TravelLocal, an online marketplace for tailor-made holidays, has received investment from Channel 4’s growth fund.
U.K. broadcaster Channel 4 joins Active Partners and Gresham House Ventures in the Series A round, which brings TravelLocal’s total funding to more than £8 million.
Bristol, U.K.-based TravelLocal began life in 2012 but rebuilt its technology platform and relaunched the service in 2016.
The company connects travelers to local experts in destinations around the world.
Huw Owen, co-founder and managing director, says the service had been a minimum viable product up until then run by two people and “no cash.”
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He adds that the company took on angel investors in 2015 and completely rebuilt the technology resulting in a “massive jump in sophistication.”
Channel 4’s growth fund takes an equity share in a business in return for airtime across its network.
TravelLocal has been running a television advertising campaign since February and plans to extend this further.
Owen says TV is a proven way to gain brand visibility and scale in the highly competitive travel market.
TravelLocal focuses on providing private itineraries for the mid- to long-haul market.
Vinay Solanki, head of Channel 4's growth fund, says: "Growth phase businesses like TravelLocal are typical of the digital disruptors which our Commercial Growth Fund seeks to support, enabling access to TV advertising-driven awareness at scale. We are truly delighted to support them.”