Gogobot

Gogobot (renamed Trip.com)

Company type	Private
Industry	Travel, Technology
Founded	2010
Founder	Travis Katz, Ori Zaltzman
Fate	Acquired by Ctrip Group in 2017
Headquarters	Palo Alto , United States
Area served	Worldwide
Key people	Travis Katz, Ori Zaltzman
Products	Travel planning and local discovery platform (web, iOS, Android)
Parent	Ctrip Group (from 2017)

Gogobot—which was renamed Trip.com in November 2016—operated as an online travel enterprise headquartered in Palo Alto, California. Established in 2010 by entrepreneurs Travis Katz and Ori Zaltzman, it rose to become the fifth most frequented travel-planning website in the United States by 2014. The company was subsequently purchased by the Ctrip Group in 2017.

The service employed artificial intelligence to assist users in discovering and reserving hotels, dining spots, bars, and attractions across more than 60,000 global locations. Its social travel framework fostered a user community that shared reviews and images, thereby boosting engagement and strengthening its market position. Forbes characterized Gogobot as a "social network for travelers," emphasizing its unique edge through the integration of social networking with travel planning.

Post-acquisition, Ctrip’s subsidiary Skyscanner incorporated Gogobot’s content and technology into its platform in 2019, launching it as the “Explore” feature within the Skyscanner app. This move expanded international reach and consolidated market presence within the travel services sector.

Description

Gogobot offered a travel-planning and local discovery platform accessible via web browsers, iOS, and Android devices. It enabled users to explore and book accommodations, restaurants, and activities worldwide while leveraging community-generated reviews and photos. The company was a pioneer in AI-powered travel suggestions, utilizing data points such as location, personal interests, weather conditions, and user behavior to forecast attractive destinations. Users could align themselves with over 19 distinct "Tribes" (e.g., Foodies, Family Travelers) to filter recommendations from travelers with similar preferences. The platform also supported detailed itinerary creation with daily scheduling synchronized across multiple devices.

In September 2014, Gogobot launched "Gogo This Week," a feature showcasing curated weekly events in key metropolitan areas such as Silicon Valley, San Francisco, Los Angeles, New York City, and London. The application was accessible both online and on mobile devices.

Company history

Gogobot was founded in 2010 by Travis Katz—formerly Senior VP and GM of International at MySpace—and Ori Zaltzman, who had served as lead architect for Yahoo! Search BOSS. The company emerged to tackle common frustrations with impersonal online travel planning experiences. Katz’s vision was influenced by his tenure at MySpace.

In July 2010, Gogobot secured $4 million in venture capital funding from Battery Ventures and launched its website later that year in November. The company earned TechCrunch’s Crunchie award for best design in 2011 and debuted its iOS application in October of the same year. Strategic partnerships with Flipboard, Facebook, and Foursquare followed during 2011 to enhance social integration. Additionally, a $15 million Series B funding round led by Redpoint Ventures took place that year. By 2012, Gogobot had amassed over two million active users and established a European headquarters in London to support its expanding international clientele.

The Android version of the app was released in January 2013. Gogobot collaborated with vacation rental company HomeAway to develop "Insider Guides," allowing hosts to provide customized recommendations integrated across both platforms. By that year’s end, the site’s user base had grown to 3.7 million, ranking it among the fastest-growing travel websites.

In 2014, Gogobot hosted more than 720,000 original reviews alongside four million photos. To address growing demand for local discovery features, the company revamped its mobile app and brand identity—including an upgraded “Tribes” functionality for more personalized suggestions. In November of that year, Gogobot raised $20 million in venture capital funding led by HomeAway with participation from Redpoint Ventures and Battery Ventures.

In 2016, Gogobot acquired the Trip.com brand from Expedia and adopted it as its new name. It also formed a partnership with Hostelworld to embed city guides within Hostelworld’s app.

Ctrip Group acquired Trip.com in 2017 when the platform boasted roughly 60 million users; financial details of the acquisition were not disclosed. Following this acquisition, Trip.com became Ctrip’s primary brand as the parent company rebranded itself as Trip.com Group. In 2019, Trip.com merged into Skyscanner to further expand global operations and strengthen its competitive position.