Europe is the largest OTA market in the world, accounting for nearly 32% of global OTA revenue. According to market estimates, Europe’s OTA market is projected to grow from $96.5 billion in 2025 to more than $140 billion by 2030, driven by mobile bookings, increased leisure travel, and AI-fueled personalization.
Unlike in Asia, where regional fragmentation creates opportunities for local champions, Europe’s relatively cohesive travel infrastructure allows a few dominant players to scale quickly across borders.
Booking.com: Europe’s Undisputed Leader
If there’s one company synonymous with OTAs in Europe, it’s Booking.com. Headquartered in Amsterdam and part of the Booking Holdings group (which also owns Priceline, Agoda, and Kayak), Booking.com controls approximately 69% of Europe’s lodging OTA market.
Why Booking.com Dominates:
- Massive Inventory: Over 3.4 million properties worldwide, with an especially dense concentration in Europe.
- Cross-Selling Power: Integrated booking of accommodations, flights, car rentals, and activities.
- Global Brand Recognition: Booking Holdings reported $4.8 billion in Q1 2025 revenue, with strong year-over-year growth despite global travel turbulence.
- AI & Personalization: Innovations in customer service, chatbots, and trip recommendations continue to strengthen user experience.
Its scale, trust, and consistent innovation give it a near-monopoly on hotel bookings across most European countries.
Top European OTA Challengers
While Booking.com leads by a wide margin, several European OTAs are carving out their own niches:
1. eDreams ODIGEO (Spain)
- Operates multiple brands: eDreams, Opodo, Go Voyages, Travellink
- Focused heavily on flight bookings and dynamic packages
- Introduced a subscription model “Prime,” reaching over 1 million members
- Strength: Smart bundling of flights and hotels, strong presence in Southern and Western Europe
2. Lastminute.com Group (Switzerland)
- Brands: Lastminute, Volagratis, Rumbo, weg.de, Jetcost
- Known for last-minute city breaks, package deals, and flight-hotel combos
- Focuses on both Western and Central Europe with strong mobile adoption
3. Kiwi.com (Czech Republic)
- Known for virtual interlining, combining flights from non-partner airlines
- Specialized in low-cost carrier combinations and clever routing
- Tech-driven approach has earned it a spot among the top five flight OTAs in Europe
4. Etraveli Group (Sweden)
- Operates brands like GoToGate, Flightnetwork
- Strong presence in flight bookings and B2B travel services
- Attempted acquisition by Booking Holdings was blocked by EU regulators—highlighting its strategic value
5. loveholidays (UK)
- Fast-growing package holiday specialist
- Known for aggressive pricing, mobile-first design, and flexibility tools
- Poised for growth as UK and Irish travelers increasingly look for deal-focused holiday platforms
Market Trends Shaping the Future
Several key trends are defining the OTA landscape in Europe:
- Mobile-first growth: Over half of OTA bookings in Europe are now made on mobile devices.
- Flight-centric innovation: OTAs like Kiwi.com and eDreams ODIGEO thrive by offering smart routing and fare hacks.
- Regulatory friction: The EU’s Digital Markets Act is pressuring giants like Booking to improve transparency and reduce anti-competitive behavior.
- Subscription models: eDreams Prime and other membership programs are reshaping how OTAs build loyalty.
- AI integration: From smarter recommendations to automated customer service, AI is raising the baseline for user expectations.
So, Who Is the Biggest OTA in Europe?
If we’re talking about overall volume, revenue, and influence, Booking.com is the clear winner. Its dominance in lodging—and growing presence in flights and packages—makes it the most powerful OTA not just in Europe, but globally.
However, Europe’s OTA market is far from static. Players like eDreams ODIGEO, Lastminute.com, and Kiwi.com are rapidly innovating in flights and dynamic packages, while loveholidays is scaling fast in the UK holiday market.
In short: Booking.com owns the crown, but the European OTA battlefield is rich with challengers—and the next wave of disruption may come from specialized players targeting niche travelers with smarter tech and more flexible options.
