6 Travel Startups to Watch in 2024: Newcomers in Travel Tech!

The travel industry has grown bigger, better, and faster thanks to modern-day technology. Recent tech advancements have brought many advantages, both for businesses and travelers.

New startups are changing how we plan, book, and experience our journeys. They offer many services and solutions catering to modern travelers' needs. 

Travel startups include everything from budget-friendly itineraries to sustainable accommodations. Today, I'll take you into some up-and-coming travel startups changing how we travel. Having worked for a handful of travel startups myself, I can take you through the ins and outs of these exciting new companies. Let's go! 

What is a Travel Startup? 

New to the game? Don't worry, I've got you sorted. Let's get straight into the basics. 

A travel startup is a new company that uses innovative technology to provide products or services for travelers. These startups generally try to improve travel experiences by addressing modern travel needs. 

Travel startups can cover a range of areas within the travel industry, including: 

• Booking platforms
• Itinerary planning
• Accommodations
• Transportation 
• Sustainable travel
• Experiences
• Travel tech startups
• And more

Nowadays, lots of people are looking for tech jobs that travel. Navan, Sabre, Tracki, Expedia, and G Adventures are some of the best travel tech companies to work for. 

Categories of Travel Startups 

If you're considering working at a travel startup, you may wonder what types of jobs there are. The category of travel startups can range considerably. Here are examples of different categories to expect when working at a travel startup:

Online Travel Agencies (OTAS) 

These platforms allow travelers to book flights, hotels, rental cars, and more through a single website or app. This is useful for those looking for a hassle-free, all-in-one experience. 

Travel agency startups use technology to provide unique and personalized experiences. They offer everything from planning a trip and booking services to equipment. Here are some of the key features and trends in travel agency startups:

• Online platform 
• Personalized itineraries 
• Local experiences 
• Streamline booking for flights, accommodations, activities, etc. 
• Sustainable travel 
• Real-time assistance 
• Social sharing 

Group Travel 

Group travel startups streamline the process of planning and coordinating group trips. This makes traveling together easier for families, friends, or colleagues. If you've ever planned a group trip, you'll know startup travel companies like these are game changers. 

Accommodation Services 

Startups in this category hone in on unique and alternative lodging options. They might offer vacation rentals, boutique hotels, or home-sharing platforms. 

Transportation Services 

Startups provide innovative transport options and solutions. These could include ride-sharing, car-sharing, and peer-to-peer car rental services.

Activities and Experiences 

These startups connect travelers with local experiences, tours, activities, and events. Generally, these startups offer experiences that go beyond traditional tourist attractions.

Travel Planning and Itineraries 

Travel startup companies help travelers to plan and organize their trips. Often, they use AI to create personalized itineraries. Many top tech travel startups are using AI and machine learning-based platforms. 

Sustainable Travel 

Sustainable travel startups are focused on promoting eco-friendly and responsible travel practices. Startups in this space include carbon offset programs, sustainable accommodations, and environmental conservation.

Digital Nomad Services 

Digital nomad travel companies address the needs of remote workers and digital nomads. They offer services like co-working spaces, accommodation, and networking opportunities.

Travel Startups to Watch in 2024!

Now that you know the basics, let's explore some top travel startups that's looking to disrupt and change the way we'll travel in the near future!

Pilot 

Pilot is a social travel hub (AI-Powered) that helps groups discover, plan, book, and share trips together in one platform.

Pilot helps save time and money, helping people make the most of every trip.COVID made people realize they crave more experiences in the real world, not more social media. Travel is a great way to deliver that, as purchase behavior focus continues shifting from assets to experiences.

The abundance of marketplaces and travel blogs have created a fragmented UX that underserves traveler needs.

Today, the trip planning process is tedious and costly (time/money/stress), especially as most people travel in groups (2+ people). Travel is inherently social, yet no one is doing collaborative planning well. Yet, competitors continue to put paywalls on basic features like file uploads, or feel like checkout carts. Tools like TripAdvisor’s planner (which most don’t know about) aren’t flexible enough to replace Google docs/sheets.

Unlike competitors, Pilot is personalized, flexible, fun and free, monetizing via bookings & related services rather than charging the user directly. Starting with a social trip planner, Pilot will learn and adapt to you, enabling you to go on more trips with friends and family while making more in real life memories togehter!

Founding year: 2020

Location: Canada 

Category: Trip planning / Social Travel / Consumer Software

TravGeo

TravGeo taps into the power of geo-tourism. This lets travelers explore a location's unique natural, cultural, and historical features. TravGeo offers guided tours and experiences focusing on the environment of a place.

Location: USA 

Category: Travel tech  

YouLi

YouLi is reinventing group travel! If you've ever tried to assemble a group trip, you'll understand how challenging it can be. This travel startup company streamlines the process of planning group trips. It offers a centralized platform known as the "member's area."

Organizers can manage bookings, payments, and communication in this virtual space. YouLi also offers a lot of group discounts and deals. This makes group travel easy and enjoyable for families, friends, and corporate teams.  

Founding year: 2016

Location: Australia

Category: Group tour management 

TravelPerk 

TravelPerk is a not-so-new startup that's tailored to corporate travel management. It offers real-time booking, managing, analyzing, and everything in between. With TravelPerk, corporate travel is made easy. It also offers event organization, refundable bookings, flexible options, and travel assistance. 

Read more about them in our review of TravelPerk here!

Founding year: 2015 

Location: Spain 

Category: Travel tech 

Roadsurfer 

Roadsurfer rents out customized camper vans in 13 different European countries. On top of the rental service, this travel startup offers additional options for each trip. You can choose from a large fleet of well-equipped Class B RV rental options with different styles, sizes, and models. 

Founding year: 2016 

Location: Germany  

Category: Transportation 

Tracki 

Tracki is a tech travel startup that offers real-time GPS tracking solutions. It provides services for families, individuals, and businesses. 

Tracki's product range includes pet, asset, and GPS trackers. All of these can be monitored through an easy-to-use mobile app or website.  

Founding year: 2005 

Location: USA 

Category: Travel tech 

Interesting Facts About Travel Startups 

Want to learn more about travel startups? Here are some lesser-known facts about travel startups that might surprise you!

• There have been more than 1009 digital travel startups established since 2015.
• More than $27 billion worth of investments were poured into travel companies from 2020 to 2022.
• Before the COVID-19 pandemic, there were approximately 65 million digital nomads worldwide. It is expected that in 2035, their quantity can rise up to one billion.
• Startups providing services for short-term rentals, such as Airbnb or AvantStay, accounted for 55% of hospitality startup funding in 2021.

Travel Startups and Beyond!

Now that you're up to speed on travel startups, you can start to craft your ideal travel experience for you, your family, and your friends. Give Pilot a try for free!