Germans are known to love to travel. Year 2023 77 percent of Germans have taken at least one holiday trip of at least five days. And after a Corona low, the number of holiday trips is increasingly returning to the Pre-pandemic level The travel industry can therefore breathe a sigh of relief and focus on other projects – such as digitalization.
More efficient & transparent
A topic that is important for the industry for several reasons:
- Increased efficiency: The use of digital technologies allows many processes to be automated, leading to significant efficiency gains. This includes bookings, payments, check-ins, boarding passes, and much more.
- Improved customer experience: Digital solutions enable travelers to tailor their trips to individual needs. From booking and trip planning to on-site recommendations, the entire travel experience can be personalized and enhanced.
- Transparency and choiceDigitalization gives travelers access to a wealth of information about destinations, accommodations, transportation, and activities, enabling them to make informed decisions and choose the best options for them.
- competitivenessCompanies in the travel industry must remain competitive by keeping pace with constantly changing customer demands. Digitalization enables companies to become more agile and adapt quickly to new trends and technologies.
- sustainability: Digitalization can also promote more environmentally friendly solutions in the travel industry. For example, digital tickets and electronic documents can reduce paper consumption, and intelligent route planning systems can help optimize fuel consumption.
Solutions for the travel industry
This is where travel tech startups come in. Travel tech – derived from "travel technology" – refers to companies that focus their solutions on the travel industry. Developed technologies can cover various areas, including booking systems, online travel agencies, reservation platforms, travel planning applications, payment processing systems, rating and recommendation platforms, digital travel guides, navigation and mapping services, travel insurance services, and much more.
Technologies used in traveltech include artificial intelligence, machine learning, big data analytics, mobile applications, cloud computing, and blockchain. Overall, traveltech startups aim to make the travel experience more efficient, convenient, and personalized for travelers.
Traveltech startups from Munich
Of course, travel tech startups can also be found in Munich's startup scene. These include:
Lanes & Planes: Founded in 2017, the travel software company has developed a booking platform for business travel based on B2C models. With an all-in-one approach, the startup handles travel bookings, approvals, and expense management in a single digital platform that allows integration with all existing corporate systems.
FlylaFounded in 2016, the company offers students and young people exclusive, affordable last-minute flight tickets on its platform. The portal was temporarily shut down in 2020 due to the pandemic, but Flyla has been active again since 2022.
Holidu: Holidu operates a vacation rental booking portal of the same name, which, according to the company, has more than 100 million users annually. The company also offers a software and service solution for vacation rental owners that helps them generate more bookings with less effort.
FaircationsThe startup offers vacationers sustainable trips from a variety of providers, which can be booked through the platform. Faircations isn't just about meeting the growing demand for such trips. The startup also wants to demonstrate that even a normal beach vacation in Mallorca can be sustainable. Faircations aims to incorporate all aspects of sustainability into its offerings, including economic and social aspects, such as fair pay for hotel employees.
Roadsurfer: Camping and caravanning have also experienced a boom with the coronavirus pandemic. The startup Roadsurfer operates a fleet of camper vans from various manufacturers, which customers can rent via its online platform. The vans are then picked up and returned at one of the numerous stations the startup operates in several countries. Roadsurfer aims to further enhance the vacation experience for travelers with additional services such as the sale of used vehicles, the option of long-term rentals, and a booking platform for individual and private pitches.
Freeway Camper: Another startup benefiting from this development is Freeway Camper. Since 2020, the Munich-based company has been operating a platform where customers can rent vans, campervans, and motorhomes directly. It also allows users to directly book campsites throughout Europe. The startup aims to become a comprehensive resource for a successful camping holiday.
Off: Off – formerly Camperboys – also offers campervans for rent. The company is also working on a digital customer journey to make route planning easier for its customers with its personalized Off Guide.
