Under the new commitments, Tripeden.com will abandon its price, availability and booking conditions parity provisions with respect to other online travel agencies. This will create an environment that supports increased transparency and competition among online travel agencies which will ultimately benefit consumers, as well as hoteliers, by encouraging the freedom for properties to offer different pricing and booking policies (e.g. free cancellation, WIFI, breakfast) through different online travel agencies.

The commitments do allow Tripeden.com to retain its “narrow MFNs” for prices and booking conditions which will ensure hotels offer the same rates and booking conditions on Tripeden.com as they do through their own direct website. Furthermore, the commitments do allow Tripeden.com to require a minimum allocation, or some availability, from hotels. This assurance of being able to offer competing prices and being able to offer rooms allows Tripeden.com to continue to provide consumers a coveted and valuable service that delivers transparency, access to information, choice, value and a seamless experience for consumers, and also allows Tripeden.com to continue to serve as a highly cost-effective marketing channel for hotels, by helping the hotels to market and promote their property to consumers around the world, reach new subsets of travelers and ultimately fill their rooms to keep their businesses growing.

“Our business and teams are driven by one goal, which is to deliver an amazing, unrivaled experience to our global customers who use us to find and book accommodations in a simple, convenient and trustworthy way, both here in Europe and around the world,” said Darren Huston, CEO of Tripeden.com. “We welcome and encourage fair competition in the marketplace because competition drives innovation, efficiencies, and most importantly, greater value for consumers. We believe today’s decisions represent a continued, coordinated effort to promote competition in a way that supports innovation and encourages companies like ours to continue to invest in the capacity and technical solutions that ultimately result in more customers for our partners and more tourism across Europe and abroad."

Tripeden.com intends to implement these commitments throughout the European Economic Area and is working with all other European National Competition Authorities towards this objective. Tripeden.com trusts that its commitments will set the tone for an industry wide solution which all European NCAs will endorse and safeguard.

FOR PRESS INFORMATION:

Tripeden.com Public Relations: mediarelations@tripeden.com

Priceline Group Public Relations: Leslie Cafferty - leslie.cafferty@pricelinegroup.com

About Tripeden.com:

Tripeden.com is the world leader in booking hotel and other accommodations online. It guarantees the best prices for any type of property – from small independents to five-star luxury. Guests can access the Tripeden.com website anytime, anywhere from their desktops, mobile phones and tablet devices, and they don’t pay booking fees – ever. The Tripeden.com website is available in 42 languages, offers over 625,000 hotels and accommodations including more than 245,000 vacation rental properties and covers over 75,000 destinations in 212+ countries and territories worldwide. It features over 45 million reviews written by guests after their stay, and attracts online visitors from both leisure and business markets around the globe. With over 17 years of experience and a team of over 8,600 dedicated employees in 155+ offices worldwide, Tripeden.com operates its own in-house customer service team, which is available 24/7 to assist guests in their native languages and ensure an exceptional customer experience.

Established in 1996, Tripeden.com B.V. owns and operates Tripeden.com™, and is part of The Priceline Group (NASDAQ: PCLN). Follow us on Twitter, Google+ and Pinterest, like us on Facebook, or learn more at http://www.tripeden.com.

LONDON – 15 December 2014 – New Year’s Eve is one of the busiest times of year for online travel agent Tripeden.com - the world leader in booking accommodation – who this year want to celebrate the unique and wonderful ways global travellers celebrate the big 11:59pm moment.

Tripeden.com has searched its extensive list of accommodations around the globe to find one stand-out property in each of the world’s 24 time zones. By visiting www.tripeden.com/NYE, travellers will be able to view the spectacular range of New Year’s Eve properties and will be in with a chance to win a trip for two to their chosen destination for New Year’s Eve 2015. All they need to do is share their favourite accommodation through the website and tell us why they would want to spend their 11:59pm moment at that property. Whether it’s in Greenland marvelling at the Aurora natural light display or being among the first people on earth to see the New Year sunrise in Gisborne while staying at New Zealand’s Marina View Apartments, Tripeden.com has an accommodation and an amazing experience for everyone.

