Viator Chief Resigns: Big Change at Tripadvisor's Travel Experience Brand
Skift Take
Key Points
- Ben Drew, president of Viator, resigns effective April 12 for a new industry opportunity.
- Viator achieved $737 million in revenue in 2023 under Drew's leadership and became profitable.
- Speculation surrounds Viator's future amid Tripadvisor's potential sale or spin-off scenarios.
Summary
Ben Drew, the president of Tripadvisor's travel experiences brand Viator, announced his resignation effective April 12, moving to a new industry. Under Drew's leadership, Viator saw significant growth, achieving $737 million in revenue in 2023 and becoming profitable. His departure comes amidst speculation of a potential sale or spin-off of Viator as Tripadvisor entertains a sale offer. Drew's legacy includes revamping supplier commission tools and processes. Viator remains a major player in the travel experiences market, despite capturing only a small percentage of the overall market.
Ben Drew, president of Tripadvisor's travel experiences brand Viator for the past four years, announced on Tuesday that he would leave the company on April 12 for "a new opportunity in a new industry."
As of publication time, the company hadn't responded to a request for comment. However, Tripadvisor's CEO praised Drew via LinkedIn, citing "an impressive track record of success, a well-honed strategy for building on Viator’s leadership position in travel’s fastest-growing category, and a strong plan in place to continue our momentum."
Drew touted some accomplishments he and his team achieved at Viator, which many experts believe is the largest online seller of tours, activities, attractions, and events.
"In 2023 we hit $737 million in revenue, growing at 49% year-over-year, and became profitable," Drew said in a post on LinkedIn. "Moreover, we helped millions of people discover experiences they’ll remember forever, and thousands of businesses make a living."
Viator generated roughly $4 billion in gross bookings last year, but Drew estimated that only captured about 1% of the experiences sold online and off. The company's major competitors include GetYourGuide, Expedia, Airbnb, and Klook.
Executive editor Dennis Schaal notes: Drew's departure occurs as Tripadvisor entertains a sale offer, and there is speculation that a buyer might opt to sell or spin-off Viator. Many consider it the most valuable part of Tripadvisor.
Viator has a deep bench of talent," said Douglas Quinby, Co-Founder and CEO of Arival, a research and events company. "The one question about the future really has to do with Tripadvisor, and to what extent that future includes – or should include – Viator."
Drew's legacy
One of Drew's signature legacies was revamping the tool and process by which suppliers set their commission and help adjust how their listings appear in Viator's search results.
Drew joined Tripadvisor as head of business development for vacation rentals in 2012, where he led significant inventory growth. He oversaw Bokun, the Iceland-based software company serving the tours, attractions, and experiences industry that Tripadvisor acquired in 2018. Drew has previously worked at Expedia and Deloitte.
Drew spoke at Skift's 2024 Megatrends presentation in New York City in January.
More on Viator
Photo Caption: Ben Drew, president of Viator, speaking in January in New York City at Skift's 2024 Megatrends event. Source: Skift.
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