OTA Insight Raises $20 Million for Hotel Rate Analysis: Travel Startup Funding This Week

Each week we round up travel startups that have recently received or announced funding. The total publicized this week was more than $179.5 million.

>>Mafengwo, a social trip-planning site, has raised a Series D fundraising round of $133 million. Co-founder and CEO Chen Gang said he planned to turn the business into a retail platform like Alibaba, except focused on travel. See Skift’s story from earlier this week.

>>OTA Insight, which makes business intelligence software for hotels, resorts and vacation rentals, has raised $20 million in funding.

Eight Roads Ventures led the round with participation from F-Prime Capital Partners and previous investors. The startup is not disclosing past investment amounts.

Founded in 2012, the London-based company has 80 full-time workers and specializes in revenue management tools. Independents and chains that account for more than 16,000 properties in 134 countries use its rate-intelligence platform, the company said.

>>Collective Retreats, an experiential travel firm offering luxury rental stays in far-flung places, has raised $10 million in funding.

Guests can stay in upscale tents, lodges, or similar distinctive accommodation in New York’s Hudson Valley; Vail, Colorado; a 225-acre retreat in Texas Hill Country; and a handful of other spots.

Founded in 2015, the company said that Simon Turner, the former president of global development at Starwood, had become an adviser and investor.

>>SevenRooms, a New York-based restaurant and hotel software company, raised $8 million in funding. Comcast Ventures led the round. See Skift Table’s story on the funding.

>>ByHours, a site for booking hotel rooms in increments of less than a day, has received $3.5 million, or €3 million, in funding.

The Barcelona-based startup calls its service “microstays.” It helps consumers book hotel rooms in three-, six-, and 12-hour packages at more than 2,500 hotels worldwide.

Investors include Investiere, Howzat Partners, and HR Ventures.

The company’s 2018 goal is to steal market share from its main rival DayUse in Europe, expand further in Latin America, where it has about 500 participating properties, and grow more in cities close to airport hubs in the Middle East, such as Doha and Dubai.

Founded in 2012, the Barcelona-based company has raised $8.2 million and has 35 workers.

>>AirPortr, which offers a baggage concierge service that connects to airline booking systems, is scaling up with a $2.6 million, or £2 million, investment.

Stobart Group, which owns and operates London Southend and Carlisle Lake District airports in the UK, led the round. The Stobart Aviation logo will start appearing on AirPortr’s fleet of luggage-transport vans.

Airportr will remain independent as a brand. It has transported more than 47,000 bags since its 2016 launch. Its largest customer is American Airlines, which has hired it to provide a mobile luggage check-in service to customers flying from Heathrow to the U.S., said CEO Randel Darby.

>>Pace, whose software provides revenue management help to hotels, has raised $2.4 million, or £2.5 million, in seed investment.

InterGlobe, the group behind India’s largest airline IndiGo, led the round. Seedcamp, Speedinvest, and Amadeus Capital Partners also participated.

Founded in 2016, Pace’s software integrates with a hotel’s property management system. It analyzes the system data to help hoteliers set optimal rates at ideal occupancy levels. Pace CEO Jens Munch said its tool is used by several upscale properties, such as Teleport, Star Lodge, and The Emblem.

Check out our previous startup funding roundups, here.