Booking Holdings Takes Restaurant Competition to Asia-Pacific With Inline Investment

Booking Holdings' OpenTable dining reservations platform, which is strongest in the U.S., and Inline Group, with strength in Asia-Pacific, have entered into a strategic partnership where their customers will be able to reserve tables in the establishments of their respective restaurant partners.

In tandem with the strategic partnership, Booking Holdings made an investment in Inline Group. The companies did not announcement the amount.

Inline powers dining reservations in Taiwan, Hong Kong, Japan, Malaysia, Singapore, Australia, and the U.S., according to its website.

"Inline has quickly built a leadership position in select markets in Asia and is growing throughout the region," Debby Soo, OpenTable CEO, said in a statement. "We're delighted to partner with them as we expand OpenTable's presence in the Asia-Pacific region."

In Booking Holdings' strongest region, Europe, Tripadvisor's TheFork is the strongest player in dining reservations. So Booking is investing apparently where it sees the best opportunity — Asia-Pacific.