Palestine-based online travel service Batuta has raised $2.5 million in Series A funding from local private equity fund Siraj Palestine Fund l.
The startup, founded more than two years ago as a travel information service, plans to invest the funds in its core business as well as the development of a booking platform.
Batuta co-founder and chief executive Amir Ounallah says more than 16 million people used the site to find advice before planning trips in the past year and that it wants to become the major player in the Middle East online travel market.
The startup currently offers a price comparison feature but wants to enhance its service with a booking platform for hotels, low-cost flights and packages.
According to the company, the site has the most comprehensive travel information on the region with content on more than 250 destinations. It also says it attracts more than 1.5 million unique visitors monthly.