Who Owns trivago?
trivago is the hotel metasearch brand of trivago N.V. (NASDAQ: TRVG), a publicly traded German company headquartered in Dusseldorf that is majority-owned by Expedia Group, which holds 59.2 percent of equity and 83.9 percent of voting power. Founded in 2005, the brand compares hotel prices across booking platforms in more than 190 countries. trivago N.V. reported FY2025 revenue of EUR 548.9 million, up 19 percent.
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Who Owns trivago?
- Parent Company: Trivago
- Ownership Type: Subsidiary
- Company Type: Publicly Traded
- Stock Ticker: NASDAQ: TRVG
| Brand | Parent Company | Ownership Type |
|---|---|---|
| trivago | Trivago | Subsidiary |
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History of trivago
- Founded: 2005
- Founders: Rolf Schromgens, Peter Vinnemeier, Malte Siewert
Rolf Schromgens, Peter Vinnemeier, and Malte Siewert founded trivago in Dusseldorf in 2005, building one of the first hotel metasearch engines: rather than selling rooms itself, the site compared prices across booking platforms and earned referral fees when users clicked through.
The model scaled quickly across Europe. Expedia Group acquired a majority stake beginning in 2012 for approximately EUR 477 million, the deal that made trivago the flagship of Expedia's metasearch strategy while leaving the founders running the business.
trivago listed on the Nasdaq in December 2016 through American Depositary Shares, one of the largest German tech IPOs of its era. Heavy television advertising, the "hotel? trivago." campaign, built global consumer awareness through the late 2010s.
The 2020s tested the model: Google's own hotel search absorbed traffic, performance marketing costs rose, and COVID-19 collapsed travel demand. Under CEO Johannes Thomas, trivago rebuilt around brand marketing efficiency and hotel-side advertising products, returning to strong growth by FY2025 with revenue up 19 percent and a EUR 20 million share buyback announced for 2026.
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About Trivago
Is trivago publicly traded?
Yes, trivago is publicly traded on NASDAQ under the ticker symbol TRVG. The company completed its IPO in 2016. American Depositary Shares trade on NASDAQ, with each ADS representing five Class A shares. There were 115,621,475 Class A shares outstanding as of December 31, 2025.
Who owns trivago?
Expedia Group is the majority shareholder, holding a 59.2% ownership interest and 83.9% voting interest as of December 31, 2025. Co-founder Rolf Schromgens holds Class B shares representing an 8.1% ownership and voting interest. The remaining shares are held by public shareholders and other founders.
What is trivago's revenue?
trivago reported full year 2025 revenue of €548.9 million, up 19% from €460.8 million in 2024. Net income was €11.2 million and adjusted EBITDA was €15.8 million. For Q2 2026, total revenue grew 21% to €168.4 million.
Is trivago the same as Expedia?
No, trivago and Expedia are separate companies. Expedia Group is the majority shareholder of trivago, but trivago operates as an independent publicly traded company. Brands affiliated with Expedia Group, including Expedia, Hotels.com, and Vrbo, accounted for 34% of trivago's Referral Revenue in 2025. Booking Holdings brands accounted for 40%.
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How does trivago make money?
trivago generates revenue by charging advertisers on a cost-per-click (CPC) or cost-per-acquisition (CPA) basis when users click through from the trivago platform to booking sites. The company does not sell hotel rooms directly. Advertisers that pay higher bids generally receive better placement and more referrals.
What is trivago's 2026 guidance?
trivago expects mid-teens percentage total revenue growth for full year 2026 and adjusted EBITDA of approximately €30 million. The company targets a 10% adjusted EBITDA margin by 2028.
- Founded: 2005
- Headquarters: Dusseldorf, Germany
- Company Type: Publicly Traded
- Stock: NASDAQ: TRVG
- Revenue: €548.9 million (FY2025)
- Employees: Approximately 1,000
Where Is trivago Made / Based?
- Headquarters: Dusseldorf, Germany
trivago Categories & Tags
trivago Recalls & Controversies
Misleading advertising ruling: In 2020 Australia's Federal Court found trivago misled consumers by promoting advertisers paying higher fees rather than showing the cheapest rates, a landmark ruling for metasearch transparency that forced pricing-disclosure changes.
Google dependency: The brand's traffic economics have been criticized for dependence on Google's ad auction, where it buys visibility against the same product Google competes with.
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trivago Ownership: Pros & Cons
Advantages
- +Expedia backing provides capital and inventory relationships
- +Globally recognized hotel comparison brand
- +Asset-light metasearch model with high incremental margins
- +FY2025 momentum: revenue up 19 percent
- +Independent public listing gives currency for compensation and capital moves
Considerations
- -Google Hotels competes at the top of the same search funnel
- -Revenue depends on OTA advertising budgets that consolidate
- -Expedia's 83.9 percent voting control limits minority shareholder influence
- -Advertising transparency rulings constrain ranking flexibility
- -Metasearch models face long-term pressure from AI travel assistants
Frequently Asked Questions About trivago
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Sources & Further Reading
- trivago official website
- trivago company site
- trivago N.V. company page - /companies/trivago
- Expedia Group company page - /companies/expedia-group
Competitors to trivago
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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Booking Holdings | USA | 2004 | Mass market | Global | All-ages |
Learn More About Competitors
Competitive Analysis
Market Positioning: trivago competes with 1 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.
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Independent Alternatives to trivago
Looking for brands with different ownership structures? These similar brands are not owned by Trivago, giving you alternative choices that support different corporate structures.
Travel HospitalityAquaventure Waterpark
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Aquaventure Waterpark is privately owned, unlike trivago which is under a publicly traded parent company.
Travel HospitalityAtlantis Resorts
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Atlantis Resorts is privately owned, unlike trivago which is under a publicly traded parent company.
Travel HospitalityDolphin Cay
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14-acre marine habitat and conservation center at Atlantis Paradise Island offering dolphin encounters and marine education programs.
marine-habitatdolphin-encounterconservation
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Dolphin Cay is privately owned, unlike trivago which is under a publicly traded parent company.
Travel HospitalityFinns Beach Club
Owned by FINNS Bali Group
Beachfront entertainment venue in Canggu, Bali, known for infinity pools, dining, and sunset events. Operated by PT Pantai Semara Nusantara.
beach-clubhospitalitybali
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Finns Beach Club is privately owned, unlike trivago which is under a publicly traded parent company.
Travel HospitalityHarborside Resort at Atlantis
Owned by Kerzner International Holdings Limited
Villa-style accommodation complex at Atlantis Paradise Island featuring residential-style layouts, full kitchens, and family-friendly amenities across the marina from the main resort.
villa-resortfamily-accommodationmarina-location
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Harborside Resort at Atlantis is privately owned, unlike trivago which is under a publicly traded parent company.
Travel HospitalityKingdom Hospitality
Owned by Kingdom Hospitality, LLC
Full-service short-term rental and vacation property management company founded by Tim Venus in 2021 and headquartered in Sheboygan, Wisconsin, serving owners across multiple US markets.
short-term-rentalsvacation-rentalsproperty-management
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Kingdom Hospitality is privately owned, unlike trivago which is under a publicly traded parent company.
Trivago Stock Information
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