TripAdvisor has made the game-changing purchase of Iceland-based tours and activities distribution platform, Bokun. This means TripAdvisor can now handle booking, inventory management and tour operations in-house, rather than relying on third party vendors.
For those who aren’t familiar, Bokun is a business management software created specifically for tours, attractions and experiences suppliers.
It acts as a booking engine, an inventory channel manager and a price management tool. Its customer base is global, ranging from local suppliers to Fortune 500 companies.
TripAdvisor’s President of Experiences and Rentals Dermot Halpin said the opportunity in the experiences sector was “enormous”.
“We’re committed to taking the experiences sector far beyond its current online penetration of just 20%, and Bokun will play a critical role in this mission.”
TripAdvisor’s President of Experiences and Rentals Dermot Halpin.
“This marks a new phase for our business,” he went on to say.
“We’re expanding beyond our core offering as the industry’s largest distribution channel.”
TripAdvisor believes the product is part of “a very bright future for the industry”, and one that “eliminates fragmentation, significantly grows and simplifies distribution for suppliers, and dramatically improves the shopping experience for travellers”.
It costs €100 per month to subscribe to Bokun. Suppliers can sign-up for a free three-month trial here.
CEO and co-founder, Bokun Hjalti Baldursson said they were “thrilled” to join the world’s largest attractions, tours and experiences business.
“TripAdvisor gives us the opportunity to serve customers in every corner of the world, and we’re excited about the significant growth that’s to come,” he said.
Bokun will remain based in Iceland, with plans already in motion to expand the team.
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