Skift Take
While Skyscanner mulls an IPO and other European travel companies and startups attracted venture capital funding in 2016, things might be trending downward. Investors will likely be more timid in 2017 as European travel brands confront challenges wrought by Brexit, terrorism and local economies.
This year's roller coaster ride of global travel tech startup funding is on track to break records with more than $2.5 billion invested in travel startups and more mature companies.
But European venture capital funding may be in for a cool down, as other regions and sectors experienced, if setbacks in demand on the back of terrorism incidents persist.
Scotland-based flight metasearch site Skyscanner led the pack in European funding, according to data from CB Insights, a New York City-based venture capital and investment data firm.
CB Insights’ analysis excludes any rounds of ride-share companies such as BlaBlaCar or Uber. The data include disclosed funding rounds of travel companies that offer products and services focused on tourism, booking services, search and trip-planning platforms, on-demand travel and recommendation sites.
Skyscanner, valued at $1.6 billion and mulling an IPO, picked up $192 million in January, the largest funding round for a European travel company this year, although part of the
