Trivago acquires getaway online travel agency Weekend.com

Trivago has acquired Weekend.com, a Germany-based startup – and online travel agency – targeting travelers who are looking for short breaks.

Specific terms of deal – a 100% share takeover – have not been disclosed.

It is the first acquisition for accommodation search site Trivago since it bought TripBuddy, an AI-led personalization engine, in May 2018.

The deal is being heralded as an opportunity for Trivago to place its “marketing and product expertise” into the Weekend.com brand and share hotel content. 

The 2016-founded package travel startup claims to have deals available for 30,000 hotels in 400 destinations, selling on both its website and mobile apps in markets including Germany, Austria, Switzerland, U.K. and the U.S.

The company was created by Tobias Boese, Ralf Usbeck and Tom Hülser.

CEO Boese says: “With Trivago’s brand recognition, reach and broad expertise in travel tech, we are excited to build on our accomplishments, enhance our products and bring them to more people around the world. We are happy that both companies share an international, entrepreneurial culture with great tech-minded talents.”

Other acquisitions by Trivago over the years include Tripl in 2017 and Base7Booking in 2016, both for undisclosed fees.

Axel Hefer, Trivago’s CEO, says: “As we focus on building out our offerings to not only provide travelers with great deals on accommodations, but also great ideas and inspiration to help them experience the world, partnering with weekend.com was a no-brainer.”

* Check out this interview with Hefer, recorded in May 2020 for the New Reality With… series on PhocusWire.