Ownership Type: Wholly owned
- Acquisition Year: 2005
- Company Type: Publicly Traded
- Stock Ticker: NASDAQ: BKNG
| Brand | Parent Company | Ownership Type |
|---|---|---|
| Booking.com | Booking Holdings | Wholly owned |
History of Booking.com
- Founded: 1996
- Founders: Geert-Jan Bruinsma
- Acquired by Booking Holdings: 2005
Booking.com was founded in 1996 by Geert-Jan Bruinsma in Amsterdam, Netherlands, initially as a small hotel booking website. The company was one of the first online hotel booking platforms in Europe and grew steadily throughout the late 1990s and early 2000s. This pioneering vision demonstrated exceptional insight into the emerging potential of online travel booking while creating a platform that would transform how travelers book accommodations worldwide.
In 2005, Booking Holdings (then Priceline.com) acquired Booking.com, recognizing its potential for global expansion. Following the acquisition, Booking.com expanded rapidly internationally, leveraging Booking Holdings' resources and technology infrastructure. This strategic acquisition demonstrated Booking Holdings' exceptional ability to identify and acquire promising travel technology companies while providing the resources needed for global expansion and technological advancement.
Throughout the late 2000s and 2010s, Booking.com became the dominant hotel booking platform globally, adding millions of properties and expanding into new markets. The brand pioneered many features now standard in online hotel booking, including free cancellation policies, instant confirmation, and comprehensive property reviews. This period of market leadership demonstrated Booking.com's ability to innovate and scale its operations while maintaining the user experience and reliability that had made the platform successful with travelers worldwide.
About Booking Holdings
What does Booking Holdings own?
Booking Holdings owns Booking.com (world's largest online accommodation platform), Priceline (U.S. online travel agency), Agoda (Asian hotel booking), KAYAK (travel metasearch), OpenTable (restaurant reservations), and Rentalcars.com. Booking.com is the company's largest and most important brand.
Is Booking Holdings publicly traded?
Yes, Booking Holdings Inc. trades on NASDAQ under ticker symbol BKNG. The company has no controlling shareholder, with ownership distributed among institutional investors including Vanguard Group and BlackRock.
What is Booking Holdings' annual revenue?
In FY2024, Booking Holdings reported gross travel bookings of approximately $166 billion, up 10% year-over-year, and adjusted earnings of more than $8 billion, up 17% year-over-year. Adjusted EBITDA was approximately $9.94 billion.
Who founded Booking Holdings?
Booking Holdings was founded in 1997 by Jay Walker as Priceline.com in Norwalk, Connecticut. The company was renamed Booking Holdings in 2018 to reflect the prominence of Booking.com, which was acquired in 2005 for approximately $133 million and grew to become the world's largest online accommodation platform.
What is Booking.com?
Booking.com is the world's largest online accommodation booking platform, offering more than 28 million listings of hotels, apartments, homes, and other accommodations in more than 220 countries and territories. It is headquartered in Amsterdam, Netherlands, and is the dominant brand in European online hotel booking.
What is the Connected Trip?
The Connected Trip is Booking Holdings' strategic vision to integrate all aspects of travel planning and booking across its brands, allowing travelers to plan, book, and manage their entire trip (flights, accommodation, car rental, activities, dining) through a seamless, personalized experience powered by AI and data.
- Founded: 1997
- Headquarters: Norwalk, Connecticut, USA
- Company Type: Publicly Traded
- Stock: NASDAQ: BKNG
Where Is Booking.com Made / Based?
- Headquarters: Amsterdam, Netherlands
- Manufacturing / Operations: Netherlands, United States, United Kingdom, Various global offices
Brands Owned by Booking Holdings
- Agoda - Singapore-based online travel platform and hotel booking service specializing in...
- OpenTable - American online restaurant reservation platform that allows diners to book table...
- Priceline - American online travel agency and booking platform known for its "Name Your Pric...
- RentalCars.com - Online car rental booking platform that allows customers to compare prices and b...
Booking.com Ownership: Pros & Cons
Advantages
- +Largest hotel inventory in the world with millions of properties
- +Strong brand recognition and market leadership in hotel booking
- +Advanced technology platform with AI-powered recommendations
- +Free cancellation policies and booking guarantees
- +Multilingual support with localized experiences
- +Mobile app with comprehensive booking and management features
Considerations
- -Service fees and booking charges on some reservations
- -Customer service quality can vary by region and issue type
- -Competition from direct hotel websites and other booking platforms
- -Dependence on third-party hotels for inventory and pricing
- -Complex property verification and quality control challenges
Frequently Asked Questions About Booking.com
Competitors to Booking.com
These competing brands operate in the same categories and provide similar products or services. Compare key attributes to understand market positioning and competitive landscape.
| Brand | Parent Company | Country | Founded | Market Position | Primary Market | Gender Target |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Expedia Group | USA | 1991 | Mass Market | North America | All Genders | |
| Expedia Group | Australia | 2000 | Mass Market | Global | All Genders | |
| Expedia Group | USA | 1996 | Mass Market | North America | All Genders |
Learn More About Competitors
Hotels.com
Owned by Expedia Group
Online accommodation booking platform specializing in hotel reservations, vacation rentals, and other lodging options worldwide.
Wotif
Owned by Expedia Group
Australian online travel booking platform founded in 2000 by Graeme Wood, acquired by Expedia Group in 2014 for approximately US$657 million and now operating as part of Expedia Group's Australian portfolio.
Expedia
Owned by Expedia Group
American online travel agency and metasearch engine that allows consumers to book flights, hotels, car rentals, cruises, and vacation packages.
Competitive Analysis
Market Positioning: Booking.com competes with 3 brands in the same categories, ranging from mass market to luxury positioning.
Geographic Distribution: Competitors are headquartered across multiple regions, indicating global competition in this market segment.
Brand Heritage: Competitor brands range from established heritage brands to newer market entrants, with founding years spanning several decades.
Booking Holdings Stock Information
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