Germans are known to love traveling. In 2023, 77 percent of Germans took at least one vacation trip of at least five days. And after a Corona-induced slump, vacation travel numbers are increasingly returning to pre-pandemic levels. The travel industry can therefore breathe a sigh of relief and focus on other priorities – such as digitalization.
More efficient & transparent
A topic that is important to the industry for various reasons:
- Increased efficiency: By using digital technologies, many processes can be automated, leading to significant efficiency gains. This includes, for example, 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 improved.
- Transparency and options: Through digitalization, travelers have access to a wealth of information about destinations, accommodations, transportation, and activities. This enables them to make informed decisions and select the best options for their needs.
- Competitiveness: Companies in the travel industry must remain competitive by keeping pace with constantly changing customer demands. Digitalization enables companies to become more agile and quickly adapt 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
And this is where traveltech startups come in. Traveltech – 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 analysis, 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, traveltech startups can also be found in the Munich startup scene. These include:
Lanes & Planes: Founded in 2017, this travel software company has developed a booking platform for business travel that is modeled on examples from B2C business. With an all-in-one approach, the startup handles travel bookings, approvals, and expense management in a digital platform that enables integrations with all existing company systems.
Flyla: Founded in 2016, this company offers students and young people exclusive discounted last-minute flight tickets on its platform. In 2020, the portal was temporarily shut down due to the pandemic, but since 2022, Flyla has been active again.
Holidu: Holidu operates a booking portal of the same name for vacation homes that, according to the company, records more than 100 million users annually. The company also offers a software and service solution for vacation home operators that helps them generate more bookings with less effort.
Faircations: The startup offers vacationers sustainable trips from various providers that can be booked via the platform. For Faircations, it’s not just about serving growing demand for such trips. The startup wants to show that even a regular beach vacation in Mallorca can be designed sustainably. Faircations aims to include all aspects of sustainability in its offerings, including economic and social aspects, such as fair wages for hotel employees.
Roadsurfer: Corona also brought a boom to camping and caravaning. The startup Roadsurfer operates a fleet of camper vans from various manufacturers that customers can rent via the online platform. The vans can be picked up and returned at one of the numerous stations that the startup operates in several countries. With additional offerings such as the sale of used vehicles, the option for long-term rentals, and a booking platform for individual and private parking spaces, Roadsurfer wants to make vacations even more enjoyable for travelers.
Freeway Camper: A startup that also benefits from this development is Freeway Camper. The Munich-based company has been operating a platform since 2020 where customers can rent camper vans and motorhomes directly. It also allows users to book campsites throughout Europe. This way, the startup wants to become a comprehensive point of contact for a successful camping vacation.
Off: And Off – formerly Camperboys – also offers campers for rent. Additionally, the company is working on a digital customer journey to make route planning easier for its customers with the personal Off Guide.