China-based online travel agency Ctrip has acquired US-based travel planning platform Trip.com for an undisclosed amount, providing an exit for online travel services provider Expedia.
Originally known as Gogobot.com, Trip.com offers travellers personalised recommendations for places to eat, stay and visit using predictive intelligence that takes into account various factors including location and weather.
Users can book hotels, restaurants and event tickets based on the platform’s recommendations. Ctrip plans to use the acquisition to upgrade Skyscanner, the travel search platform it acquired for $1.74bn in November 2016.
Expedia acquired its stake in Trip.com when it purchased holiday home booking service HomeAway in 2015. HomeAway had led Trip.com’s $20m series C round, which included Redpoint Ventures and Battery Ventures, in 2014.
Battery Ventures had provided $4m of seed funding for the company in 2010 before participating in a $15m series B round in 2011 that was led by Redpoint.
Trip.com CEO Travis Katz said: “Skyscanner shares our focus on mobile and our passion for empowering people to have amazing travel experiences. We are excited to work with Skyscanner to offer a single resource to travellers around the world that meets all their travel needs.”