{{Short description|Online travel agency}} {{use dmy dates|date=January 2025}} {{Infobox company | name = Etraveli Group AB | logo = ETraveli_Group_Logo_2023.png | logo_size = 50 | type = Travel agency<BR>Metasearch engine | founded = {{start date and age|2000}} | hq_location_city = Stockholm<ref>{{Cite web |title=Facts |url=https://www.etraveligroup.com/newsroom/facts/ |access-date=2022-08-18 |website=Etraveli Group |language=en-US}}</ref> | hq_location_country = Sweden | key_people = Mathias Hedlund (CEO) | brands = {{Hlist|Flightnetwork|Gotogate|Mytrip|TripStack|PRECISION||Wenrix|Flygresor.se|SuperSaver}}<ref>{{Cite web |title=Our brands |url=https://www.etraveligroup.com/about/brands/ |access-date=2022-09-10 |website=Etraveli Group |language=en-US}}</ref> | num_employees = +3200 | num_employees_year = 2026 | website = {{URL|https://www.etraveligroup.com/}} }}
'''Etraveli Group''' is a Swedish travel technology company that owns and operates online travel agency, travel fare aggregators, fintech services and AI platforms<ref>{{Cite web |title=Etraveli Group acquires Wenrix flight technology |url=https://www.phocuswire.com/etraveli-group-acquires-wenrix-flight-technology |website=PhocusWire}}</ref> and travel metasearch engine websites servicing both the business-to-business and retail travel markets, globally.<ref name="Skift1" /> It operates subsidiaries Gotogate, Flightnetwork, and Mytrip. Etraveli Group operates in more than 75 markets, including the Nordics, the United Kingdom, France and Germany.<ref name="PhocusWire1" /> Etraveli Group brands include TripStack, PRECISION, Wenrix, Flygresor.se, Gotogate, Flightnetwork, and Mytrip.<ref name="EA">{{Cite web |last=O'Neill |first=Sean |date=2019-06-24 |title=Why Etraveli's Airline Tech Deal Could Catch Airbnb's Eye |url=https://skift.com/2019/06/24/why-etravelis-airline-tech-deal-could-catch-airbnbs-eye/ |access-date=2025-01-15 |website=Skift |language=en-US}}</ref><ref name="BH" />
Etraveli Group accepted an offer in 2021 to be bought out by Booking.com parent Booking Holdings for US$1.83 billion, though the European Commission ultimately blocked the merger.<ref>{{Cite web |title=EU blocks Booking takeover of Swedish online travel rival – DW – 09/25/2023 |url=https://www.dw.com/en/eu-blocks-booking-takeover-of-swedish-online-travel-rival/a-66915746 |access-date=2023-11-28 |website=dw.com |language=en}}</ref>
== History == Etraveli Group was founded in 2007.<ref>{{Cite web |last=Schaal |first=Dennis |date=2023-10-03 |title=After Booking Deal Went Bust, Etraveli CEO Says Price 'No Longer in Play' |url=https://skift.com/2023/10/03/after-booking-deal-went-bust-etraveli-ceo-says-price-no-longer-in-play/ |access-date=2025-01-10 |website=Skift |language=en-US}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |date=November 23, 2021 |title=Booking to buy Swedish travel agency Etraveli for $1.83 billion |url=https://www.reuters.com/markets/deals/booking-buy-flight-booking-provider-etraveli-about-183-billion-2021-11-23/ |website=Reuters}}</ref> The name Etraveli was first used in 2007 when Seat24 and SRG Online (''Svenska Resegruppen'') merged.<ref>{{cite web |last=Novac |first=Dragos |title=Etraveli was acquired by CVC for 508 million Euro from ProSiebenSat.1 |url=https://nordic9.com/news/etraveli-was-acquired-by-cvc-for-508-million-euro-from-prosiebensat-1-news4357463915/ |access-date=2022-08-06 |website=Nordic 9 |language=en}}</ref><ref>{{cite web |last=FinSMEs |date=2015-10-13 |title=ProSiebenSat.1 Acquires Etraveli for €235M |url=https://www.finsmes.com/2015/10/prosiebensat-1-acquires-etraveli-for-e235m.html |access-date=2022-08-06 |website=FinSMEs |language=en-US}}</ref><ref>{{cite web |title=History |url=https://www.etraveligroup.com/about/history/ |access-date=2022-09-10 |website=Etraveli Group |language=en-US}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |title=Norvestor creates largest online travel agent in the Nordic countries |url=https://www.supersavertravel.se/pressrum/arkiv/2007/norvestor-creates-largest-online-travel-agent-in-nordic-countries |access-date=2022-08-17 |website=www.supersavertravel.se}}</ref>
