November 11, 2024 – Booking, the world’s largest online travel company, has announced potential layoffs as part of an organizational structure review. In an email statement released on Saturday, the company stated that the review process is still in its early stages and no final decisions have been made.
“This is a difficult but necessary proactive step to ensure Booking.com remains agile in a highly competitive industry and continues to rapidly advance customer-centric innovation,” the statement read.
According to its annual report, Booking had approximately 23,600 employees at the end of 2023, with around 6,000 of them working at Booking.com’s office in Amsterdam, Netherlands. Publicly available information indicates that the company’s headcount had increased to 24,200 by September 30, 2024, representing a 19.2% increase compared to the end of 2021.
“We will engage in consultations with employee committees, union representatives, and other relevant bodies, and expect to provide further clarity on the details of this organizational change, including specific timing, expected impact on employees, financial considerations, and other related adjustments, at the appropriate time,” the announcement stated.
In addition to the layoffs, Booking plans to modernize its internal processes and systems, reduce real estate expenses, and “optimize” procurement processes. The company believes that these measures will collectively enhance the “quality of service provided to travelers and partners.”
A company spokesperson, as reported by Reuters, clarified that the reorganization only affects Booking.com and will not impact its other brands, such as OpenTable, Agoda, Priceline, and Kayak.
