Stride, a marketplace for multiday package trips, has received funding of $2.5 million.
The round, which brings the company’s total funding to $3.1, was led by JetBlue Ventures with NFX also participating.
Stride launched in 2016 seeking to bring some expertize to lengthy the planning process for “experiential trips.”
The company, which claims to have sent $330 million worth of trips to tour operators and travel experts in 2018 via its metasearch platform, has just unveiled its TripFinder technology to help match travelers with their ideal trips.
Gavin Delany, founder and CEO of Stride, says: “The internet has greatly expanded our options for travel but has not given us the tools to match the right trip for our needs. And increasingly, travelers want everything done for them.”
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In a blog post about the investment, Amy Burr, managing director of operations and partnerships at JetBlue Ventures, says:
“Without a central location for the many itinerary options and a trusted set of reviews, travelers are frustrated with the online search for tours and activities and as a result, transition to offline travel agents for booking.
While 90% of tour-takers start trip planning online (Google Travel Study 2017), Stride’s own traveler survey found that 70% of packages end up being booked offline and manually with the operator or through travel agents.”
Stride's funding comes a day after Airbnb announced an expansion of its Experiences division with the launch Airbnb Adventures, including multiday tours.