Business Description and Basis of Presentation	9 Months Ended
Sep. 30, 2019
Accounting Policies [Abstract]
Business Description and Basis of Presentation	NOTE 1: BUSINESS DESCRIPTION AND BASIS OF PRESENTATION We refer to TripAdvisor, Inc. and our subsidiaries as “TripAdvisor”, “the Company”, “us”, “we” and “our” in these notes to the unaudited condensed consolidated financial statements. Description of Business TripAdvisor is an online travel company and our mission is to help people around the world plan, book and experience the perfect trip. We seek to achieve our mission by providing consumers and travel partners a global platform of rich content, price comparison tools and online reservation and related services for destinations, accommodations, travel activities and experiences, and restaurants. TripAdvisor, Inc., by and through its subsidiaries, owns and operates a portfolio of leading online travel brands. Our flagship brand is TripAdvisor. TripAdvisor-branded websites include tripadvisor.com in the United States and localized versions of the website in 48 markets and 28 languages worldwide. TripAdvisor features approximately 830 million reviews and opinions on approximately 8.6 million places to stay, places to eat and things to do – including 1.4 million hotels, inns, B&Bs and specialty lodging, 885,000 rental properties, 5.1 million restaurants and 1.2 million travel activities and experiences worldwide. We also enable consumers to compare prices and book a number of these travel experiences on either a TripAdvisor website or mobile application (“mobile app”), or on the website or mobile app of one of our travel partners. In addition to the flagship TripAdvisor brand, we manage and operate the following other travel media brands: www.airfarewatchdog.com, www.bokun.io, www.bookingbuddy.com, www.cruisecritic.com, www.familyvacationcritic.com, www.flipkey.com, www.thefork.com (including www.lafourchette.com, www.eltenedor.com, and www.restorando.com), www.holidaylettings.co.uk, www.holidaywatchdog.com, www.housetrip.com, www.jetsetter.com, www.niumba.com, www.onetime.com, www.oyster.com, www.seatguru.com, www.smartertravel.com, www.tingo.com, www.vacationhomerentals.com, and www.viator.com. During the first quarter of 2019, as part of our continuous review of the business, we evaluated our operations and realigned the reportable segment information which our chief operating decision maker, or CODM, regularly assesses to evaluate performance for operating decision-making purposes, including evaluation and allocation of resources. The CODM for the Company is our Chief Executive Officer. The revised segment reporting structure includes the following reportable segments: (1) Hotels, Media & Platform; and (2) Experiences & Dining. For further information on our segments, including the change in segments, and principal revenue streams within these segments refer to “Note 3: Revenue Recognition” and “Note 15: Segment Information,” in these notes to our unaudited condensed consolidated financial statements. All prior period segment disclosure information has been reclassified to conform to the current reporting structure in this Form 10-Q. These reclassifications had no effect on our unaudited condensed consolidated financial statements in any period. Basis of Presentation The accompanying unaudited condensed consolidated financial statements present our results of operations, financial position and cash flows on a consolidated basis. The unaudited condensed consolidated financial statements include TripAdvisor, our wholly-owned subsidiaries, and entities we control, or in which we have a variable interest and are the primary beneficiary of expected cash profits or losses. All inter-company accounts and transactions have been eliminated in consolidation. One of our subsidiaries that operates in China has variable interests in affiliated entities in China in order to comply with Chinese laws and regulations, which restrict foreign investment in Internet content provision businesses. Although we do not own the capital stock of these Chinese affiliates, we consolidate their results as we are the primary beneficiary of the cash losses or profits of these variable interest affiliates and have the power to direct the activity of these affiliates. Our variable interest entities’ financials were not material for all periods presented. The accompanying unaudited condensed consolidated financial statements have been prepared in accordance with accounting principles generally accepted in the United States (“GAAP”) and include all normal and recurring adjustments that management of the Company considers necessary for a fair presentation of its financial position and operating results. We prepared the unaudited condensed consolidated financial statements following the requirements of the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission (“SEC”) for interim reporting. As permitted under those rules, we condensed or omitted certain footnotes or other financial information that are normally required by GAAP for annual financial statements. Additionally, certain prior period amounts have been reclassified for comparability with the current period presentation. Our interim unaudited condensed consolidated financial statements are not necessarily indicative of results that may be expected for any other interim period or for the full year. These interim unaudited condensed consolidated financial statements should be read in conjunction with the audited consolidated financial statements and related notes included in our Annual Report on Form 10-K for the year ended December 31, 2018, previously filed with the SEC. The unaudited condensed consolidated balance sheet as of December 31, 2018 included herein was derived from the audited consolidated financial statements as of that date, but does not include all disclosures including notes required by GAAP. Accounting Estimates We use estimates and assumptions in the preparation of our unaudited condensed consolidated financial statements in accordance with GAAP. Our estimates and assumptions affect the reported amounts of assets and liabilities and disclosure of contingent assets and liabilities as of the date of our unaudited condensed consolidated financial statements. These estimates and assumptions also affect the reported amount of net income or loss during any period. Our actual financial results could differ significantly from these estimates. The significant estimates underlying our unaudited condensed consolidated financial statements include: (i) recognition and recoverability of goodwill, definite-lived intangibles and other long-lived assets; and (ii) accounting for income taxes. Seasonality Global travel market expenditures tend to follow a seasonal pattern. Correspondingly, advertising investments made by travel partners and, therefore, our revenue and profits, also tend to follow a seasonal pattern. Our financial performance tends to be seasonally highest in the second and third quarters of a given year, which includes the seasonal peak in consumer demand, traveler hotel and rental stays, and travel activities and experiences taken, compared to the first and fourth quarters, which represent seasonal low points. Significant shifts in our business mix or adverse economic conditions could result in future seasonal patterns that are different from historical trends.