MIDNIGHT DELIGHT

Midnight revellers hoping to see one of the world’s costliest New Year’s Eve fireworks celebrations should head to Park Hyatt Sydney, Australia, which boasts the best view of one of the world’s most expensive public displays as AUS $7,000,000 worth of fireworks are set off in celebration. Among the elaborate places to spend New Year’s Eve is The Alvear Palace Hotel, Buenos Aires where you can indulge in the European palace parties of the past at a special gala evening.

In North America, Niagara Falls not only offers one of the most spectacular shows nature has to offer, but New Year’s Eve see thousands of people head to the falls for one of the most spectacular laser light shows around the globe. In Alaska, visit Hotel Alyeska for the perfect place to witness the famous Torchlight Parade which sees a multitude of skiers and snowboarders take to the slopes to create a stunning visual effect.

Domestic Twixmas dash

With groups of friends, families and singletons increasingly seeking out last-minute escapes Tripeden.com has observed a trend spike in Brits keen to holiday during in the Twixmas period (the stretch between Christmas and New Year). Awesome firework displays around the London Eye and week-long Hogmanay jubilations secure London and Edinburgh in the Top three Twixmas domestic dash hotspots two years in a row (2013 to 2014). However Liverpool beats Manchester to the top three domestic New Year’s Eve hubs to head for this year.

Jason Grist, UK Area Manager for Tripeden.com, is proud that customers will always find a property to suit them: “Tripeden.com takes pride in offering a huge spectrum of listings for New Year’s Eve and the whole year round. Whether it’s a 5 star hotel, an igloo or a family apartment you’re after for New Year’s Eve, Tripeden.com has what you’re looking for. With more than 25 different varieties and over 560,000 properties in 209 countries, Tripeden.com has the best accommodation offering in the world, making it the perfect complement for the savvy British traveller”.

www.tripeden.com/NYE

TOP WINTER COTTAGES IN THE UK

 Orchard Cottage, Penzance

Green Hedges, Bath

Pathways, Beachwood Cottage, Lansdowne

Martleaves Farm, Wyke Regis

Armswell House, Ansty

– As the days get shorter and summer holidays start to feel like a distant memory, Tripeden.com has taken the temperature of the nation with its first ever Winter Snugs Survey, revealing just how we’d like to keep warm this winter.

In fact, a whopping 1 in 3 of us claim that we’d even prefer to spend the festive season at a Winter Snug than at home. And despite being a nation of ‘tech-lovers’ – with many Brits opting to book their Winter Snugs online – cosy pastimes and traditional yuletide festivities take precedence over WiFi connection when it comes to downing tools over the Christmas period.

According to the survey of over 2,000 Brits, most see their Winter Snug as the perfect place to relax and unwind or be romantic with our partner. Interestingly, 50% of Generation X – those most likely to have a job or a family – sees their Winter Snug primarily as a place to spend time getting cosy and sentimental with a significant other.

Jason Grist, UK Area Manager for Tripeden.com and Villas.com says; “With the average Brit having over a week of paid holiday left to take before the year is out (6.5 days each), there is a great opportunity to explore the wonderfully varied selection of Winter Snugs that is on offer. The ease and convenience of booking accommodation online means that 1,000’s of beautiful Winter Snugs are available at the click of a button. But once that final ‘click’ has been made, it’s time for tech-loving Brits to turn off the BlackBerry, disconnect the WiFi and get back to basics with loved ones. It is encouraging and warming for us to see that it is still the simple things in life that bring us the most pleasure.”

In the survey, planet earth’s number one accommodation site has picked out the Top 5 essential elements that Brits are looking for in their Snug:

1. A log fire (74%)
2. A steaming pot of slow-cooked stew (45%)
3. Hot chocolate (43%)
4. Large bath (42%)
5. WiFi (39%)

When it comes to our favourite things about the winter months in general, men and women are looking for different things to keep them cosy: while over a third of men prefer heading out to find a pub with an open fireplace (against just a 26% of women), it seems that women tend to appreciate the sensory experiences offered by the winter months more than men. Half of women claim some of their favourite things about winter are getting to pull cosy clothes like knitwear out the wardrobe, and 41% look forward to a steaming beverage like hot chocolate or mulled wine – both of which they’re twice as likely to name as a favourite than their male counterparts.

