Booking.com, one of the world’s leading digital travel companies, has completed its new Manchester campus, with more than 1,300 employees – including 450 new recruits from this year alone – moving in this week.
The 175,000 sq ft campus at Manchester’s Enterprise City will act as the headquarters for Booking.com’s global Trips division. The Brooklyn-inspired workspace provides Booking.com with the opportunity to grow its Manchester-based team - which comprises more than 70 different nationalities - with a further 200+ open roles set to go live in 2023.
The Manchester campus will be Booking.com’s second largest international office behind its global headquarters in Amsterdam.
The Manchester office will play a leading role in bringing Booking.com’s ‘connected trip’ vision to life, with employees researching and developing software that supports multiple services, including in-trip experiences and transport (car rental and taxis), as well as insurance. The Booking.com app was the most downloaded online travel app globally in 2021, with the work undertaken in Manchester directly contributing towards its development.
The campus is part of Manchester’s new media, tech and creative district, Enterprise City, being brought forward by developer Allied London. The campus fitout, delivered by Manchester-based property consultancy OBI, includes a series of winter gardens, games rooms and conference auditorium facilities with a seminar event space for 250 people.
Matthias Schmid, SVP for Booking.com’s Trips division, said: “The global travel industry is going through a period of unprecedented evolution, with technology contributing to a seamless and more connected experience for consumers worldwide. We’ve been in Manchester for almost 20 years and we recognise the role the city and its tech ecosystem have to play in shaping that experience.
“In order to lead that journey, we need the support of industry-leading software engineers, commercial and corporate specialists along with a diverse management team, which means continuously investing not only in modern, inclusive workspaces, but also the benefits we offer as an employer. Our new Manchester campus represents a major commitment to the city and the people who make it the vibrant, cultural hub it is. We’re looking forward to the new campus becoming not only an important home of innovation for Booking.com, but also a place that inspires and supports everyone across the local tech community.”