Business Description and Basis of Presentation

9 Months Ended

Sep. 30, 2019

Business Description and Basis of Presentation

NOTE 1: BUSINESS DESCRIPTION AND BASIS OF PRESENTATION

We refer to TripAdvisor, Inc. and our subsidiaries as “TripAdvisor”, “the Company”, “us”, “we” and “our” in these notes to the unaudited condensed consolidated financial statements.

Description of Business

TripAdvisor is an online travel company and our mission is to help people around the world plan, book and experience the perfect trip. We seek to achieve our mission by providing consumers and travel partners a global platform of rich content, price comparison tools and online reservation and related services for destinations, accommodations, travel activities and experiences, and restaurants.

TripAdvisor, Inc., by and through its subsidiaries, owns and operates a portfolio of leading online travel brands. Our flagship brand is TripAdvisor. TripAdvisor-branded websites include tripadvisor.com in the United States and localized versions of the website in 48 markets and 28 languages worldwide. TripAdvisor features approximately 830 million reviews and opinions on approximately 8.6 million places to stay, places to eat and things to do – including 1.4 million hotels, inns, B&Bs and specialty lodging, 885,000 rental properties, 5.1 million restaurants and 1.2 million travel activities and experiences worldwide. We also enable consumers to compare prices and book a number of these travel experiences on either a TripAdvisor website or mobile application (“mobile app”), or on the website or mobile app of one of our travel partners. In addition to the flagship TripAdvisor brand, we manage and operate the following other travel media brands: www.airfarewatchdog.com, www.bokun.io, www.bookingbuddy.com, www.cruisecritic.com, www.familyvacationcritic.com, www.flipkey.com, www.thefork.com (including www.lafourchette.com, www.eltenedor.com, and www.restorando.com), www.holidaylettings.co.uk, www.holidaywatchdog.com, www.housetrip.com, www.jetsetter.com, www.niumba.com, www.onetime.com, www.oyster.com, www.seatguru.com, www.smartertravel.com, www.tingo.com, www.vacationhomerentals.com, and www.viator.com.

