TripAdvisor buys holidaylettings.co.uk

Independent holiday home website holidaylettings.co.uk has been sold to TripAdvisor for an undisclosed sum.

Holiday Lettings, established in 1999, advertises more than 40,000 holiday homes across 116 countries and claims 25 million annual visitors.

The co-founders and management will continue to lead the business as an independent brand from its offices in Oxford.

The marks Expedia-owned TripAdvisor’s continued expansion into the holiday home sector, following the launch of vacation rentals on the site last year and the purchase of a majority stake in US-based FlipKey.com in 2008.

Christine Petersen, president of TripAdvisor for Business, said:“This exciting acquisition will expand our services for home owners and property management companies in the vibrant European marketplace and build on the strength that FlipKey has established in the US market.”

Holiday Lettings co-founder and managing director Ross Elder said: “The combination of our holiday home marketing expertise with TripAdvisor’s leadership in the travel community is a natural fit certain to benefit both holiday home owners and those looking for a great hotel alternative,” said Ross Elder, co-founder and managing director of holidaylettings.co.uk.

The addition of holidaylettings.co.uk means TripAdvisor Media Group now includes 17 travel brands and attracts nearly 46 million unique monthly visitors.