Today TripAdmit, a Dublin-based startup that provides a ticketing solution for tour and activity operators to sell online, has announced securing a €300K seed funding round to expand its platform and help embattled Irish tourism organisations get back to business.
The traveltech startup, which was founded in April of last year, provides a digital ticketing platform that can integrate with tour and activity operators’ websites and enable them to sell online via their own website and third-party sites. Consumers benefit by getting easy access to tours and activities and being able to skip the queue when booking through the platform.
A recent survey from TripAdmit of 1,400 activity providers in Ireland and France found that 80% do not have online booking facilities, particularly in rural and regional areas, which TripAdmit believes needs to change for the industry to rebuild following the pandemic. Tourism Ireland CEO Niall Gibbons recently forecasted an 80% decline in tourism numbers for 2020. For this reason, TripAdmit’s services are needed more than ever right now.
“The Irish tourism industry has been completely battered by the pandemic and there’s a big journey ahead to recovery,” said John Maguire, CEO of TripAdmit.
“But we expect local tourism to return quickly, and with a great degree of enthusiasm from a community that has been cooped up for so long. This investment and expansion of our platform will help local operators, particularly in rural areas, maximise that opportunity and digitalise for the modern traveller. Meanwhile, tourists will benefit from better access to tours and activities while holidaying again.”
This funding round is led by experienced investor Thomas Jones, with further rounds expected in the near future. TripAdmit will use the investment and Jones’ expertise to expand its sales, marketing and engineering operations to take the platform to more customers, growing its team to support the expansion.
The round also follows a partnership with Campsited.com, an Irish-founded booking engine for camping holidays across Europe. Campsited was one of the first companies to leverage TripAdmit’s platform to integrate local tours and activities with its users.
As part of the investment and to help boost the industry, TripAdmit will provide its platform completely free of charge to a limited number of Irish tour operators to help them rebuild after the pandemic.
“This technology has the power to both modernise and stimulate Ireland’s tourism industry at a crucial time,” added US-based investor Thomas Jones, a renowned investor in Irish startups. “TripAdmit’s founders and dedicated team have built a world-class platform and I look forward to working with the company during this next important chapter.”
via https://www.AiUpNow.com/ by contact@bcurdy.com, Khareem Sudlow