During the first quarter of 2019, as part of our continuous review of the business, we evaluated our operations and realigned the reportable segment information which our chief operating decision maker, or CODM, regularly assesses to evaluate performance for operating decision-making purposes, including evaluation and allocation of resources. The CODM for the Company is our Chief Executive Officer. The revised segment reporting structure includes the following reportable segments: (1) Hotels, Media & Platform; and (2) Experiences & Dining. For further information on our segments, including the change in segments, and principal revenue streams within these segments refer to “Note 3: Revenue Recognition” and “Note 15: Segment Information,” in these notes to our unaudited condensed consolidated financial statements. All prior period segment disclosure information has been reclassified to conform to the current reporting structure in this Form 10-Q. These reclassifications had no effect on our unaudited condensed consolidated financial statements in any period.

Basis of Presentation

The accompanying unaudited condensed consolidated financial statements present our results of operations, financial position and cash flows on a consolidated basis. The unaudited condensed consolidated financial statements include TripAdvisor, our wholly-owned subsidiaries, and entities we control, or in which we have a variable interest and are the primary beneficiary of expected cash profits or losses. All inter-company accounts and transactions have been eliminated in consolidation. One of our subsidiaries that operates in China has variable interests in affiliated entities in China in order to comply with Chinese laws and regulations, which restrict foreign investment in Internet content provision businesses. Although we do not own the capital stock of these Chinese affiliates, we consolidate their results as we are the primary beneficiary of the cash losses or profits of these variable interest affiliates and have the power to direct the activity of these affiliates. Our variable interest entities’ financials were not material for all periods presented.

The accompanying unaudited condensed consolidated financial statements have been prepared in accordance with accounting principles generally accepted in the United States (“GAAP”) and include all normal and recurring adjustments that management of the Company considers necessary for a fair presentation of its financial position and operating results. We prepared the unaudited condensed consolidated financial statements following the requirements of the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission (“SEC”) for interim reporting. As permitted under those rules, we condensed or omitted certain footnotes or other financial information that are normally required by GAAP for annual financial statements. Additionally, certain prior period amounts have been reclassified for comparability with the current period presentation. Our interim unaudited condensed consolidated financial statements are not necessarily indicative of results that may be expected for any other interim period or for the full year. These interim unaudited condensed consolidated financial statements should be read in conjunction with the audited consolidated financial statements and related notes included in our Annual Report on Form 10-K for the year ended December 31, 2018, previously filed with the SEC. The

unaudited condensed consolidated balance sheet as of December 31, 2018 included herein was derived from the audited consolidated financial statements as of that date, but does not include all disclosures including notes required by GAAP.

Accounting Estimates

We use estimates and assumptions in the preparation of our unaudited condensed consolidated financial statements in accordance with GAAP. Our estimates and assumptions affect the reported amounts of assets and liabilities and disclosure of contingent assets and liabilities as of the date of our unaudited condensed consolidated financial statements. These estimates and assumptions also affect the reported amount of net income or loss during any period. Our actual financial results could differ significantly from these estimates. The significant estimates underlying our unaudited condensed consolidated financial statements include: (i) recognition and recoverability of goodwill, definite-lived intangibles and other long-lived assets; and (ii) accounting for income taxes.

Seasonality

Global travel market expenditures tend to follow a seasonal pattern. Correspondingly, advertising investments made by travel partners and, therefore, our revenue and profits, also tend to follow a seasonal pattern. Our financial performance tends to be seasonally highest in the second and third quarters of a given year, which includes the seasonal peak in consumer demand, traveler hotel and rental stays, and travel activities and experiences taken, compared to the first and fourth quarters, which represent seasonal low points. Significant shifts in our business mix or adverse economic conditions could result in future seasonal patterns that are different from historical trends.