Expedia's TripAdvisor is to buy Chinese meta-search company Kuxun (at least I think it is a meta-search company) (according to Dow Jones via Hotelmarketing.com). TripAdvior CEO Steve Kaufer would not give away how much was paid but is quoted in the article as saying he has US$50mm to invest in China in 2010 and 2011 but this includes setting up the local version of TripAdvisor Daodao.com. Also said he plans to double the number of staff in China from 80 to 160. My guess (no basis just a hunch) is Kuxun will be used as the tech behind Daodao with Kuxun's brand to disappear soon after the deal.In case you are wondering about meanings. I am reliably informed that Kuxun means Cool Information or Smart Information and Daodao means To Reach, To Arrive.
Her is my updated list of TripAdvisor Acquisitions in the last few years:
- Kuxun;
- Flipkey
- Airfarewatchdog.com
- OneTime.com
- Virtual Tourist
- HolidayWatchdog
- smartertravel.com
- bookingbuddy.com;
- TravelPod.com;
- Travel-Library.com;
- SeatGuru.com; and
- Cruisecritic.com.
2 comments:
TripAdvisor (Expedia) is like google. Everything was is a little bit of competition they will buy it. Good luck to them.
For all their acquisitions I can't come up with any innovative Road Trip Planner they have bought and there certainly are some innovative ones out there.
Post a Comment