In 2015, Etraveli Group was acquired by ProSiebenSat.1 Media and placed under its investment subsidiary 7Travel for €235 million. Later in 2017, Etraveli Group was sold to CVC Capital Partners for $570 million USD, or €508 million.<ref>{{Cite news |date=2017-06-20 |title=ProSiebenSat.1 sells online travel agency Etraveli to CVC |language=en |work=Reuters |url=https://www.reuters.com/article/us-prosieben-media-divestiture-idUSKBN19B0ML |access-date=2022-08-06}}</ref> Later on the same year the group was merged with Greek online travel agency e-Travel S.A.<ref>{{Cite web |title=Etraveli and e-Travel join forces |url=https://www.cvc.com/news/2017/2017-11-07-etraveli-and-e-travel-join-forces/ |access-date=2022-09-10 |website=CVC |language=en }}{{Dead link|date=March 2026 |bot=InternetArchiveBot }}</ref> That same year, Etraveli Group entered a partnership with Booking.com after the latter launched a flight business.<ref name="Skift1">{{cite news |last1=Schaal |first1=Dennis |date=3 October 2023 |title=After Booking Deal Went Bust, Etraveli CEO Says Price 'No Longer in Play' |url=https://skift.com/2023/10/03/after-booking-deal-went-bust-etraveli-ceo-says-price-no-longer-in-play/ |work=Skift |access-date=12 April 2024}}</ref> Two years later, Etraveli Group acquired Canadian travel technology company TripStack and online travel agency (OTA) Flightnetwork.<ref name="PhocusWire1">{{cite news |last1=Fox |first1=Linda |date=20 June 2019 |title=Etraveli Group Acquires Tripstack, Flightnetwork In Effort To Build North American Presence |url=https://www.phocuswire.com/Etraveli-Group-acquisitions |work=PhocusWire |access-date=12 April 2024}}</ref> In 2024, Etraveli Group launched PRECISION, a risk management solution developed by the group’s separate fintech entity.<ref>{{cite news |title=Etraveli Group launches Precision fraud management solution |url=https://www.phocuswire.com/etraveli-precision-fraud-management |work=PhocusWire |access-date=2026-01-23}}</ref> In early 2026, Etraveli Group acquired Wenrix, an embedded AI platform for flights focused on pricing, flexibility, and servicing.<ref>{{cite news |title=Etraveli Group acquires Wenrix flight technology |url=https://www.phocuswire.com/etraveli-group-acquires-wenrix-flight-technology |work=PhocusWire |access-date=2026-01-23}}</ref>
In 2021, Etraveli Group was acquired again by Booking Holdings, two weeks after it bought hotel distributor Getaroom, for €1.63 billion.<ref name="BH">{{Cite web |title=Booking Holdings acquires ETraveli Group for €1.6 billion {{!}} PhocusWire |url=https://www.phocuswire.com/Booking-Holdings-acquires-eTraveli-Group-1-6-billion |access-date=2022-08-06 |website=www.phocuswire.com |language=en}}</ref> The Government of the United Kingdom's Competition and Markets Authority has launched an enquiry into the acquisition, and as of November 2022, Booking Holdings is continuing to defend its proposed acquisition.<ref>{{Cite web |title=Booking Holdings Inc / eTraveli Group AB merger inquiry |url=https://www.gov.uk/cma-cases/booking-holdings-inc-slash-etraveli-group-ab-merger-inquiry |access-date=2022-08-06 |website=GOV.UK |language=en}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |title=Online Travel Update: Booking Holdings Presses Ahead With Etraveli Acquisition |url=https://www.jdsupra.com/legalnews/online-travel-update-booking-holdings-1126965/ |access-date=2022-11-15 |website=JD Supra |language=en}}</ref> The deal is also under investigation by the European Union, which had been assessing the move since October and under a more extensive investigation by the European Commissioner for Competition since November.