Will an online travel agency’s acquisition of a metasearch service result in a genuine referral service or just a bigger billboard?
That’s what some analysts are asking in the wake of recent decisions by Priceline and Expedia to acquire metasearch travel sites Kayak and Trivago, respectively, for a combined $2.4 billion.
Metasearch sites let users run hotel, air and car rental queries, then canvass both online travel agencies (OTAs) and supplier websites for the best prices.
Read full story at: http://www.travelweekly.com/Travel-News/Online-Travel/Metasearch-buyouts-seen-as-key-to-overseas-ambitions-of-OTAs/