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I want to highlight three news stories that stood out to me this week:
- Long-stays, but make it corporate. Corporate housing provider Apartool has successfully raised €5.5 million in a funding round. The funds will be used to improve their technology and expand internationally, focusing on Italy, Germany, and the UK. Apartool wants to change the way corporate travel is done by providing an easy booking process and unique experiences. Their platform makes it simpler for big companies and travel agencies to find long-stay corporate housing. Founded in Barcelona in 2015, Apartool has seen impressive growth and aims to become a leader in Europe and the Middle East by 2025.
- Integrating experiences into vacation rentals. HomeToGo has teamed up with GetYourGuide to make it easier for travelers to plan their trips. Now, users of HomeToGo’s vacation rental platform can directly access GetYourGuide’s tours, attractions, and activities after booking their accommodations. This gives travelers a wide range of experiences to choose from near their chosen destination. The collaboration follows a industry trend where accommodation providers are incorporating experiences to improve customer engagement. As Phocuswire writes, the experiences business has been growing, with Tripadvisor reporting a 59% increase in the performance of their Viator marketplace in the past year.
- Alliants, a company specializing in customer experience, has made an early investment in Travelvrse, a technology that allows immersive booking experiences. Travelvrse’s goal is to improve guest engagement, increase direct bookings, and generate more revenue from additional services. The product focuses on attracting younger travelers by offering interactive experiences and simulations. Alliants is joining other supporters, such as Block Dojo, Amir Azulay, and Alex Grant. Travelvrse is planning to release its product in the first quarter of 2024 and aims to enhance the travel booking process for Millennials and Gen Z
- All-in-one for Corporate travelers. Munich-based Lanes & Planes secured a €33.2 million investment in their Series B funding round. Lanes & Planes provides a one-stop digital platform for corporate travel, handling everything from booking to approval and expenses. Established in 2017, the company has experienced significant growth in revenue, establishing itself as a prominent player in the European corporate travel industry. The investment will help them expand further in the European market.
- Tourhub, an online platform for booking adventure holidays, has successfully raised £1 million in funding. The investment will be used to expand the platform’s reach and bring on board more tour operators. Waterspring Ventures played a leading role in the investment with £450,000, while the Development Bank of Wales contributed £550,000 from its Technology Seed Ventures Fund and Angel Co-Fund. Despite being established shortly before the COVID-19 pandemic, Tourhub used the time to strengthen its technology and operations. They also took advantage of the situation to collaborate with tour operators from around the world. CEO Seamus Conlon acknowledged that the pause caused by the pandemic allowed them to focus on building their technology platform and attracting operators at a faster pace.
- Anyplace, a company that specializes in short-term rentals for remote workers, has raised $10.27 million in funding. This funding includes $8.27 million in ownership shares and $2 million in debt from Silicon Valley Bank. The investment was led by the Launch fund, which was created by Jason Calacanis. Other companies and individual backers also contributed to the funding. Anyplace offers apartment rentals that are convenient for remote work in major cities like San Francisco, New York City, Los Angeles, and San Diego. The funding will help the company grow its services and provide flexible and productive travel options for digital nomads.