Holibob adds new funding to power its ecommerce engine for experiences

LONDON, UK – Holibob, an innovative provider of tours & experiences technology that makes it easy for travel brands and tourism boards to sell experiences online, has today confirmed the addition of funding to its previously announced Series A raise. Led by Guinness Ventures, the funding marks the first institutional capital raised by Holibob. 

The new funds, which come on the heels of several new partnerships announced by the company, will be used to further develop the solutions Holibob delivers to make it easy for destinations and travel brands to sell experiences online. 

That includes Holibob’s Experiences Marketing Platform, which aims to deliver hyper-relevant experience recommendations to in-destination travellers. Early results from companies testing the platform have shown strong engagement and driven bookings at higher rates than existing third-party experiences booking platforms. 

Craig Everett, CEO of Holibob comments: “We’re thrilled to have Guinness Ventures join the Holibob family and look forward to their support as we develop new ways for destinations and travel brands to sell experiences by getting the right product to the right person, at the right time. It’s a testament to the hard work and ingenuity of our team that nearly five years into our journey we’re alreadyadding institutional money, and I look forward to innovating even more in the months ahead.”

As part of the investment, Malcom King, Chief Investment Officer at Guinness Ventures – which is based out of the UK – will join the Holibob Board of Directors.

Malcolm King, Chief Investment Officer at Guiness Ventures, adds:“It is clear to us that capturing a much greater share of in-destination tours & activities experiences sales online is a massive opportunity that the industry has yet to take advantage of due to its current fragmentation and offline nature. We believe that Holibob – with its mix of technology and industry-acumen – is well positioned to be the company that unlocks this opportunity. We look forward to partnering with them in the years ahead as they work toward that vision.”

The company’s previous funding was led by individual and family offices, most notably from the founder of Staysure Insurance Group, Ryan Howsam, who remains a strong supporter and major investor in the company. 

“Having an investor like Guiness Ventures join validates what I have known all along about the Holibob team – they are exceptionally talented and tackling a unique problem that can provide immense value. I look forward to seeing the company continue its growth in the coming years,” noted Mr. Howsam. 

Holibob was supported in the fundraising process by its Board member Andreas Nau and the wider team at Ennea Capital Partners, a leading M&A and fundraising advisor in the travel & hospitality industry.

The article Holibob adds new funding to power its ecommerce engine for experiences first appeared in TravelDailyNews International.