Booking.com
A global online travel agency with major French usage for hotels, flights and car rentals.
Booking.com at a glance
Booking.com is a travel website and one of the most visited sites in France, currently ranked #155 in the country. It was founded in 1996 by Geert-Jan Bruinsma and is headquartered in Amsterdam, Netherlands. Today Booking.com is owned by Booking Holdings Inc.. Our estimates put its audience at ≈ 60 million visits per month. The business earns money mainly through booking commissions, advertising. Its closest rivals include airbnb.fr, expedia.fr, tripadvisor.fr.
Traffic statistics
Traffic history
| Period | Visits | Change |
|---|---|---|
| Q1 | ≈ 56.4 million / month | +2% |
| Q2 | ≈ 58.2 million / month | +3% |
| Q3 | ≈ 60 million / month | +3% |
| Q4 | ≈ 63.6 million / month | +6% |
Traffic sources
- Direct43%
- Organic search32%
- Paid search16%
- Metasearch referral6%
- Social3%
Audience & demographics
- Men52%
- Women48%
- Age 25-3431%
- Age 35-4426%
- Age 45-5420%
The audience is concentrated in France, skewing urban and mobile, with usage peaks in the evening hours.
Geographic reach
- France86%
Home market
- Diaspora and neighbouring markets7%
- Europe3%
- North America2%
- Rest of world2%
SEO profile
- Estimated organic traffic
- ≈ 18 million visits / month
- Branded share of search
- High — brand terms lead the keyword profile
- Indexed pages
- Large — category, listing or article level
- Primary search market
- France
Top organic keywords
| Keyword | Position | Volume | Traffic share |
|---|---|---|---|
| booking.com | 1 | Very high | Dominant |
| cheap flights | Top 10 | High | — |
| hotel booking | Top 10 | High | — |
| train tickets | Top 10 | High | — |
Backlink profile
- Referring domains
- Tens of thousands
- Link profile
- News coverage, directories, blogs and partner sites
- Authority
- High within the France web
Top referral sources
- News and media31%
- Directories and aggregators24%
- Blogs and forums20%
- Partner sites14%
- Other11%
Technology stack
Website technologies
Advertising & analytics technologies
Stack details are inferred from public front-end signals and engineering communications; internal systems may differ.
Mobile app statistics
Available in the local store
Available in the local store
- App share of traffic
- ≈ 71% mobile
- Position in country
- Among the leading travel apps in France
Company information
- Website
- booking.com
- Sector
- Travel
- Owner
- Booking Holdings Inc.
- Owner type
- Subsidiary of public company
- Founders
- Geert-Jan Bruinsma
- Founded
- 1996
- Headquarters
- Amsterdam, Netherlands
- Employees
- 20,000+
- Ownership
- Booking Holdings Inc. controls the platform. Ownership details are based on public filings and press reporting.
- Revenue
- ≈ $23 billion annual revenue (est.)
- Languages
- French, many others
- Top traffic sources
- direct, organic search, paid search
Financials
- Revenue
- ≈ $23 billion annual revenue (est.)
- Ownership
- Subsidiary of public company
- Reporting
- Figures based on public filings, press reports and market estimates
Business model & revenue
Booking.com operates a travel booking platform focused on France. A global online travel agency with major French usage for hotels, flights and car rentals. Revenue comes mainly from booking commissions, supported by the other lines listed below.
- Booking commissions
- Advertising
Products & services
International presence
- Primary market
- France
- Expansion
- Regional and diaspora audiences beyond the home market
Employee statistics
Customer statistics
Website rankings
- Country rank (France)
- #155 in this index
- Sector rank
- Leading travel site in France
- Global rank
- 50
Main competitors
Website comparisons
| Website | Monthly visits | Rank | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| airbnb.fr | ≈ 36 million / month | #156 class competitor | — |
| expedia.fr | ≈ 27 million / month | #157 class competitor | — |
| tripadvisor.fr | ≈ 18 million / month | #158 class competitor | — |
What is Booking.com?
Booking.com (booking.com) is a travel booking platform serving users in France. A global online travel agency with major French usage for hotels, flights and car rentals. It ranks #155 among the most visited websites in the country in this index, within the travel category.
Who owns Booking.com?
The site is operated by Booking Holdings Inc., founded by Geert-Jan Bruinsma. The company was established in 1996 and is headquartered in Amsterdam, Netherlands. It employs around 20,000+.
Traffic and audience
Traffic estimates place Booking.com at roughly 60 million visits per month, about 2 million per day. Around 71% mobile of sessions come from mobile devices, and visitors view about 7.8 pages per visit with an average session of 7 min.
How Booking.com makes money
Revenue comes primarily from booking commissions, alongside advertising.
Competitors in France
Its closest rivals include airbnb.fr, expedia.fr, tripadvisor.fr.
Data and accuracy
Company facts are drawn from public sources. Traffic, revenue and audience figures are third-party estimates or sector benchmarks, marked with ≈ where modelled, and are reviewed periodically.
Company history & milestones
- 1996
Booking.com is founded in Amsterdam, Netherlands.
- Growth phase
Expands its travel offering and moves to a mobile-first product.
- Today
Ranks #155 among the most visited websites in France.
User reviews & ratings
| Source | Score | Reviews | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| Google Play | ≈ 4.3 / 5 | — | Ratings from the local store listing |
| App Store | ≈ 4.5 / 5 | — | Ratings from the local store listing |
| Consumer review platforms | Mixed | — | Service and support are common themes |
App store ratings are solid, while consumer review platforms show the usual friction around support and service quality.
Pros & cons
Pros
- Broad inventory of routes, hotels or tickets
- Transparent price comparison across dates
- Local payment and installment support
- Mobile check-in and booking management
Cons
- Prices fluctuate quickly during peak seasons
- Change and cancellation rules are restrictive
- Add-on fees appear late in the funnel
- Support pressure during disruptions
Key statistics
Frequently asked questions
Who owns Booking.com?
Booking.com is operated by Booking Holdings Inc.. Subsidiary of public company structure, based on public filings and press reporting.
Where is Booking.com headquartered?
Booking.com is headquartered in Amsterdam, Netherlands.
When was Booking.com founded?
Booking.com was founded in 1996 by Geert-Jan Bruinsma.
How many employees does Booking.com have?
Booking.com employs approximately 20,000+ people.
What is Booking.com's revenue?
Booking.com's revenue: ≈ $23 billion annual revenue (est.).
Who are Booking.com's competitors?
Main competitors in France include airbnb.fr, expedia.fr, tripadvisor.fr.
How does Booking.com make money?
Mainly booking commissions, advertising.
Is Booking.com publicly traded?
Booking.com's ownership: Subsidiary of public company.
How many visitors does Booking.com get?
Third-party estimates place Booking.com at roughly 60 million visits per month, mostly from France, with 71% mobile traffic.
Is Booking.com safe?
Booking.com is an established travel site founded in 1996 and ranked #155 in France; use the official domain booking.com and HTTPS.
Popular searches
Data sources & confidence
- Company website and public announcementsbooking.com
- Third-party traffic estimation providersSimilarweb-class estimates
Visit figures are modelled, not measured
- App store listingsApple App Store, Google Play
- Press and market coverageFrance and international business media
- Data confidence
- Medium for company facts, medium-low for traffic and financial estimates. All modelled figures are rounded and marked with ≈.
- Last updated
- September 2026
Traffic, revenue and audience figures are third-party estimates or derived from sector benchmarks, and are reviewed periodically.
Social media profiles & statistics
Official brand account
Announcements and support
Community and campaigns
Company and hiring updates
Brand and product videos