Travel Startups and Innovation News

PhocusWire's in-depth coverage of the startups in the travel, tourism and hospitality industry, featuring news, analysis, interviews, research and more.

Startups are a powerful force driving innovation across the travel industry—from AI-driven personalization and fintech solutions to next-gen mobility and booking platforms. PhocusWire delivers the most relevant travel startups and innovation news, spotlighting emerging companies that are rethinking the way people search, book, and experience travel.

Emerging travel startups and innovations driving the industry forward

Our coverage highlights breakthrough ideas, early-stage funding rounds, and strategic partnerships that bring fresh energy to the travel ecosystem. Whether it's reshaping trip planning, optimizing operations, or solving pain points across the journey, travel startups are challenging incumbents and building the future of travel with agility and purpose.

How leaders can truly support the travel startup ecosystem
Opinion / Startups
How leaders can truly support the travel startup ecosystem
By Cara Whitehill - Unlock Advisors | January 24, 2022
These are steps travel leaders can take to turn startup enthusiasm into action.... Read More
wanderlust-group-series-c
News / Startups
Outdoor experience tech company The Wanderlust Group raises $30M
By Mitra Sorrells | January 21, 2022
Founded in 2014, TWG is the parent brand to Dockwa, which connects boaters and marinas, and... Read More
tabas-14m-blueground-lead
News / Startups
Brazilian rental startup Tabas raises $14M led by Blueground
By Mitra Sorrells | January 20, 2022
Founded in 2020, Tabas has 360 furnished, tech-enabled apartments in São Paulo and Rio de Janeiro that... Read More
STARTUP STAGE: Staypia uses AI to give travelers maximum discount on hotels
Interview / Startups
STARTUP STAGE: Staypia uses AI to give travelers maximum discount on hotels
By Jill Menze | January 18, 2022
Staypia searches for the lowest price for 3.16 million hotels and beats that by as much as 30%... Read More
Origin raises $5M for membership-based trip-planning app
News / Startups
Origin raises $5M for membership-based trip-planning app
By Jill Menze | January 14, 2022
Origin's travel curators have local expertise and use machine learning to help travelers find, plan... Read More
jetcamp-500k
News / Startups
European camping platform JetCamp raises €500K to accelerate growth
By Mitra Sorrells | January 12, 2022
JetCamp’s website offers information such as availability and pricing in 10 languages for nearly... Read More
Tourism startup LynKey launches NFT solutions for travel experiences
News / Startups
Tourism startup LynKey launches NFT solutions for travel experiences
By Jill Menze | January 11, 2022
LynKey aims to connect people with property tech and smart tourism experiences from resorts and... Read More
startup-stage-katanox
Interview / Startups
STARTUP STAGE: Katanox aims to simplify hotel distribution
By Mitra Sorrells | January 10, 2022
Katanox is focused on opening hospitality distribution to enable hotels to capture more direct... Read More
Sounding Off: Startups going for a big buck don't always get a big win
Interview / Startups
Sounding Off: Startups going for a big buck don't always get a big win
By PhocusWire | January 7, 2022
Hopefully the days of creating fancy office environments are over, as well as other items that could... Read More
Social media-powered Luxury Travel Hackers raises $250K via crowdfunding
News / Startups
Social media-powered Luxury Travel Hackers raises $250K via crowdfunding
By Jill Menze | January 6, 2022
Luxury Travel Hackers puts together bookable trips using influencer-produced content.... Read More
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From Our Partners
Precision and predictability for travel marketing: Essential visitor intelligence to drive growth
September 9, 2025
Precision and predictability for travel marketing: Essential visitor intelligence to drive growth
 In partnership with Zartico, this video series explores the latest trends and delivers practical... Read More
Get real: The power of combining AI with authentic intelligence
August 19, 2025
Get real: The power of combining AI with authentic intelligence
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Changing traveler patterns, evolving customer needs drive demand for travel insurance
May 6, 2025
Changing traveler patterns, evolving customer needs drive demand for travel insurance
Travel protection is bringing peace of mind for travelers and positive rewards for suppliers.... Read More