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Let’s dive into our curation of the latest in travel, hospitality, and a newly generated report:
- The world’s top city brands: It is becoming increasingly difficult for destinations to distinguish themselves. Saffron and astara have just published the findings of the 2023 City Brand Barometer, a yearly study that assesses and analyzes city tourism and business branding. The goal is to unpack how cities use their brand to effectively stand out on a global level. In this report, readers will discover the cities that have ranked the highest this year, learn how place brands create lasting impressions, and explore how factors like mobility contribute to building an appealing city brand experience.
- After you built Airbnb, what comes next? Have you been wondering what Joe Gebbia has been up to since leaving Airbnb? Well, it seems like he has been busy fundraising for his new startup, Samara. The company, which focuses on the creation of “tiny homes,” has recently received $41 million in Series A funding. These small houses are designed to be built quickly and serve as additional rooms or rental properties. Now operating as an independent entity, Samara aims to simplify and accelerate housing construction. With plans to expand its presence, the company will begin scaling its offerings, starting in California.
- Asian travelers in European trains. Rail Europe has partnered with KKday, a Taiwan-based travel experiences platform, to boost travel from Asia to Europe and promote sustainable railway travel. This partnership empowers KKday users with access to more than 150 railway brands and routes across 33 European countries. The two companies plan to work together on marketing campaigns and share supplier resources in Europe. This partnership matches the increasing emphasis on environmental concerns and sustainable tourism. KKday offers over 300,000 experiences in 92 countries and has obtained $95 million in funding during its Series C+ round
- Ready to combine shopping with trip planning? Intelligent shopping mall partner Interlnkd has secured £1 million in seed funding. The funding will be used to enhance product capabilities and expand into new regional markets. Interlnkd’s white-label technology allows travel sellers to earn additional revenue by meeting the needs of travelers. Interlnkd’s recent partnerships with travel brands like Thomas Cook and HolidayPirates have boosted the company’s profile and the funding marks a pivotal moment, empowering its mission to reshape the world of travel shopping.
- Short-term rentals, but without risks. UK-based Superhog, an all-in-one risk management platform for property managers and hosts, has raised $6.7 million in a funding round. The funding will be used to enhance its tech for assessing risks, expand its operations worldwide (especially in the US), and increase its number of employees. With a client base of over 800 property management companies worldwide, Superhog has impressed investors with its growth and talented team.
- Singapore-based YouTrip has raised $50 million in a funding round. The fintech company offers a special wallet and debit card that allows people to make payments in over 150 different currencies while eliminating foreign transaction fees and “hidden charges” in collaboration with local currency exchange providers. YouTrip plans to use the funds for regional expansion, starting with Malaysia, and intends to broaden its services for businesses, as well as hire 100 employees over the next two years.
- Kasikorn Bank Group has invested $25 million in Traveligo, a Thai domestic online travel agency (OTA) that will be rebranded as Gother. This investment aims to support the expansion of Traveligo’s services to allow Thai travelers to purchase travel for destinations outside Thailand. The rebranded company will partner with TakeMeTour, an online marketplace for tours and activities in Thailand, with potential future merger plans. The investment comes amid Thailand’s tourism recovery, targeting markets like Korea, Japan, and Singapore.