<ref>{{Cite news |last=Chee |first=Foo Yun |date=2022-11-10 |title=Booking's Etraveli deal faces full-scale EU antitrust probe, sources say |language=en |work=Reuters |url=https://www.reuters.com/business/retail-consumer/bookings-etraveli-deal-faces-full-scale-eu-antitrust-probe-sources-say-2022-11-10/ |access-date=2023-03-01}}</ref> Despite concessions offered by Booking Holdings in October, on 25 September 2023, the European Commission announced that it has rejected the transaction.<ref>{{Cite web |title=Press corner |url=https://ec.europa.eu/commission/presscorner/home/en |access-date=2023-10-17 |website=European Commission - European Commission |language=en}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |date=2023-08-08 |title=Booking offers concessions in bid to allay EU concerns on ETraveli buy |url=https://finance.yahoo.com/news/booking-offers-concessions-bid-allay-141153622.html |access-date=2023-11-28 |website=Yahoo Finance |language=en-US}}</ref> That day, Booking said it would appeal the veto.<ref name="Bloomberg1">{{cite news |last1=Stolton |first1=Samuel |title=Booking's €1.6 Billion Etraveli Deal Blocked by EU |url=https://www.bloomberg.com/news/articles/2023-09-25/booking-s-1-6-billion-etraveli-deal-blocked-by-eu-watchdogs |access-date=12 April 2024 |work=Bloomberg.com |date=25 September 2023 |language=en}}</ref> In 2025, KKR invested as a minority shareholder alongside CVC Capital Partners in Etraveli Group.<ref>{{cite news |last=Cheng |first=Eric |date=21 July 2025 |title=KKR said to invest in CVC's Etraveli at $2.7 billion valuation |url=https://www.bloomberg.com/news/articles/2025-07-21/kkr-said-to-invest-in-cvc-s-etraveli-at-2-7-billion-valuation |work=Bloomberg |access-date=2026-01-23}}</ref>
== Subsidiaries ==
=== GoToGate === GoToGate is a seller of air travel based in Uppsala, Sweden,{{Efn|Each of GoToGate's sites list national addresses for incorporation. For example, gotogate.com lists a Miami-area mailing address, and gotogate.co.uk lists an office in London.}} and one of the most prominent trade names of the Swedish travel corporation Etraveli Group AB.<ref>{{Cite web |title=Gotogate Taiwan: low on cost, big on miles! Book your flight now! |url=https://tw-en.gotogate.com/rf/start |access-date=2022-08-04 |website=tw-en.gotogate.com}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |title=Cheap Flights: Book Last Minute Flight deals {{!}} Gotogate |url=https://www.gotogate.com/ |access-date=2022-08-04 |website=www.gotogate.com}}</ref><ref>{{Cite news |date=2021-11-23 |title=Booking to buy Swedish travel agency Etraveli for $1.83 billion |url=https://www.reuters.com/markets/deals/booking-buy-flight-booking-provider-etraveli-about-183-billion-2021-11-23/ |access-date=2022-08-04 |work=Reuters |language=en}}</ref> GoToGate claims it serves 30 million customers a year across 77 countries and fills 140 Boeing 737 planes every day.<ref>{{Cite web |title=Gotogate |url=https://www.gotogate.com/rf/about-us |access-date=2022-08-04 |website=www.gotogate.com}}</ref> GoToGate was used for a time as the flight provider for Booking.com for various European countries.<ref>{{Cite web |date=2019-10-14 |title=Booking.com Launches Flights Through Partnership Across Europe |url=https://skift.com/2019/10/14/booking-com-launches-flights-through-partnership-in-7-european-countries/ |access-date=2022-08-06 |website=Skift |language=en-US}}</ref>
GoToGate is listed by Etraveli as the brand which gave the Scandinavian holding company international marketshare. The site is described as especially successful in the United Kingdom and France, and in 2015, Etraveli expanded GoToGate to Singapore, Australia, Japan, and 12 other new markets. Etraveli lists GoToGate as its most successful brand and foresees it remaining the most successful subsidiary of Etraveli.<ref>{{cite web |title=Facts |url=https://www.etraveligroup.com/newsroom/facts/ |access-date=2022-08-06 |website=Etraveli Group |language=en-US}}</ref>
