Smartair Raises $6 Million for Dynamic Packaging Tech: Travel Startup Funding This Week
Photo Credit: Israel's Jaffa Port, with Tel Aviv's hotels in the background. Smartair, an Israeli travel startup, has raised a $6 million round of funding. Israel's Ministry of Tourism / Dana Friedlander
Skift Take
This week travel startups announced more than $46 million in funding. Of note, two of the companies, Smartair and Tastemakers, are making bets on Africa's online travel growth. Meanwhile, online travel company Hostelworld has invested in Tipi, a software provider for hostel managers.
Travel Startup Funding This Week
Each week we round up travel startups that have recently received or announced funding. Please email Travel Tech Reporter Justin Dawes at [email protected] if you have funding news.
This week, travel startups announced more than $46 million in funding.
We reported on Thursday that Mews Systems had raised a $33 million Series B round led by Battery Ventures.
>>Smartair, a search engine for flights and vacation packages, has raised a $6 million Series A round.
Travel agency Talma Travel and Tours led the round along with Alpha Capital.
Smartair and Talma plan to create a company that helps run and market tourism websites in Israel and overseas, using the system built by Smartair. The startup lets travelers put together flights and hotels via so-called dynamic packaging.
In Africa, Smartair wants to accelerate the move from traditional retail travel agencies to online travel services. It's setting up websites led by locals, replicating a model it has used in some Middle Eastern countr
