Airbnb Leads Global OTA Patent Competition: A Call for Domestic OTAs to Strengthen Technology Development and Patent Strategies

Among the global online travel agencies (OTAs) that account for approximately 97% of worldwide OTA revenue—Booking Holdings, Expedia, Trip.com, and Airbnb—Airbnb has emerged as the leader in patent acquisition.

According to Yanolja Research (Director Jang Soo-chung)'s recently published report, "Global OTA Technology Trends and Strategies through Patents," the four major OTAs secured a total of 4,140 patents between 1996 and 2023. During this period, Airbnb led the pack with 2,195 patents, either filed or acquired. Trip.com and Expedia followed with 1,367 and 361 patents, respectively, while Booking Holdings obtained 217 patents.

Notably, Airbnb significantly bolstered its patent portfolio by acquiring a large number of patents from IBM in 2021, solidifying its position as the top patent holder among OTAs. Meanwhile, Trip.com has demonstrated rapid growth in patent acquisition, averaging 167 new patents annually since 2016.

Yanolja Research emphasized that the competitive edge of global OTAs lies in their ability to innovate and secure intellectual property. It called on domestic OTAs to prioritize technology development and actively pursue patent acquisition to remain competitive in the rapidly evolving global travel market.

Number of Patents Filed or Acquired by Global OTAs (1996–2023)

According to the report, major OTA companies have secured patents by focusing on different technological fields over time. From 1996 to 2007, they concentrated on ICT technologies for implementing business processes in transactions and travel agency operations. From 2008 to 2014, there was a noticeable increase in patents related to data processing technologies and wireless communication network technologies. Since 2015, the proportion of patents for social network services and machine learning technologies has significantly increased.

Regarding this trend, Hong Seok-won, a senior researcher at Yanolja Research, stated, "Recently, tech giants like Microsoft and Google have entered the travel-related services market, posing a perceived threat to the traditional OTA industry. In response, there has been a noticeable increase in patents related to new technologies such as machine learning." He further explained that this reflects "a determination to create new markets through innovative technologies."

Trends in the Number of Classification Codes for Patents Held by Global OTAs

The report also interprets technological innovation and patent acquisition in the OTA market as more than just competition—it is a critical strategy that will shape the future of the industry. In particular, it emphasizes that securing first-mover advantages and patents through the development of core technologies will play an essential role in achieving sustainable growth and market leadership in the global market.

Additionally, Senior Researcher Suckwon Hong stressed, “If domestic OTAs aiming to expand into the global market adopt such strategies, they could establish a favorable market position overseas and reinforce that position through continuous technological development.”