Booking Holdings

The launch of Meta's AI agent Muse — which can search for hotels, compare options and handle bookings autonomously — has caused Booking's share price to drop and could endanger parts of its intermediary business. Muse was downloaded very quickly in the US and enables users to complete entire booking processes without traditional travel portals. Analysts warn that Muse takes over the direct customer relationship and could therefore weaken demand for platforms like Booking. However, Booking is not automatically being pushed out of the market; the long-term effects on revenue and profit remain unclear. » More on deraktionaer.de

A study by HES‑SO shows that 51.3% of hotel bookings in Europe are made directly, while 29.9% go through portals; in Germany 31.9% are via portals. Among portal bookings, Booking.com has a clear market share at 66.1% (69.2% in Germany), ahead of Expedia and HRS. Hoteliers criticize high commissions, earlier best‑price clauses and higher cancellation rates via Booking.com, while competition authorities have confirmed its market dominance. » More on faz.net

Booking Holdings presented itself as a growing marketplace rather than just a booking platform: about two thirds of accesses are direct, 70% of transactions run through its own payment processing, and the Genius program accounts for 30% of customers but nearly 60% of bookings. Management highlighted broader use of generative AI, which reduces customer service costs per booking by more than 10% and increases software productivity, as well as the fast-growing "Connected Trip" segment. Financially the company remains strong with over $9 billion in annual free cash flow and $7.3 billion in share buybacks in the first half of 2026. » More on de.investing.com