The Story of booking.com - the Most Popular Hotel Booking Service

Traveling in different countries can be done in two ways: through a tour package from an agency or independently. Some travel companies do not inspire confidence, acting essentially as intermediaries between hotels and tourists, so travelers prefer to handle this part of the trip themselves. The website booking.com allows you to easily and quickly book a room in a hotel in any country. The website booking.com is a global leader in online tourism. The platform is available in over 40 languages, making it accessible to everyone. Every day, the site features over 700,000 accommodations in 221 countries around the world.

The Idea Behind the Creation of the Resource

The idea of creating such a resource was previously pondered by Bill Gates. In 1996, Microsoft launched its first venture - Expedia.com. The site allowed users to book hotel rooms at user-desired prices. However, a drawback was the lack of detailed room descriptions, making travelers book blindly without knowing what to expect. Gert-Jan Bruinsma created his site, Bookings.nl, where he contacted hotel managers in various cities to send brochures with room descriptions and photos. Despite initial popularity, the lack of internet accessibility in Europe led to the site's decline and eventual closure. In 1995, Bruinsma booked a hotel room in Budapest but faced uncertainty due to the lack of information on the site. Determined, Bruinsma, with the support of friends, raised $50,000 to launch a new site in Amsterdam, later renamed Booking.com. Initially, the site registered only a few hotels, allowing users to book rooms independently. Facing stiff competition from Expedia.com, Booking.com innovated by focusing on smaller, budget-friendly hotels rather than global chains. This strategy, catering to the needs of the middle class, has been pivotal to their success. Another advantage of Bruinsma's project is the low booking fee, ranging from 10 to 12%, compared to Expedia.com's minimum 30%. Booking.com's mission revolves around ensuring comfort and convenience in room booking, thus eliminating prepayment for reservations. Clients only pay upon hotel arrival, enhancing the service's appeal. The user-friendly approach has led to a growing clientele appreciating the convenience of the service.

The Path to Success

In the American market, another travel company, Priceline Group, was successful with its aviation ticket trading under the "Fortune" system. Following the 9/11 tragedy in 2011, business plummeted as Americans shunned air travel. Priceline Group diversified by acquiring several hotel booking firms, including Booking.com, reshaping its business model. Priceline Group's focus on Booking.com paid off, attracting customers with affordable prices, exclusive deals, and a vast geographical reach. Today, Booking.com contributes 94% to Priceline Group's turnover. By 2007, Booking.com offered bookings in 7,000 hotels with a turnover exceeding $25 million, marking undeniable success. Currently, the site boasts 320,000 hotels in 184 countries worldwide. Share this success story with friends on social media and celebrate the journey of Booking.com's rise to the forefront of the online tourism industry.