Tripadvisor Group Announces New Viator Leadership As It Sharpens Focus On Experiences

Rhea-AI Summary

Tripadvisor (NASDAQ: TRIP) has announced key leadership changes at Viator, its experiences marketplace subsidiary. Pepijn Rijvers has been appointed as President of Viator effective April 1, 2025, while Kristin Dorsett has been promoted to Chief Operating Officer.

Rijvers, who previously spent over 12 years at Booking.com in executive roles, will report to Matt Goldberg, Tripadvisor Group's President and CEO. Dorsett, a longtime Viator executive who most recently served as Chief Product Officer, will report to Rijvers.

The appointments come as Viator reported strong financial performance in 2024, including:

• Revenue of $840 million
• Gross bookings value of $4.2 billion
• Achievement of full-year profitability

Viator currently lists approximately 400,000 experiences worldwide, partners with over 65,000 operators, and powers experiences storefronts across thousands of websites.

Positive

• Achieved full-year profitability in 2024
• Strong revenue of $840 million
• Substantial gross bookings value of $4.2 billion
• Large marketplace scale with 400,000 experiences and 65,000 operators

Negative

• None.

Insights

Financial Analyst

Tripadvisor's leadership restructuring at Viator signals a strategic prioritization of its experiences business, which has emerged as a financial bright spot. The appointment of Pepijn Rijvers, with his marketplace scaling expertise from Booking.com, demonstrates Tripadvisor's commitment to accelerating growth in this segment.

The financial metrics revealed are particularly noteworthy: Viator generated $840 million in revenue and $4.2 billion in gross bookings value in 2024, while achieving full-year profitability. This implies a healthy take rate of approximately 20%, which is competitive for the travel marketplace sector.

Tripadvisor appears to be doubling down on what's working while bringing in proven leadership from a major competitor. The experiences category represents a significant opportunity as consumer spending continues shifting toward memorable activities rather than just accommodations. With 400,000 experiences and 65,000 operator relationships, Viator has established substantial supply-side advantages.

This leadership change comes as Tripadvisor navigates the broader challenge of evolving its traditional review-centric model. By emphasizing the Viator business unit that's demonstrating both growth and profitability, management is making a logical strategic pivot. The offline-to-online transition mentioned in the release suggests considerable room for further digitization and market expansion in the experiences category.

Business Strategy Expert

This leadership restructuring at Viator represents a strategic realignment for Tripadvisor, highlighting the growing importance of experiences in their overall business model. The company is clearly positioning the experiences marketplace as a core growth driver through these appointments.

Bringing in Pepijn Rijvers from Booking.com is particularly significant. His background in scaling marketplaces addresses the exact challenge Viator faces - transitioning from what the article describes as "a fragmented offline past" to "a seamless online future." This expertise in marketplace dynamics could accelerate Viator's ability to capture market share during this digital transformation phase.

The internal promotion of Kristin Dorsett to COO creates continuity while adding fresh strategic perspective at the top. This balanced approach to leadership transition reduces operational risk while still enabling strategic evolution.

Tripadvisor's competitive positioning in experiences is strengthened by its unique multi-platform approach: Viator as the dedicated marketplace, Tripadvisor as the discovery and planning platform, and their extensive distribution network. This ecosystem creates multiple customer acquisition funnels that competitors with single-platform approaches cannot match.

The emphasis on profitability alongside growth indicates disciplined execution, an encouraging sign that expansion isn't coming at the expense of financial health. With 400,000 experiences and 65,000 operators already on the platform, Viator has achieved the marketplace liquidity necessary for sustainable growth.

Pepijn Rijvers Named President; Kristin Dorsett Promoted to Chief Operating Officer

NEEDHAM, Mass., March 17, 2025 /PRNewswire/ -- Tripadvisor, Inc. (NASDAQ: TRIP) today announced leadership changes for Viator, the world's largest experiences marketplace. Pepijn Rijvers has been appointed President of Viator, effective April 1, 2025, and Kristin Dorsett has been promoted to the role of Chief Operating Officer of Viator.  Rijvers will report to Matt Goldberg, President and CEO of Tripadvisor Group, and Dorsett will report to Rijvers.

"Experiences are central to the group's strategy, and Viator has strong momentum as the leader in this fast-growing category," said Matt Goldberg, President and CEO of Tripadvisor Group. "Pepijn's deep industry expertise, proven success in scaling marketplaces, and background across product, supply, marketing, and data make him the ideal leader to advance our group-wide experiences strategy. With Viator leading the way, we'll continue to strengthen our position in the category and deliver even greater value to travelers and partners."

Rijvers takes on the role of President of Viator as Tripadvisor Group sharpens its focus on experiences, following a year of healthy growth and profitability at Viator. With a powerful combination of assets – Viator as the world's largest experiences marketplace, Tripadvisor as the world's most trusted and influential travel planning platform, and the industry's most extensive distribution network – Tripadvisor Group is uniquely positioned to extend its lead in experiences.

"This category is transforming – moving from a fragmented offline past, to a seamless online future," said Pepijn Rijvers, incoming President of Viator. "Viator is in a prime position to lead that shift, powered by an exceptional team, the world's biggest and best collection of experiences, and the unique strengths of the Tripadvisor Group. I look forward to leveraging this momentum to cement our position as a global leader in the space."

Prior to joining Viator, Rijvers spent more than 12 years at Booking.com, where he played a key role in building and scaling the travel industry's largest accommodations marketplace. Rijvers held executive roles including Chief Marketing Officer and SVP, Managing Director of Global Hotels and Accommodations. 

Additionally, Kristin Dorsett has been promoted to the role of Chief Operating Officer of Viator. A longtime Viator executive, Dorsett has led multiple parts of Viator's supply and technology organizations. Most recently, as Chief Product Officer, she was responsible for the company's product, engineering, and data functions, driving innovation and operational excellence across the platform.  In this new role, Dorsett will focus on strategy execution and operational excellence across the broader Viator business.

Following years of strong growth, Viator reported $840 million in revenue, approximately $4.2 billion in gross bookings value, and full-year profitability in 2024. With Rijvers and Dorsett in key leadership roles, the company is well-positioned to build on this momentum and drive further expansion. 

Viator lists approximately 400,000 experiences worldwide, works with more than 65,000 operators, and powers the experiences storefronts of thousands of websites, including some of the biggest names in travel. 

For more information, visit www.Viator.com and www.Tripadvisor.com.

About Tripadvisor, Inc.
The Tripadvisor Group connects people to experiences worth sharing, and aims to be the world's most trusted source for travel and experiences. We leverage our brands, technology, and capabilities to connect our global audience with partners through rich content, travel guidance, and two-sided marketplaces for experiences, accommodations, restaurants, and other travel categories. The subsidiaries of Tripadvisor, Inc. (Nasdaq: TRIP), include a portfolio of travel brands and businesses, including Tripadvisor, Viator, and TheFork. 

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SOURCE Tripadvisor

FAQ

What were Viator's key financial metrics for 2024?

In 2024, Viator achieved $840 million in revenue, $4.2 billion in gross bookings value, and reached full-year profitability.

Who is the new President of Viator and when does he start?

Pepijn Rijvers has been appointed as President of Viator, effective April 1, 2025.

How many experiences and operators does Viator currently have on its platform?

Viator lists approximately 400,000 experiences worldwide and works with more than 65,000 operators.

What is Tripadvisor's (TRIP) strategic focus with these leadership changes?

Tripadvisor is sharpening its focus on the experiences category, leveraging Viator's marketplace leadership to strengthen its position in this fast-growing segment.