Booking.com has Set the Stage to Become the First Digital Travel Brand to Launch Instantly Bookable Hotels in Cuba

NEW YORK, March 21, 2016 /PRNewswire/ --

Booking.com will soon make one of the world's most coveted destinations accessible to U.S. travelers seeking beauty, culture and adventure 

Today Booking.com, the global leader in online travel and part of The Priceline Group [NASDAQ: PCLN], announced that it will become the first online U.S. travel brand to offer instantly bookable hotel properties for certain U.S. citizens traveling to Cuba, one of the world's most sought-after destinations, globally. After months of work with the Cuban Authorities and local hotels, the first properties will be ready to book in the coming weeks on Booking.com.

The company's move follows the recent loosening of restrictions for U.S. travelers to Cuba. The announcement means that Cuba will soon become instantly bookable for U.S. travelers that meet the criteria currently approved by the U.S. government for travel to Cuba. At the outset, properties will be available in Havana and consumers can book instantly and avoid the need to rely on a property owner to respond to and accept a travel request. Plans are in place to increase the number of properties in Havana and beyond daily to give U.S. travelers the incredible diversity of choice Booking.com is known for.  

"Cuba is a beautiful, culture-rich country that many travelers are keen to visit," says Todd Dunlap, Managing Director, Americas, Booking.com. "At Booking.com, we are on a constant mission to bring our customers everything they want to help them experience the world. With the news of the easing of U.S. travel restrictions, we began working immediately with the local Cuban government, tourism authorities and our local hotel partners to launch the first platform to allow travelers to book and confirm instantly with the click of a button. They have been great partners for us on this journey and we are thrilled to be able to facilitate new experiences for U.S. travelers."  

About Booking.com:

Booking.com is the world leader in booking hotel and other accommodations online. It guarantees the best prices for any type of property - from small independents to five-star luxury. Guests can access the Booking.com website anytime, anywhere from their desktops, mobile phones and tablet devices, and they don't pay booking fees - ever. The Booking.com website is available in 42 languages, offers over 870,000 hotels and accommodations including more than 400,000 vacation rental properties and covers over 87,000 destinations in 224 countries and territories worldwide. It features over 80M reviews written by guests after their stay, and attracts online visitors from both leisure and business markets around the globe. With over 19 years of experience and a team of over 10,000 dedicated employees in over 170 offices worldwide, Booking.com operates its own in-house customer service team, which is available 24/7 to assist guests in their native languages and ensure an exceptional customer experience.

Established in 1996, Booking.com B.V. owns and operates Booking.com™, and is part of The Priceline Group (NASDAQ: PCLN). Follow us on Twitter, Google+ and Pinterest, like us on Facebook, or learn more at http://www.booking.com.

About The Priceline Group

The Priceline Group (NASDAQ:PCLN) is the world leader in online travel and related services, provided to customers and partners in over 200 countries through six primary brands - Booking.com, priceline.com, Kayak, agoda.com,rentalcars.com, and OpenTable. The Priceline Group's mission is to help people experience the world. For more information, visit PricelineGroup.com.

CONTACT DETAILS

For further information, contact the Booking.com U.S. Press Office: joseph.moscone@booking.com