Agoda.com is an online travel agency catering to customers around the world, registered and headquarters in Singapore with operations in Bangkok, Thailand.[1] Agoda facilitates reservations for accommodation, flights, ground transportation, and activities. It is a subsidiary of Booking Holdings.[2][3][4][5]
 | |
| Type of business | Subsidiary |
|---|---|
Type of site | Travel and accommodation |
| Founded | Singapore in 2005 |
| Headquarters | Singapore |
| Area served | Global |
| Founder(s) | Robert Rosenstein (co-founder) Michael Kenny (co-founder) |
| Key people | Omri Morgenshtern (CEO) John Wroughton Brown (Chairman) Idan Zalzberg (CTO) Damien Pfirsch (CCO) Thi-Mai-Linh Bui (CFO) |
| Products | Travel agency Metasearch engine |
| Parent | Booking Holdings |
| URL | www |
History
editAgoda was co-founded in Phuket in 2005 by school friends Michael Kenny and Robert Rosenstein. Kenny had previously launched PlanetHoliday.com and PrecisionReservations.com, which were incorporated into Agoda.[6]
In 2007, Agoda was acquired by Booking Holdings, formerly The Priceline Group.[7]
Agoda launched iOS and Android mobile apps in July 2011.[8][9][10]
After Booking Holdings acquired Israel-based startup Qlika in 2014, the Qlika team joined Agoda to automate and scale its marketing systems.[11] In November 2014, the company opened a research center in Tel Aviv.[12]
In May 2016, Booking Holdings acquired Taipei-based startup WooMoo, the creator of POP, a mobile app that focused on prototyping. Its team relocated to Bangkok.[13][11]
In May 2018, CEO and co-founder Rob Rosenstein became the chairman of Agoda and a strategic advisor to Booking Holdings. John Wroughton Brown, the COO, was promoted as the new CEO of Agoda, with Chief Product Officer Omri Morgenshtern, who joined the company as part of the Qlika acquisition, named as the new COO.[14]
In November 2018, Agoda launched airport transfers via a partnership with Mozio.[15]
In September 2019, Agoda launched a brand refresh including a new logo, custom font, and cartoon mascots called Agojis based on the circles in the logo.[16]
In October 2019, flight bookings were introduced.[17]
In November 2019, Agoda launched B2B products including a white-label platform.[18]
In May 2020, Agoda announced the layoffs of 1,500 people due to the COVID-19 pandemic.[19]
In June 2022, John Brown left the position of CEO, with then-Chief Product Officer Omri Morgenshtern becoming the new CEO.[20]
Controversies and legal issues
editIn April 2017, the Tourism Minister of Thailand called for Agoda among others to drop illegal and unregistered hotels.[21] Agoda was the primary company criticized, and its success is part of what led the Ministry of Tourism & Sports to create a competitive hotel booking website.[22] In 2018, Agoda cooperated with the Taipei City Government's request to remove illegal and unregistered Taipei hotels from its listings.[23] Agoda faced legal action from the Turkish Travel Agencies Association due to alleged unfair competition.[24] It faced a potential ban as part of this lawsuit.[25]
In October 2017, Agoda, among other hotel sites, was subject to a probe by the Competition and Markets Authority in the United Kingdom. The probe was related to "concerns about hidden charges, pressure selling tactics, misleading discount claims and the order in which results appear on the site pages." Agoda agreed to change how it operates in response to this probe.[26][27]
In December 2017, Agoda initially refused to give a refund to a customer that booked a non-existent hotel. Agoda eventually paid a refund following a fraud complaint filed with the Thai government.[28]
In 2019, Agoda was criticized for difficulties with customers removing their homes from the website. The customers cited customer service issues.[29]
References
edit- ^ "Booking Holdings 2022 Annual Report Form (10-K)". U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission. February 23, 2023.
- ^ "Book a date". Bangkok Post. 7 June 2021.
- ^ MENZE, JILL (December 9, 2021). "Agoda launches Beds Network to help hotels distribute wholesale rates". PhocusWire.
- ^ O'Neill, Sean (May 9, 2018). "Agoda Names New CEO as It Aims to Go Global". Skift.
- ^ Peltier, Dan (September 21, 2018). "Booking Holdings' Agoda Takes a Distinctive Approach on Short-Term Rentals". Skift.
- ^ Kaveevivitchai, Nithi (August 5, 2013). "Boom at the inn". Bangkok Post.
- ^ "Priceline.com acquires asian online hotel reservation service co Agoda". Reuters. November 9, 2007.
- ^ Schaal, Dennis (July 15, 2011). "Agoda debuts iPhone app with lots of Asia hotels". Phocuswire.
- ^ "Agoda.com introduces new iPhone app". Breaking Travel News. July 14, 2011.
- ^ "agoda.com launches Android app for easy mobile hotel booking". Breaking Travel News. September 10, 2011.
- ^ a b Empson, Rip (March 11, 2014). "Priceline Buys Israel's Qlika For $15-20M To Boost Global Expansion With Rocket Science-Powered Ad Tech". TechCrunch.
- ^ Shamah, David (21 November 2014). "Priceline hotel site seeks big data expertise in israel". Times of Israel.
- ^ Shu, Catherine (May 24, 2016). "Taipei-based startup Woomoo acqui-hired by Priceline". TechCrunch.
- ^ O'Neill, Sean (May 9, 2018). "Agoda Names New CEO as It Aims to Go Global". Skift.
- ^ Litwak, David (November 24, 2018). "Mozio Group Launches in Asia with Agoda, Ctrip Partnerships". Mozio.
- ^ "Agoda unveils fresh look". Travel Weekly. September 19, 2019.
- ^ Hamdi, Raini (October 18, 2018). "Agoda Is Starting to Offer Flights to Take On Rivals in Asia". Skift.
- ^ "Agoda Enhances Traveler Experience With New Capabilities and Offering For B2B2C Partners" (Press release). Business Wire. November 11, 2019.
- ^ Hamdi, Raini (May 18, 2020). "Booking's Agoda Cuts 1,500 Workers in Asia". Skift. Archived from the original on 2022-06-23.
- ^ "Omri Morgenshtern appointed Agoda CEO". Globes. April 19, 2022.
- ^ "Tourism Minister calls on Agoda, OTAs told to drop illegal hotels". The Phuket News. April 1, 2017.
- ^ "Phuket News: Ministry to take on big hotel booking sites". The Phuket News. September 18, 2013.
- ^ Strong, Matthew (June 12, 2018). "Online reservation site Agoda to remove illegal Taipei hotels". Taiwan News.
- ^ "Tourism body to start legal action against 20 booking portals". Daily Sabah. September 8, 2018.
- ^ "Turkey Looking to Ban 20 Travel Booking Sites". GTP Headlines. August 14, 2018.
- ^ "Six hotel sites agree to stop 'misleading' tactics and hidden charges". Sky News. June 2, 2019.
- ^ Calder, Simon (October 27, 2017). "HOTEL Booking Websites Face Investigation into Selling Practices". The Independent.
- ^ Itthipongmaetee, Chayanit (December 7, 2017). "WOMAN BLAMES BAD CLICK FOR 150,000B BANGKOK HOTEL BILL. THEN HER STORY GOT WEIRDER". Khaosod.
- ^ Hamdi, Raini (July 11, 2019). "Agoda Dubbed 'Hotel California' in Asia as Hotel Suppliers Say They Can Never Leave". Skift.