Online travel stocks have had a rough stretch. The pandemic boom faded, Google’s (GOOG) (GOOGL) search changes reduced traffic, and AI has started reshaping how people plan trips. TripAdvisor (TRIP) has felt all of that pressure, with the stock falling roughly 30% from the start of 2026.
Then Bank of America came out with a new call that changed the conversation. The firm upgraded TripAdvisor to “Buy” and raised its price target to $15, which suggests about 50% upside from recent levels. The reason is not that TRIP has suddenly become a pure growth stock. It is that activist investor Starboard Value has built a 9.4% stake in the company and won board seats, giving it real influence over what happens next.
