Travel Technology
point.me | September 07, 2023
point.me, a real-time flight search and booking engine using loyalty program reward points on 150+ airlines, has announced a Series A fundraise completion of $10 million. This investment is led by Thayer Ventures and backed by notable investors, including PAR Capital Ventures and Plug and Play Ventures, and will fuel point.me's expansion.
The company plans to enhance its partnerships with leading the US card issuers, grow its premium concierge service, and scale its consumer subscription business. point.me’s platform currently operates in collaboration with major credit card providers like American Express, Chase, and Capital One, offering seamless searches and bookings. This funding will enable deeper integrations with current partners and the establishment of new collaborations, ultimately delivering enhanced accessibility for users.
point.me has amassed over 1.5 million registered users in the initial year, reflecting its remarkable growth. The company's annual recurring revenue has surged by an impressive 1860%. With this latest Series A funding, the company will be strengthening its integration with loyalty rewards programs across all its product offerings. This strategic move will further elevate the user experience and accessibility, cementing point.me's position as a leader in real-time flight booking using loyalty rewards points.
This Series A funding marks milestone in point.me's rapid ascent within the travel industry. In addition, the company had previously secured $2 million in seed funding, led by PAR Capital Ventures, with participation from WndrCo Holdings, Jeffrey Katzenberg, Sujay Jaswa, and a group of executives from Meta and DoorDash.
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Travel Technology
RVshare | September 20, 2023
RVshare, the premier community for RV owners and renters, has unveiled an innovative ChatGPT plug-in, revolutionizing travel planning within the RVshare ecosystem. This cutting-edge technology serves as a virtual travel agent, ushering in a new era of personalized and seamless RV adventure planning for travelers. With a commitment to enhancing the user experience, this innovative solution caters to the diverse needs of its thriving RV community. In addition, it promises to redefine how travelers prepare for their journeys, offering a level of customization and convenience poised to elevate the RVshare experience.
Melissa Turner Fortenberry, CPO at RVshare, said,
"RVshare's ChatGPT plug-in marks a significant milestone in our commitment to creating exceptional experiences for our renters and owners."
[Source – Cision PR Newswire]
By leveraging the capabilities of AI technology, the company offers travelers exceptional support and guidance, guarantees that they can embark on an unforgettable and fulfilling RV journey, added Melissa.
With this new plug-in, RVshare offers a range of remarkable capabilities, including:
Tailored RV Options: ChatGPT utilizes information from the extensive RVshare community to provide personalized RV rental options that precisely match each individual's preferences, interests, and travel histories.
Effortless Booking: Travelers can search for their ideal RV directly within the conversation, streamlining the procedure and minimizing friction.
Instant Assistance: RVshare's ChatGPT plug-in provides near-instant responses to inquiries. Whether your questions revolve around rental availability, pricing, or specific RV features, ChatGPT delivers comprehensive answers with accompanying photos.
Natural Language Conversations: The ChatGPT plug-in creates a connection akin to seeking advice from a fellow RV enthusiast. The system's exceptional language comprehension ensures effortless interactions.
RVshare's ChatGPT plug-in signifies a transformative milestone for RV enthusiasts. It harnesses the prowess of artificial intelligence to offer an intelligent conversational assistant that caters to every traveler's distinct requirements. This innovative tool is poised to revolutionize RV travel planning, catering to novices and seasoned explorers alike.
Users can access recommendations based on RV's extensive inventory and historical search data by typing in natural queries such as 'What RVs are available to rent near the Grand Canyon next weekend?'. This advanced feature makes RV travel more accessible, enjoyable, and user-centric than ever before.
About RVshare
RVshare, a leading online hub for RV renters and owners, offers a wide-ranging inventory of rental vehicles throughout the United States. Its diverse selection includes luxury motorhomes and cozy camper vans, accommodating various outdoor adventures, be it a weekend camping trip or an extensive cross-country exploration of national parks. RVshare empowers travelers to embark on their RV journeys independently or arrange for campsite delivery, experiencing the liberating essence of RV travel. With an impressive record of over 4 million nights booked under the open skies, families and groups can partake in extraordinary journeys, crafting indelible memories that endure for generations.
