Travel Startups Raised $240 Million This Week
One startup fundraise this week — the largest yet this year — also outdid the top two deals in 2023 by GetYourGuide and Klook.
Justin is Skift’s Travel Tech Reporter, where he covers the way to the future of global travel industry. Prior, he was a tech reporter for American City Business Journals in Albany. A Michigan native, Justin is living as a digital nomad for now. Work aside, Justin has a passion for travel, writing, arts, food, and culture.
Flyr Raises $295 Million, Largest Travel Tech Deal This Year
Flyr is using the funding to support growth and scale the company, which saw recurring revenue growth of 290% over the last 12 months.
Airbnb CEO: A New AI-Powered App Will Take ‘Years’
Airbnb CEO Brian Chesky originally predicted that a fully redeveloped app — with AI at the center — would already have been released. Now, he's saying it'll take years.
Tripadvisor’s Flagship Brand Saw Revenue Decline Accelerate With Google Search Changes a Factor
Tripadvisor's flagship brand is declining, so that's why it's focusing on the next iteration of the company.
Federal Judge Rules Google Is a Monopolist, Stifles Search Engine Competition
Booking Holdings and Expedia spend billions of dollars each year to have their websites prioritized within Google search results pages, so any overcharging would hit them hard.
Bilt Rewards Raises $150 Million to Turn Rent Payments Into Travel: Startup Funding Roundup
Bilt lets users earn points for rent payments and exchange them for travel, and it's growing fast.
Amadeus Pushes Forward on Tech Initiative Despite American Airlines Setback
Amadeus isn’t relying on the business from its next-generation distribution tech for now. It’s up to airlines to choose how they want to use it.
Meta Says Its Newest AI Model Rivals ChatGPT. We Tested it for Trip Planning
Meta AI was useful as a starting point for finding things to do in a new destination — an improvement from its first model but nothing new compared to competitors. Beyond that, a traditional search is far superior for trip planning.
Tour Packages and Digital Tipping: Travel Startups Raise $104 Million
These startups are modernizing tour packages, timeshares, and tipping with digital products.
These Travel Tech Execs Push Back on AI Hype for Hotels
These hotel tech execs all believe there are big opportunities for AI, but they also believe that marketers are promoting it in ways that don't make sense.