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TechCrunch reports that Kayak is purchasing SideStep for $200 million, a combination that will bring together two leaders in the online travel search arena.
The move should resonate in the Seattle area, not only because the 800-pound gorilla of the online travel industry -- Expedia -- is based here.
But Seattle also is home to two venture-backed online travel startups -- Yapta and Farecast -- that also could be acquisition bait.
Madrona Venture Group's Matt McIlwain, an investor in Farecast and a big believer in vertical search sites, said the Kayak/SideStep deal could have "big, positive implications for Farecast."
In an e-mail, McIlwain notes that Farecast could emerge as the No. 2 player in travel search behind the newly merged Kayak/SideStep. (He admits that Farecast would be far behind the new entity.) And he writes that more consumers will switch from online travel agencies to online travel search providers.
"The interesting question is how will the online travel agencies (Expedia, Orbitz) and large consumer portals (Microsoft, Google, Yahoo) respond," he writes.
One response, that would probably entice a venture capitalist like McIlwain, is the possibility of more acquisitions.
Stay tuned.
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Posted by unregistered user at 12/20/07 11:37 p.m.
I travel quite a bit out of SEA. Almost always, I get the best price at SideStep, great site. Others mentioned here doesn't even come closer. Frankly, I don't even go to Expedia, as their rates are out of order. Farecast experience is not great either, as you search bunch of popups come up and eventually it might put you in Orbitz. Then over there I've hardly gotten the price that I got in Farecast. After few experiences like this I quit going to the site. SideStep gives me consitency and I really get what I see there. I am surprised so many of them are funded. It would be interesting to see how this is all going to pan out eventually.