GoToGate has been subject to frequent controversy and criticism, often targeting its poor customer service despite boasting "unbeatable low prices". The agency has a Better Business Bureau grade of "F" and hovers around a 1-star rating with reviewers frequently calling the website a scam.<ref>{{Cite web |title=Gotogate, Inc. {{!}} Reviews {{!}} Better Business Bureau® Profile |url=https://www.bbb.org/ |access-date=2022-08-04 |website=www.bbb.org |language=en}}</ref><ref name="cbsnews_servicecomplaint">{{Cite web |title=Customer Service Complaints Have Piled Up For Travel Agency GoToGate, And New Customers Have Meant New Complaints |url=https://www.cbsnews.com/chicago/news/gotogate-travel-agency-consumer-complaints/ |access-date=2022-08-04 |website=www.cbsnews.com |date=6 January 2022 |language=en-US}}</ref>
Under Etraveli, GoToGate also operates MyTrip.com, whose US division lists GoToGate as its owner.<ref>{{Cite web |title=Online travel agent Mytrip – learn more about us |url=https://us.mytrip.com/about-mytrip |access-date=2022-08-06 |website=us.mytrip.com}}</ref>
=== TripStack === In 2019, Etraveli Group acquired Toronto travel technology company TripStack.<ref>{{Cite web |last=Fox |first=Linda |date=June 20, 2019 |title=Etraveli Group acquires TripStack, Flight Network in effort to build North American presence |url=https://www.phocuswire.com/Etraveli-Group-acquisitions |access-date=2025-01-28 |website=www.phocuswire.com |language=en}}</ref> The deal included online travel agency Flight Network, which had invested $4.5 million in TripStack's launch in 2018.<ref name="EA" />
=== PRECISION === PRECISION is the fintech and risk management brand of Etraveli Group, providing fraud prevention and payment risk solutions for the travel industry.<ref>{{cite news |title=Etraveli launched Precision, risk management solution in 2024|url=https://www.phocuswire.com/etraveli-precision-fraud-management |work=PhocusWire |access-date=2026-01-23}}</ref> PRECISION has partnered with Sabre to integrate its fraud prevention technology into Sabre Direct Pay for travel providers.<ref>{{cite news |title=Etraveli Group teams up Sabre on fraud prevention |url=https://insurance-edge.net/2025/12/03/etraveli-group-teams-up-sabre-on-fraud-prevention/ |work=Insurance‑Edge |access-date=2026-01-23}}</ref> The brand has also collaborated with Mastercard Gateway to enhance fraud protection and payment security for travel merchants.<ref>{{cite news |title=Etraveli Group selects Mastercard to improve its fintech arm's product, PRECISION |url=https://thefintechtimes.com/etraveli-group-selects-mastercard-to-improve-its-fintech-arms-product-precision/ |work=The Fintech Times |access-date=2026-01-23}}</ref>
=== Wenrix === In 2026, Etraveli Group acquired Wenrix, an AI platform for flights across price, flexibility, and servicing, trusted by over 60 of the world’s largest OTAs and Travel Management Companies.<ref>{{cite news |title=Etraveli Group acquires Wenrix flight technology |url=https://www.phocuswire.com/etraveli-group-acquires-wenrix-flight-technology |work=PhocusWire |access-date=2026-01-23}}</ref>
== Refund controversies and reception == GoToGate's, MyTrip's and Supersaver's most frequent criticisms target its speed of delivering refunds to customers. London-based journalist Anna Tims of ''The Guardian'' claimed that sixteen months after requesting a valid refund, the company refused to provide her with one. She additionally outlined and slammed GoToGate's policy in which the agency would take a cut out of any refund given to a passenger from an airline unless the customer purchased a "platinum support package". Tims' complaints against the company were mirrored and expanded upon by ''Which?'', further slamming GoToGate and fellow online travel agency Lastminute.com for illegally refusing refunds and charging customers "administration fees" just to process refunds.