Click. 2022

Click. 2022: key takeaways from this year’s event

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After going completely virtual in 2021, our annual partner summit was held in person once again this year. Here, we share key highlights from the event

In March and April, Booking.com leaders gathered at Click. 2022 to reveal where we’re going next – and how we will get there. 

Reaffirming our commitment to growing our presence in the US, the event made its American debut in Nashville, US just days after it returned to Amsterdam, NL. Collectively welcoming thousands of accommodation, transport, technology and travel experience partners from across the globe, the event offered partners an opportunity to meet with Booking.com leaders and gain insights on how we will be shaping the road to recovery through 2022 and beyond. 

Unveiling a new partner ambition

Providing value through products and services that drive true incremental growth has always been at the heart of our commitment to partners. At the event, we shared our plans to double-down on this commitment with the ambition of becoming your strategic partner of choice. 

Reflecting on findings from extensive global research carried out last year, James Waters, Senior Vice President of Commercial Operations, revealed a shift in direction that will see significant investments made across our people, tooling and data to further enhance partner support. With an aim of delivering long-term, sustainable value, this new partner approach will focus on co-creating a mutually beneficial future through recovery and beyond. 

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Realising our connected trip vision 

With much of the industry still feeling the impact of the global pandemic, Booking Holdings CEO Glenn Fogel spoke to the importance of removing even more friction from the overall travel experience for both customers and partners. Detailing Booking.com’s plans to scale its non-accommodation verticals, Fogel shared the next phase of our vision to become the ultimate travel companion through all stages of the customer journey – from planning to booking to staying.

In a separate session, Matthias Schmid, Senior Vice President of Trips and Vice President of Cars, outlined the strong growth we’ve seen so far in flights, attractions and ride services on our platform over the past year. We learned that over 25% of our flight bookers are entirely new customers to Booking.com, presenting a substantial cross-sell opportunity across verticals.

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Click. 2022

 

The app store is 2022’s hottest destination

Booking.com is noticing a rapid change in eCommerce, with consumer preference shifting from desktop to mobile to apps in recent years. With our app drawing in over 100 million monthly active users and app bookings growing 25% year on year for the past six years, Chief Marketing Officer Arjan Dijk declared the app store as 2022’s hottest destination. To match this demand, Dijk shared that Booking.com has adopted an app-first approach, revealing an ambition to be one of the few travel apps on every phone around the world. 

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The FinTech evolution

Following the creation of Booking.com’s FinTech business unit in 2021, Senior Vice President of Fintech Daniel Marovitz shared plans for further expansion in the coming year. As Payments by Booking scales, we plan to open up more options for partners to get paid in various ways. These capabilities will also offer greater flexibility for customers including when and how they pay, paving the way for seamless access to our platform globally. 

During the session, Marovitz highlighted the value and opportunities that Booking.com’s investment in FinTech offers partners. One example being that it enables them to attract new guests while removing the complexity of having to invest in these technologies themselves. 

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Sharing insights on the future traveller

A key theme of multiple sessions was tomorrow’s traveller, with recent research revealing a shift in consumer behaviour. Serdar Akin, Senior Director of Product, pointed out a significant increase in date, destination and preference flexibility since the start of the pandemic, with a growing segment of travellers open to when and where they travel, as well as the type of accommodation they want.

Other research highlighted at the event revealed that certain trends spurred by the pandemic are here to stay, including a focus on cleanliness and wellness, pet-friendly travel and an increased interest in travelling during the off-peak seasons.

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Click.2022
Watch highlights on demand

Missed out on attending Click. 2022? Don't worry. You can watch event highlights right here on the Partner Hub. 

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Takeaway
  • Our annual partner summit, Click., was held in person once again this year, returning to Amsterdam and making its US debut in Nashville
  • During the event, we ran hundreds of workshops and roundtables on key topics led by top experts

  • From revealing where we’re going next to unveiling our new partner ambition, Booking.com leaders shared their vision for 2022 and beyond

  • The connected trip, alternative payment methods and app bookings remain key focus areas for 2022