U.S. News & World Report – a global leader in consumer advice and decision support – announced the acquisition of TheCultureTrip.com, a premier travel website with thousands of curated travel guides and a marketplace for tours worldwide.
TheCultureTrip.com is the latest addition to U.S. News’ travel franchise, which includes rankings, trips, and advice to empower travelers with information to help them decide where they want to go, choose how to get there, where to stay, and things to do.
Launched in London in 2011, Culture Trip curates experiences across the globe along with its 75,000+ travel-related articles about destinations large and small. With millions of monthly users and over three million app downloads, Culture Trip has a passionate and dedicated audience.
TheCultureTrip.com was acquired from Culture Trip Travel UK Ltd., a travel-related holding company and the website and small, insider-led group trips will continue to operate under the Culture Trip brand. The terms of the acquisition were not disclosed.
Over 50 million travelers visit travel.USNews.com each year to research hotels, vacations, cruises, travel rewards, tours, and attractions. The Culture Trip website joins a suite of services developed by U.S. News for travelers, including GoToSea and worldwide travel guides.
Lazarus Consulting, a boutique M&A advisory firm, exclusively advised Culture Trip Travel UK Ltd..
KEY QUOTES:
“As we continue to find ways to help people make informed decisions, the Culture Trip website is a natural extension of our U.S. News Travel business. Consumers want information they can trust and resources they can rely on when planning a trip. This acquisition now empowers millions of travelers with the tools they need to find the best value and experience.”
- Eric Gertler, U.S. News Executive Chairman & CEO
“The Culture Trip mission is to connect people through expert-reviewed destinations globally and is considered one of the most ‘insider’ resources for travelers deciding where they want to have the best experience. Adding to this, the ability to experience the travel recommendations via our small, insider-led group trips makes Culture Trip a holistic travel platform. We are thrilled about the expertise and resources U.S. News brings in helping us fulfill this mission.”
- Ana Jakimovska, CEO, Culture Trip Travel UK Ltd.
“This is a core strategic acquisition for U.S. News,” said Maheshwari. “When combined with our travel vertical and our GoToSea cruise website, Culture Trip’s potential will be unlocked with the ultimate goal of better serving today’s global traveler.”
- S. News Chief Financial Officer & Chief Operating Officer Neil Maheshwari led the acquisition for U.S. News
