Booking Holdings prepares for busy summer on Europe travel demand

FILE PHOTO: Figurines are seen in front of the Booking.com logo in this illustration taken, February 27, 2022. REUTERS/Dado Ruvic/Illustration

(Reuters) - Online travel agency Booking Holdings Inc beat estimates for first-quarter earnings on Wednesday and said global travel trends pointed to a busy summer season, especially in Europe, sending its shares up about 7% in extended trade.

The Norwalk Connecticut-based company's gross travel bookings saw a near two-fold rise to $27.3 billion in the quarter from a year earlier, while room nights - a measure of occupancy at any property - more than doubled.