In the fall of 2020, much of the world was still in the throes of the COVID pandemic, but behind the scenes travel startups around the globe were still working to create solutions and products to serve the industry and travelers.
In November 2020, PhocusWire announced its selection of the Hot 25 Travel Startups for 2021 - 25 of the most promising young companies across nearly every sector of travel.
As we gear up to announce our Hot 25 Travel Startups for 2025, we’re checking in with companies that were named on our lists over the past few years.
Some of the class of 2021 have undergone changes, like Entrada Insights rebranding to Zartico, Hopper acquiring Smooss and Uniguest acquiring Volara.
Others are continuing to grow and seeing success as they develop. We reached out to a few from the 2021 list, including Zartico, Beachy, Chekin, Kyte and Vouch. Some responses have been edited for brevity.
Beachy
Beachy is a mobile platform that facilitates logistics and commerce between resorts and their pool and beachgoers. Its mapping technology geolocates guests and establishes physical addresses on the pool deck and on the beach.
Founder David Stange:
The biggest challenge I’m dealing with today is… the pace at which hotels make decisions. Between flags, management companies and ownership, hotels have created so many layers of approval that deals take twice as long as they should.
My view on the current funding environment for travel startups… profitability matters more today than it has in the last 10 years. If you are not profitable, getting fundraising traction is going to be difficult right now. Beachy has made significant changes to our plans made coming out of COVID to ensure profitability and maintain control over our own destiny.
There been increased M&A activity in travel. My approach to evaluating such opportunities—on the buy or sell side—would be… that buying and selling opportunities have been coming at us at a rapid pace in the last 12 months. I tell people all the time that I love Beachy. I love what we are doing. We have the right product at the right time, with the right team. We need to keep our heads down, continue to innovate and continue to punch above our weight against our competition, and the right deal will find us. I am not even 40 yet and have been working on Beachy for almost a decade. If I wake up 25 years from now and I am doing exactly what I am doing right now, I will have lived one heck of a life.
The technologies or innovations that excite me most are…because… those that put technology in the hands of hotel staff — technology that spans between departments and can exponentially enhance the guest experience. Giving Beachy’s technology to servers has been life changing. I hear story after story of servers making significantly more money. On average, servers using Beachy see a 30-50% pay increase. Do you think those employees are going to be looking for another job?
Chekin
Chekin is a software company dedicated to providing unique technological solutions to the tourism industry. They have developed an integrated solution that helps hosts and professionals to optimize the process of vacation rental management.
CEO and founder Carlos Lagares:
The biggest challenge I’m dealing with today is… balancing the rapid growth of the business with the evolving needs of our clients in the travel and hospitality sector. The industry is undergoing a major transformation post-pandemic, and Chekin is at the forefront of this change. For hotels and vacation rentals, there’s an increased demand for technology-driven solutions to combat labor shortages and provide a seamless, personalized experience for guests. We’re constantly innovating to meet these challenges while ensuring our technology remains accessible and easy to integrate for both small and large operators.
Another significant challenge is helping hotels and vacation rentals stay compliant with ever-evolving guest legislation across Europe. Regulations vary widely by country, and it’s essential for operators to stay compliant, especially with guest registration and identity verification. We are committed to supporting our clients by automating these compliance processes, allowing them to focus on delivering great guest experiences without worrying about the legal complexities.
My view on the current funding environment for travel startups… the funding environment for travel startups has become more selective, but there’s still significant opportunity for companies that are addressing real pain points, particularly around automation, guest experience, and sustainability. Investors are looking for scalable solutions that can help the industry tackle its labor shortages and operational inefficiencies, while also adapting to new consumer preferences like digital check-ins and eco-friendly options. For Chekin, we see this as an advantage, because our tools directly address these gaps. The key to attracting funding in today’s market is proving that your technology not only enhances operations but also aligns with broader industry trends toward personalization and automation.
There has been increased M&A activity in travel. My approach to evaluating such an opportunity – on the buy or sell side – would be… at the moment, Chekin is focused on organic growth. We’re seeing strong demand for our services, and we believe we can continue scaling effectively without pursuing M&A opportunities. However, I do think we’re witnessing a trend where private equity funds are looking to create comprehensive toolsets for the travel industry by acquiring companies that offer complementary technologies. These funds aim to build an integrated ecosystem of solutions for hotels and vacation rentals, which could be appealing for companies looking to exit or join a larger portfolio. While this is an interesting development, Chekin’s current focus remains on strengthening our position through organic growth and continuous innovation.