<ref>{{Cite web |last=Which? |title=Best and worst flight booking websites |url=https://www.which.co.uk/reviews/travel-agents/article/travel-agents/best-and-worst-flight-booking-websites-aQCAk3w0qTCa |access-date=2022-08-06 |website=Which? |language=en}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |last=Hughes |first=Lorna |date=2020-11-28 |title=The 'serious problems' holidaymakers face with travel booking sites |url=https://www.bristolpost.co.uk/news/uk-world-news/holidaymakers-problems-travel-booking-sites-4746008 |access-date=2023-02-28 |website=HullLive |language=en}}</ref> Customer complaints against GoToGate also attracted the attention of CBS News and News.com.au; CBS, when documenting a flight purchase from Illinois to Serbia, highlighted that no representatives responded when the company was called, and News.com.au highlighted how GoToGate refused to transfer a COVID-related refund from Qatar Airways to a customer whom was granted a refund by the airline.<ref name="cbsnews_servicecomplaint"/><ref>{{Cite web |last=Borg |first=Rebecca |date=May 19, 2023 |title='Genuine people are getting ripped off': Mum's warning to savvy travellers |url=https://www.news.com.au/travel/travel-updates/warnings/genuine-people-are-getting-ripped-off-mums-warning-to-savvy-travellers/news-story/cfbc165ec23619086405508ccd21685a |website=News.com.au}}</ref>
Simon Calder, a journalist for ''The Independent'', warned consumers that booking airline tickets through GoToGate and myTrip, which he noted to be among the more untrustworthy travel agencies, would only be worth the money paid if both the flight was sold for a substantially cheaper price than a more trusted agency and the flight was being booked very close to its departure.<ref>{{Cite web |date=2021-12-02 |title=Long wait for a flight refund from Gotogate |url=https://www.theguardian.com/money/2021/dec/02/long-wait-for-a-flight-refund-from-gotogate |access-date=2022-11-15 |website=the Guardian |language=en}}</ref>
The New Zealand Herald has attributed GoToGate's business practices, along with those of other online travel agencies, as a cause for their overall decline after the COVID-19 pandemic.<ref>{{Cite web |title=The eDream is over: How travellers fell out of love with OTAs |url=https://www.nzherald.co.nz/travel/how-we-fell-out-of-love-with-online-travel-agencies-and-their-devious-booking-tricks/DHKKERNHKM4K7J33FERVH5RCXA/ |access-date=2022-08-04 |website=NZ Herald |date=17 July 2022 |language=en-NZ}}</ref>
As of Jan 2026, Mytrip had a rating of 3.2 stars (out of 5 maximum) from 2,890 reviews on Sitejabber.<ref>{{cite news |url=https://www.escape.com.au/travel-advice/my-holiday-in-nepal-turned-into-a-nightmare/news-story/30a01603d480fc19c0ff2551698e936c |first=Larissa |last=Ham |title = My holiday in Nepal turned into a nightmare |work=Escape |date=June 13, 2023}}</ref><ref>{{cite web |url=https://www.sitejabber.com/reviews/mytrip.com |title=MyTrip Reviews |work=Sitejabber |date=14 January 2019 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230220140215/https://www.sitejabber.com/reviews/mytrip.com |archive-date=20 February 2023}}</ref>
As of Jan 2026, Gotogate had a rating of 3.5 stars (out of a maximum of 5) based on 2,636 reviews on Sitejabber.<ref>{{cite web |url=https://www.sitejabber.com/reviews/gotogate.com |title=Gotogate Reviews |work=Sitejabber}}</ref>
As of Jan 2026, Flightnetwork had a rating of 3.5 stars (out of a maximum of 5) based on 3,284 reviews on Sitejabber.<ref>{{cite web |url=https://www.sitejabber.com/reviews/flightnetwork.com |title=FlightNetwork Reviews |work=Sitejabber}}</ref>
In May 2024, a businessman obtained settlement from GoToGate after suing their UK company for fraud. It was alleged that GoToGate had misrepresented the sale of a flight, and that they had refused to enact the carrier terms of American Airlines for a refund.<ref>{{cite web |url=https://slapp.blog/online-travel-agent-agrees-to-settle-fraud-claim-brought-by-businessman/ |title=Go to Gate agrees to settle fraud claim brought by businessman |date=25 May 2024}}</ref>
== Notes == {{Notes}}
== References == {{Reflist}}
== External links == * [https://www.gotogate.com/ Official Website]
Category:Online travel agencies Category:Metasearch engines