RESTRUCTURING, DISPOSAL AND OTHER EXIT ACTIVITIES

12 Months Ended

Dec. 31, 2022

Restructuring and Related Activities [Abstract]

RESTRUCTURING, DISPOSAL, AND OTHER EXIT ACTIVITIES

RESTRUCTURING, DISPOSAL, AND OTHER EXIT ACTIVITIES

During the year ended December 31, 2022, the Company entered into a sale and leaseback transaction related to Booking.com's future headquarters building and recognized a gain of $240 million on the transaction, which was recorded in the "Restructuring, disposal, and other exit activities" in the Consolidated Statement of Operations (see Note 10).

During the year ended December 31, 2022, the Company transferred certain customer service operations of Booking.com to Majorel Group Luxembourg S.A. resulting in a loss of $41 million included in "Restructuring, disposal, and other exit activities" in the Consolidated Statement of Operations.

In response to the reduction in the Company's business volumes as a result of the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic (see Note 2), during the year ended December 31, 2020, the Company took actions at all of its brands to reduce the size of its workforce across more than 60 countries to optimize efficiency and reduce costs. As part of these actions, the Company engaged in consultations with its employees, works councils, employee representatives, and other relevant organizations related to the reductions in force in certain countries (including the Netherlands and the United Kingdom). These consultations resulted in the Company executing either voluntary leaver schemes or involuntary reductions in force, or, in some countries, a combination of the two. The Company completed the vast majority of announcements to affected employees by December 2020. In 2021, the Company approved and communicated the final portion of workforce reductions in the Netherlands, France, and several other countries.

During the years ended December 31, 2021 and 2020, the Company recorded expenses of $13 million and $149 million, respectively, for the restructuring actions, which were included in "Restructuring, disposal, and other exit activities" in the Consolidated Statements of Operations. During 2021 and 2020, these expenses consist of employee severance and other termination benefits, and other cost reducing activities. During the years ended December 31, 2021 and 2020, the Company made payments of $38 million and $108 million, respectively. Noncash restructuring expenses and other adjustments to the restructuring liability during the years ended December 31, 2021 and 2020 were $9 million and $4 million, respectively.