Kayak CEO Hints Company May Get Into the Hotel Business
There's been speculation over the years about online travel companies getting into the hotel business, and Kayak CEO Steve Hafner teased as much during an interview on Thursday.
Hafner, who heads Booking Holdings brands Kayak and OpenTable, dropped the hint during a pre-recorded interview for Travel's Path Forward: Online Travel, when discussing the company's product roadmap during the Covid-19 hiatus.
Without providing much detail, Hafner teased an announcement about Kayak getting into the hotel business in some form beyond its traditional hotel referral and booking services.
"Soon we are going to announce our first forays into the hotel business," Hafner said.
Asked whether we would see Kayak-branded hotels, Hafner said, "I wouldn't be surprised if you did. Put it that way."
He added another tidbit when discussing OpenTable and loyalty programs.
