Expedia Group, Inc. has announced financial results for the second quarter ended June 30, 2021.
“The second quarter saw continued improvement in many global travel segments with North America in particular showing strength. Expedia Group benefited from strong vacation rental performance and improved conventional lodging, offset by continued softness in international travel, corporate travel, and relatively high consumer interest in smaller markets and lower-end accommodations. While that strength has continued into Q3, recent Covid variant news around the world continues to create uncertainty in the travel industry,” said Vice Chairman and CEO, Peter Kern. “Unfortunately, the road to full travel recovery remains bumpy until more of the world is vaccinated.”
For the second quarter of 2021, total gross bookings and total revenue both increased significantly compared to the second quarter of 2020. Booking trends for lodging, air, and other travel products all improved sequentially from the first quarter of 2021.
Both Retail and B2B segment revenue increased compared to the second quarter of 2020. The growth in gross bookings and revenue largely reflect continued improvement in leisure travel trends during the quarter.
As a percentage of total worldwide revenue in the second quarter of 2021, lodging accounted for 73%, advertising and media accounted for 8%, air accounted for 4% and all other revenues accounted for the remaining 15%.
For the second quarter of 2021, total GAAP and adjusted total selling and marketing expense increased 313% and 320%, respectively, compared to the second quarter of 2020, primarily due to a $912 million increase in direct costs as marketing spend increased in anticipation of a further recovery in travel demand. Indirect costs, which represented 16% of total GAAP selling and marketing costs in the second quarter of 2021, compared to 69% in the second quarter of 2020, and 14% of total adjusted selling and marketing expense in the second quarter of 2021, compared to 68% in the second quarter of 2020, decreased 2% and 12%, respectively, due to lower personnel costs in connection with previously announced cost savings initiatives.
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