As Booking.com turns 25, there are countless milestones to celebrate – all made possible because of your partnership. Here, we’ll take you on a tour of our journey, stopping along the way to celebrate the milestones that we’ve achieved together during a quarter of a century.
1996 – Bookings.nl was founded
It all started on November 12, 1996, when our founder Geert-Jan Bruinsma started an online booking service called Bookings.nl. That start-up grew steadily in its first few years, jumping from its first employee in 1999 to 50 people by 2002. Since then, we’ve continued to grow into one of the world’s largest travel marketplaces, now known as Booking.com.
2000 – The first apartment was listed on Bookings.nl
Just four years after the platform was founded, we branched out from hotels and started listing alternative accommodations – the first being an apartment. Next, we welcomed the first chalet in 2005, the first hotel boat in 2006, and the first riad in 2007. Since then, we've grown to 6.5 million listings of homes, apartments, and other unique places to stay.
2010 – Our mobile app launched
Responding to the rise of the smartphone, we launched our first mobile app in 2010. Today, mobile bookings represent over 60% of our total room nights. We even became the most downloaded OTA app in Q2 of 2021, putting your properties in the hands of travelers all over the world.
2011 – Our first annual partner recognition award
To recognize your incredible hospitality, we launched our first annual Traveller Review Awards, an important symbol of our commitment to working with you and honoring your achievements.
2016 – We grew to one million properties
In early August 2016, we reached new heights with the addition of our one-millionth property, Greydon House, located in the historic district of Nantucket, Massachusetts.
By this year, we offered unique accommodation options in over 30 categories, including everything from boats, igloos, castles, and treehouses to apartments, villas, vacation homes, and resorts. During this year, alternative accommodations grew to make up over 70% of accommodations on Booking.com.
2017 – Booking Heroes was born
To thank you for all the ways you create unforgettable travel experiences, we launched Booking Heroes in 2017. We asked our customers to share their stories of amazing hospitality – the moments where you, the hosts, become heroes.
The following year, in 2018, we revealed our first three winners: Karen, Owner of Blackburn Villa B&B in Ayr, Scotland; Sudarshi, Owner of Tunnel Gap Homestay in Ella, Sri Lanka; and Alina, Receptionist at citizenM Hotel in New York City, USA.
2017 – Hundreds of you joined us at the first annual Click. event
In September 2017, we hosted our first annual partner conference, Click. Hundreds of you joined us from across the world in our home city of Amsterdam to connect and network with Booking.com experts, leading names in hospitality, and your peers.
2018 – We launched our new partner promise
At the end of 2018, we launched our new partner promise, Growing Together, our ongoing commitment to building a stronger era of partnership. It’s a promise to continually support your business and make you feel valued by nurturing a relationship that truly lives up to the word partner.
2019 – Together we welcomed over 3 billion guests
In April 2019, we announced over 3 billion guest arrivals across all property offerings since 2007, with 750 million of those guests arriving at alternative accommodations including homes, apartments, and other unique places to stay.
2019 – We introduced the first international quality rating score for short-term rentals
Previously, no globally applicable rating system existed for travelers looking to stay in an alternative accommodations like a home or apartment. In 2019, Booking.com took the lead in developing a first-of-its-kind Quality Rating system for apartments, vacation homes, and villas to showcase the great strides our partners take in the ongoing professionalization of the short-term rental industry.
2020 – Travel Proud launched
Together we’ve made travel more inclusive for the LGBTQ+ community through our Travel Proud Program, which launched last year. Since then, thousands of you have completed our free Proud Hospitality training session and are now Proud Certified.
2021 – We celebrated over one million Traveller Review Award winners
At the start of this year, we announced over one million Traveller Review Award winners – a testament to your exceptional hospitality. Recognizing partners across 220 countries and territories, this was the ninth edition of our annual partner recognition awards.
From all of us at Booking.com, thank you for your partnership. Together we’ve created millions of memories for travelers around the world. We can’t wait to continue growing together over the next 25 years and beyond.
- From humble beginnings in 1996, Booking.com has since grown into one of the world’s largest travel marketplaces and will soon be celebrating its 25th birthday – which wouldn’t be possible without you, our partners
- From the first booking back in 1997 to welcoming over 3 billion guest arrivals in 2019, together we’ve created millions of unforgettable memories for travelers around the world
- Thank you for your partnership. We can’t wait to continue growing together over the next 25 years and beyond
