skift take
— Sean O'Neill
Ben Drew, who has served as president of TripAdvisor's travel experience brand Viator for the past four years, announced Tuesday that he will be leaving the company effective April 12, citing “new opportunities in a new industry.”
The company did not respond to requests for comment at the time of publication. However, TripAdvisor's CEO praised Drew via LinkedIn, saying, “He has an impressive track record of success, a well-honed strategy to build Viator's leadership position in the fast-growing travel sector, and a strong commitment to the company. “We have strong plans to continue our momentum.”
Drew touted the work he and his team have accomplished at Viator, considered by many experts to be the largest online retailer of tours, activities, attractions, and events.
“We are now profitable in 2023 with sales reaching $737 million, a 49% year-over-year growth,” Drew said in a post on LinkedIn. “Additionally, we've helped millions of people discover experiences they'll remember forever, and we've enabled thousands of businesses to earn a living.”
Viator generated about $4 billion in gross bookings last year, but Drew estimated that it only captures about 1% of the experiences sold online and offline. The company's main competitors include GetYourGuide, Expedia, Airbnb, and Klook.
Executive Editor Dennis Schaal said: Drew's resignation comes as TripAdvisor has accepted a sale offer, sparking speculation that the buyer may choose to sell or spin off Viator. Many people consider this to be the most valuable part of TripAdvisor.
Viator has a deep pool of talent,” said Douglas Quinby, co-founder and CEO of research and events company Arival. “His one question about the future really has to do with TripAdvisor and how much of that future does or should he include Viator in.”
Drew's Legacy
One of Drew's signature accomplishments was revamping the tools and processes for suppliers to set fees and adjust how their listings appear in Viator's search results.
Drew joined TripAdvisor in 2012 as Director of Vacation Rental Business Development and led significant inventory growth. He oversaw Bokun, an Iceland-based software company serving the tours, attractions and experiences industry that TripAdvisor acquired in his 2018. Drew previously worked at Expedia and Deloitte.
Drew spoke at Skift's 2024 Megatrends presentation in New York City in January.
Photo courtesy of Viator President Ben Drew speaking at Skift's 2024 Megatrends event in New York City in January. Source: Skift.