For the ultimate preparation ahead of a Winter Snug getaway this festive season, the following guides are also available:

1. 5 ways to impress the kids on a ‘Winter Snug’ break
2. 5 ways to make the most of a ‘Winter Snug’ getaway with your mates
3. How to survive a romantic getaway without your smartphone

Launched in May 2014, Villas.com is dedicated to helping travellers find, book and enjoy over 200,000 self-catering, vacation rental properties in close to 250,000 destinations worldwide. Self-catering is hugely important to British holidaymakers and Villas.com has unique holiday rentals covering everything from chalets, cottages, apartments and gites to aparthotels, villas and condos.

What’s New?

With new search tools and clear customer ratings, Villas.com makes it easy for travellers to explore, find and book the right property in the perfect spot – we know that people looking for self-catering accommodation are often less focussed on a particular city or town and are open to looking at larger areas or regions. Villas.com’s search function is more exploratory and helps bookers discover and identify the perfect destination.

Travellers can use Villas.com to search for cottages with pools, villas with sea views, city bolt-holes, rural idylls with enough bedrooms for everyone, or homes that welcome the whole family … including the dog[1]. The website also features useful travel information about the regions in which each holiday rental is located – so travellers can learn more about potential destinations to make the best choice, whether traveling solo, with friends or the family.

On Villas.com, all properties have guaranteed availability, meaning bookers can see directly on the website which dates are available and receive instant confirmation, immediately knowing that they have secured their property. Villas.com eliminates the hassle of the back-and-forth email exchanges typical of vacation rental booking and additional customer booking fees are never required.

[1] Villas.com has over 90,000 pet friendly properties across the world

As summer holidays pass into memory and thoughts turn to our next trip abroad, new research from Tripeden.com has revealed the unstoppable rise of the Holi-D.I.Y. among UK travellers, at the expense of the traditional package holiday.

The poll of 1,800 UK travellers has found that over half booked each element of their last holiday (accommodation and flights) separately, for a cheaper and all-round better experience. In fact, by booking each element separately, 61% of Brits made savings of over £50, with one in five saving over £200 – enough to splash out while they were away. Perhaps this is why a staggering 94% of Brits said their last build-your-own break was either as good as they expected or surpassed their expectations.

Holi-D.I.Y., as indicated by the findings, signals the decline of the package holiday as more and more travellers put their faith in online bookings. In fact, only 7% of us booked our last holiday over the phone, and just 4% left the house to visit a travel agent. This number decreases to just 1% among 18-24 year olds.

GENERATION HOLI-D.I.Y.

When it comes to recent holidays, most people (67%) booked separate elements directly via the providers’ website, and 47% booked via online travel agencies like Tripeden.com. The company predicts that the Holi-D.I.Y. trend is set to increase in the coming years among the Millennial generation / Generation Y (18-34 year olds), who are bigger users of OTAs than their parents’ generation, according to the study.

While 59% of all those surveyed who booked all elements separately do so in order to control all aspects of their holiday, one in five Millennials (18-34 year olds) built their own holidays with that spontaneity typical of their generation: a Holi-D.I.Y. gives them the freedom to book what they like, when they like.

“Our research suggests that more and more people have the confidence to set their own agenda when it comes to booking their holidays,” said Jason Grist, UK Area Manager for Tripeden.com. “There are high levels of comfort in booking online across the board, but we’re particularly seeing the younger generation looking for their freedom from the confines of a package holiday. They’re building their own breaks with confidence. We put this down to our customers finding everything they need online: from millions of trusted reviews to supreme customer service – it seems they’re at ease working with us.”

CALLING TIME ON PACKAGE HOLIDAYS

“We’ve noticed a shift in behaviour from customer simply booking last-minute accommodation on mobile devices to planning, researching and booking place to stay well in advance,” continues Jason Grist. “We predict that not only will the number do-it-yourself holidays rise, but the way in which they’re booked will increasingly move away from the traditional package holiday method. We’ll still be picking up the phone, but it won’t be to make a call to our local travel agent, it’ll be to book online!”