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Business Travel
Simpleview | September 11, 2023
Simpleview, a leader in destination marketing solutions, and Viator, a top online marketplace for travel experiences, have joined forces. This partnership empowers destination marketing organizations (DMOs) to enhance online engagement, equip partner listings with enticing offers, build tourism brands, instill traveler confidence, and drive business to their partners.
Incorporating Viator's vast catalog of tours, activities, and attractions, DMOs can curate unforgettable experiences for travelers. From exploring hidden gems to providing traveler-centric booking solutions, this collaboration positions DMOs to thrive in the competitive tourism landscape. Additionally, it equips destination marketing organizations with a powerful tool to boost website engagement.
In addition to its evident benefits for DMOs and travelers, the partnership showcases the strategic alignment between Simpleview and Viator. Combining their expertise, these industry leaders facilitate a deeper connection between travelers and destinations, making it easier for visitors to embark on exciting journeys and immerse themselves in the beauty of the world's most captivating places.
Greg Evans, Chief Revenue Officer at Simpleview, mentioned,
At Simpleview, our mission is to bridge visitors with unique local attractions.
[Source – Cision PR Newswire]
Viator broadens horizons for ‘top-of-funnel' or 'out-of-market' visitors and streamlines bookings for the 'in-market' users, embodying the company's dedication to transforming digital interactions into memorable journeys. This partnership empowers DMOs with tools for visitor growth while offering tailored content to fuel travel ambitions. Further, Greg expressed team’s excitement about bringing Viator's capabilities to Simpleview’s CMS.
About Viator
Viator, a subsidiary of Tripadvisor, specializes in simplifying the process of discovering and booking unforgettable global tours, activities, and excursions. The company offers a broad range of options for travelers, with an extensive catalog of over 300,000 experiences, whether they seek adventures close to home or in far-flung destinations. Committed to ensuring that travelers make the most of their precious leisure time, Viator relentlessly emphasizes quality, catering to various interests ranging from straightforward tours to exhilarating extreme adventures and everything else that is intriguing.
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Travel Technology
Lodging Dynamics Hospitality Group, LLC | October 09, 2023
Lodging Dynamics Hospitality Group, a prominent hotel management company, has recently announced that it been selected to manage the Residence Inn by Marriott Los Angeles Redondo Beach. The hotel owned and developed by Mogul Capital is situated just off the 405 freeway in the South Bay area of Southern California. The growth of Lodging Dynamics into the Southern California market is marked by this management appointment, making this hotel the ninth one managed by the company in the region.
Jamie Caraher, CEO and President at Lodging Dynamics, stated,
"We are thrilled to continue to grow in California with our longstanding and trusted partner Mogul Capital."
[Source – Cision PR Newswire]
Caraher expressed gratitude for being in a relationship where their shared interests revolved around delivering exceptional service to guests in premium brand hotels in prime markets. Caraher noted that they were well-aligned in this regard and that, through a dynamic commercial strategy, they were well-positioned to rapidly achieve excellent outcomes for Mogul and their guests.
Through Lodging Dynamics' association with Mogul Capital, the company's presence in the Golden State is always expanding. The purpose of the strategic alignment between the two organizations is to deliver great service within premium brand hotels located in prime areas.
This growth underlines Lodging Dynamics' reputation as an award-winning operator of premium-brand hotels and its continued dedication to offering quality hotel management services. Lodging Dynamics has been recognized for its excellence in this industry.
About Lodging Dynamics
Lodging Dynamics Hospitality Group, headquartered in Provo, Utah, stands as a nationally acclaimed operator specializing in premium-brand, select service, and extended-stay hotels. One of the select third-party operators approved by both Marriott and Hilton, the company's origins trace back to 1991. With a rich history, Lodging Dynamics has continually delivered award-winning operational services to hotels spanning the continental United States and Hawaii. Its portfolio encompasses the management of hotels affiliated with prestigious premium-brand families, including Marriott, Hilton, Hyatt, and IHG.
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