The technologies or innovations that excite me most are… because… AI and machine learning technologies excite me the most because they have the power to fundamentally transform the guest experience and operational efficiency in the travel sector. At Chekin, we’re innovating about how to automate repetitive tasks like identity verification, check-in processes and payments, freeing up staff to focus on more meaningful guest interactions. This not only improves the guest experience but also helps businesses manage staff shortages. I’m also excited about how AI can personalize the travel experience by anticipating guest preferences, enabling properties to deliver a level of service that was once only possible with a large staff. It’s this combination of automation and personalization that I believe will shape the future of hospitality.
Kyte
Kyte is a technology company that provides access to low-cost airline inventory. Its API provides a modern plug for airlines and travel agents to connect more effectively and at a lower cost.
CEO Alice Ferrari:
The biggest challenge I’m dealing with today is… ever changing airline APIs requiring constant upgrades and maintenance.
My view on the current funding environment for travel startups… there is definitely more VC appetite to invest in travel startups compared to when we were in the pandemic however travel tech and particularly airline tech remains a difficult area to attract funding.
There has been increased M&A activity in travel. My approach to evaluating such an opportunity – on the buy or sell side – would be… I see a lot of opportunities for collaboration in the industry in many different ways, Kyte has always been very open to joining forces when the right opportunity comes up.
The technologies or innovations that excite me most are… automation of tasks because they allow me to offer great customer service whilst keeping a low headcount.
Vouch
Vouch is a travel-tech company that empowers hotels to streamline operations and elevate the guest experience through Vouch HOME, a comprehensive suite integrating a guest platform and a back-end Hotel Operations Management Ecosystem.
CEO and founder Joseph Ling:
The biggest challenge I’m dealing with today is… expanding in the very diverse APAC market. Each country presents its own unique challenges, from differing regulations to significant cultural differences. We’re learning as fast as we can, adapting our strategies for each region, but also ensuring that we don’t overextend ourselves in the process.
My view on the current funding environment for travel startups… It’s a really tough environment right now, but I’m hopeful things will improve soon. Earlier in the year, I suspected that the latter half of this year would see many startups trying to raise funds, especially after two years of cost-cutting to extend runway. I didn’t want to compete with all of them for a small pool of available capital, so we raised a small round earlier this year to get ahead of that, and I'm thankful we did!
There has been increased M&A activity in travel. My approach to evaluating such an opportunity – on the buy or sell side – would be… definitely not on the sell side with valuations in a tough spot right now. However, on the buy side, the challenging funding environment over the last few years has created some unique opportunities. If we believe we’re at the bottom of the cycle, now could be a great time to buy. It’s essential that the company’s vision, culture, and long-term goals align with ours, and we believe in partnerships that strengthen our core offerings and add value to our customers.
The technologies or innovations that excite me most are… A.I. and machine learning are at the top of my list, but we’re very conscious about how we implement them. Instead of just developing "wrappers" for existing LLM models, we’re focused on creating innovations that can’t be easily Sherlocked. Our goal is to build solutions that truly differentiate us and add significant value to our users.
Zartico
Zartico is a SaaS technology organization that uses data science and AI to create strategic planning and optimization solutions for destination leaders.
CEO Sarah Lehman:
The biggest challenge I’m dealing with today is… four years ago, Zartico was recognized as a top travel technology company. Today, we're not just growing; we're revolutionizing destination marketing. Our journey, marked by two pending patents, showcases our commitment to innovation. We've leveraged each challenge to refine our approach, using big data to solve problems that were previously considered unsolvable in the travel industry.
My view on the current funding environment for travel startups… we're at a critical moment where data-driven destination marketing converges with the immense potential of big data and AI. Our mission is to empower destinations with solutions that go beyond traditional metrics. We're helping our clients uncover hidden patterns of people and place not only to drive economic growth but also enhance community well-being. It's about marketing that resonates on multiple levels - with visitors and locals.
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There has been increased M&A activity in travel. My approach to evaluating such an opportunity – on the buy or sell side – would be… the post-pandemic world has shifted investor focus towards sustainable, impactful business models. Our growth strategy remains focused on innovation and long-term value creation. Our two pending patents are testament to our commitment to pushing the boundaries of what's possible in destination marketing. We're not just adapting to change; we're driving it, developing technologies that turn data into actionable insights for more effective, sustainable destination management.
The technologies or innovations that excite me most are… because… the potential of advanced AI and machine learning in destination marketing isn't just exciting - it's transformative. We're developing tools that allow destinations to move from reactive to proactive strategies. Imagine being able to predict and mitigate overtourism before it happens, or tailoring marketing efforts to attract visitors who will have the most positive impact on both the local economy and community. That's the power of big data and AI in destination marketing, and it's what drives us at Zartico.
Our innovations are set to redefine destination marketing. It's not just about attracting more visitors; it's about attracting the right visitors at the right time and ensuring that tourism benefits everyone involved. This is the future of travel, and with our commitment to data quality and cutting-edge solutions, Zartico is leading the way.