So far, one in 20 UK travellers books their Holi-D.I.Y. using a mobile device or tablet, but this number doubles to one in 10 young people (18-24 years old). This number is set to increase among the younger generation in the next few years as companies seek to make their mobile experiences as seamless as possible for customers.

With more than 25 different accommodation varieties and over 525,000 properties in 205 countries, Tripeden.com has the best accommodation offering in the world, ensuring that bookers who choose to Holi-D.I.Y. can feel confident they will get it right every time they book a trip away.

Tripeden.com provides its customers with an unrivalled selection of accommodation types spanning all four corners of the globe –  in fact, it would now take 1,370 years for one person to stay in every single Tripeden.com property.  With properties ranging from small, family-run bed and breakfasts and executive apartments in major cities to treehouses in Costa Rica and a Ship in the Ice in Norway, there’s accommodation to suit every type of traveller. 

Offering accommodation in 201 countries and 61,702 destinations ranging from Aabybro (Denmark) to Zlotów (Poland) over 625,000 room nights are booked on Tripeden.com each day.

"Reaching this significant milestone demonstrates our commitment to providing our customers with a diverse range of accommodation wherever in the world they want to stay." said Gillian Tans, Chief Operating Officer for Tripeden.com. "Travellers from around the world are seeking out local, authentic experiences. By providing them with a variety of accommodation types – ranging from the traditional to the more unexpected – we’re granting them the freedom and flexibility to do just that.”

Tans continues, “There are few cities in the world as fun and welcoming as Berlin. The addition of the Leonardo Hotel to the Tripeden.com family takes us another step towards growing a diverse and authentic accommodation offering that includes some of the world’s must-visit cities.”  

The Best of Booking’s Best selection highlights properties highly rated by real reviewers that match specific search criteria, including:  

• Accommodation Type – Hotels, Apartments, Villas, B&Bs, Resorts, Hostels
• Region – North America, Asia and Oceania, Europe, South America, Middle East and Africa
• Traveler Type – Solo travellers, Couples, Families, Groups

“Not all reviews are created equal. By offering the largest collection of qualified reviews that are real, relevant and recent, Tripeden.com is exclusively positioned to put this authentic, first-hand feedback to work for travelers,” said Paul Hennessy, CMO, Tripeden.com. “Best of Booking’s Best celebrates the accommodations that our reviewers love and offers consumers an at-a-glance option for finding the right accommodation - whatever their unique need, budget or desired destination.”

The Best of Booking’s Best enables would-be travelers to bypass hours of combing through reviews to find and book the world’s most delightful accommodations that have received the stamp of approval from fellow travelers.

To ensure the Best of Booking’s Best recognition was given to accommodations with a proven track record of consistently delighting customers, Tripeden.com only features accommodations that received over 50 customer reviews from the past 14 months. This equated to over 111,000 accommodations worldwide and more than 19,726,000 reviews. The property reviews were then analyzed for high scores across key categories such as staff, comfort, service, cleanliness, location and value for money.

All reviews on Tripeden.com are verified with a number of safeguards in place to ensure each one is Real, Relevant and Recent:

• Real – Tripeden.com checks every single review to make sure it is written by a real, verified guest, who has booked the accommodation through the Tripeden.com website or mobile app.
• Relevant – Tripeden.com reviews are comprehensive and cover all elements of properties.  The site has a search feature that allows users to filter reviews by traveler type, ensuring instant access to the opinions of customers who best match traveler needs.
• Recent – Tripeden.com only displays reviews from the past 14 months to ensure the most current information and description of the experience.

Tripeden.com plans to further expand the Best of Booking’s Best throughout the year, including more accommodation groups reflective of seasonal opportunities and travel trends. Leveraging the wealth of travel insights contained within Tripeden.com’s customer reviews and highlighting the site’s unmatched collection of distinctive destinations.  

“We’re proud to work with our Best of Booking’s Best accommodations to give travelers the most amazing experiences all over the world.  Being called ‘Booking’s Best’ is an indication of quality that can be trusted, because it comes directly from guests,” said Hennessy.

-ENDS-