IENS has been acquired by TripAdvisor
The shareholders of IENS, the largest Dutch online restaurant review and booking platform, have sold the company to TripAdvisor.
Founded in 1998, IENS is the largest online restaurant review guide in the Netherlands, with 20 million annual visitors and a network of 20,000 restaurants, of which 1,550 are bookable through its sister brand SeatMe. The site features 200,000 restaurant reviews and receives 4,000 new reviews every week.
TripAdvisor is the largest online travel community in the world, offering travel and entertainment-related reviews. The company has more than 300 million unique monthly visitors and more than 200 million reviews covering accommodations, restaurants and attractions worldwide. The site operates in 45 countries.
The integration of the company is being led by the management team of LaFourchette, a prominent restaurant reservation platform in France, Spain and Switzerland that TripAdvisor acquired in May 2014. This latest acquisition of IENS is in line with TripAdvisor’s strategy to further accelerate its growth and geographical footprint in the restaurant review and reservation space in Europe. Financial terms of the acquisition have not been disclosed.
Oaklins' team in the Netherlands originated the deal and acted as the lead advisor to IENS’ shareholders. Oaklins' digital media specialist team in New York played an important role in approaching the potential buyers and maintaining a continuous dialogue with them. This deal is another example of seamless cooperation between Oaklins' teams, demonstrating the organization’s added value through its global execution capabilities, industry expertise and contacts.
Talk to the deal team
Frederik van der Schoot
Oaklins Netherlands
Roland A. DeSilva
Oaklins DeSilva+Phillips
Reed Phillips
Oaklins DeSilva+Phillips
Ken Sonenclar
Oaklins DeSilva+Phillips
Related deals
Bookwire enters into a long-term strategic partnership with IPG
Bookwire, a Germany-based portfolio company of VR Equitypartner, has acquired the digital distribution business of Independent Publishers Group (IPG) and entered into a long-term strategic partnership. Both Bookwire and IPG will continue to focus on their respective specialties, with IPG providing exceptional comprehensive distribution solutions for independent publishers and Bookwire specializing in the worldwide digital distribution of ebooks and audiobooks.
Learn moreG/O Media Inc. has sold Gizmodo to Keleops AG
G/O Media Inc. has sold Gizmodo, a premier international media outlet dedicated to technology, to Keleops AG. The acquisition represents a major milestone for Keleops, already one of Europe’s largest groups of digital media publishers in the consumer technology sector. By expanding its reach within the industry and on an international scale, Keleops expects to double its current audience, fostering greater brand awareness and engagement.
Learn moreActive Interest Media has sold Taunton Books to Abrams
Active Interest Media, one of the world’s leading enthusiast media companies, has sold Taunton Books, a leading publisher of popular books in areas such as homebuilding, woodworking, gardening, crafts, food and more, to Abrams. The acquisition not only expands Abrams’ portfolio into adjacent publishing categories, it also provides valuable direct-to-consumer data, insights and sales opportunities, as well as new distribution channels reaching highly engaged and creative communities.
Learn more