Startups, Launches, Venture Capital Fundings in Travel Sector by Skift

TrustYou Acquired as User-Generated Reviews Sector Heats Up

Andrew Sheivachman, Skift

TrustYou's hotel clients have remained relatively modest in scale as the company has grown. Perhaps it will be able to attract bigger brands, and more companies based in Asia, with a more robust global presence.

1 week ago

Indian Agency Goomo Raises More Than $25 Million: Travel Startup Funding This Week

Sean O'Neill, Skift

Private equity aims to scale up an Indian agency with a core business traveler clientele, while two rival subscription airlines combine, and a clone of Airbnb for gay travelers receives funding. Clearly, some investors favor companies that focus on niches.

2 weeks ago

Luggage Startup Away Raises $20 Million: Travel Startup Funding This Week

Sean O'Neill, Skift

The co-founders of luggage maker Away are seeing surprisingly good early results by applying the direct-to-consumer model that Warby Parker championed in eyewear. Also this week: Short-term rental platform Favstay attracted more than $2 million in funding.

4 weeks ago

China Is Likely to Become a Test Bed for Sharing Economy Innovation

Adam Minter, Bloomberg

Don't let Airbnb's struggle in China throw you. The country shows all the signs of being an innovative laboratory for sharing businesses, says Adam Minter, a journalist covering the country.

1 month ago

Sweet Inn Raises $22 Million for Serviced Vacation Rentals: Travel Startup Funding This Week

Sean O'Neill, Skift

Startups like Sweet Inn increasingly blur the lines between the hotel and Airbnb business models by offering hotel-style service in short-term rentals that they own and manage. We predict that it won't be long until a major hotel group tries the same trick.

1 month ago

Tiqets Secures $17 Million in Funding for Tours and Activities Ticketing

Sean O'Neill, Skift

This Dutch startup is growing by focusing on the problem of mobile ticketing and solving it with a product that requires almost no technical savvy from museums and other attraction operators. But it may need to be acquired to scale up quickly.

1 month ago

YourWelcome Helps Rental Hosts to Upsell Their Guests: Travel Startup Funding This Week

Sean O'Neill, Skift

YourWelcome brings a fresh revenue stream to renters of short stay accommodations by leasing tablets that let hosts upsell guests on additional services. Whether the company succeeds or not, its idea is likely to catch on.

1 month ago

Travel Startup Ideas Guaranteed to Be Unicorns — Or Maybe Not

Deanna Ting, Skift

Who says you can't dream big — or small? Just don't ask us to pitch on Shark Tank, please. Also, this is why we're writers and not entrepreneurs.

2 months ago

Travel Tech Startup Accelerators Learn From Early Missteps and Adjust Course

Sean O'Neill, Skift

More than a dozen travel startup incubators and accelerators, backed by some of travel's best-known companies, have popped up in the past few years. The early word, which is hardly surprising, is that picking startup winners and helping them sign deals isn't just plug-and-play.

2 months ago

Hotel Booking Site Stayful Winds Down and WorldVentures Holdings Picks Up the Pieces

Dennis Schaal, Skift

We've seen it over and over again by now: Given the vast marketing resources of major players in the hotel booking arena, it is extremely hard for startups to build their brand with consumers. Building a business-to-business company is somewhat easier but Stayful's pivot might have come too late.

2 months ago

Israeli Hotel Tech Startup Fornova Secures $17 Million in New Funding

Sean O'Neill, Skift

Fornova is one of many startups aiming to cash in on hotels' eagerness to prioritize direct bookings. Given the massive potential market and demand, one of these companies has a shot at breaking out in a spectacular fashion.

2 months ago

China’s HNA Invested $28 Million to Start a U.S. Online Travel Agency and Abruptly Closed It

Dennis Schaal, Skift

HNA Group tried to enter the U.S. online travel agency market through Travana/Janbala and abruptly had a change of heart either because the startup didn't know what it was doing or because of some other dynamic in the opaque world of Chinese investors. Consider this a slight bump in the road.

2 months ago