Traveling is a new socially-focused hotel discovery and booking platform designed to meet the needs of Growing number of travellers who rely on short-form video content for travel ideas.
The platform offers user-generated content that provides authentic hotel reviews instead of generic information and often outdated images. Creators who submit hotel videos have the opportunity to earn a 5% commission on bookings.
Co-founded by travel enthusiasts Zak Longo (CEO) and Mayur Patil (COO), Travly initially started as a travel network on Instagram and TikTok. In the summer of 2022, the duo acquired @Travelbuilding a social community of millions of followers across Instagram, TikTok and Snapchat. Longo and Patil run 45 channels in total, including @Cruises, @Hotels, @Resorts and @Vacation on Instagram and TikTok. Together, the pages reach more than 1 billion monthly views, they say. Travly also has an ambassador group of about 1,000 creators who help with brand deals across its vast number of social media accounts.
The company recently expanded to develop its own travel discovery product, using its expertise to launch a video-focused booking platform and Mobile applicationTravly has integrated with Booking.com to enhance its search capabilities, which include millions of hotels worldwide.
“We always thought, ‘Well, we need a product that caters to this,’” Longo told TechCrunch. “So, we thought, ‘Why don’t we make a booking platform? ’ Because today, we feel like the new generation of travelers is using social media as a search tool… We could bridge the gap with our network and help people book what they see on social media.”
The platform currently accepts videos and offers those with high-quality hotel videos a 5% commission on all bookings made through the platform for that hotel. Travly only accepts one video per hotel and may replace it if it doesn't perform well.
“We will look at whether a video is not performing optimally for a hotel. We want to be fair to the hotel in that regard,” Longo said, explaining that Travly will take into account factors such as average viewing duration or click-through rate. It can also replace videos with new, updated ones if, for example, hotels offer new services they want to promote.
Travly has around 2,000 registrations and 500 video submissions so far.
Another feature that sets Travly apart is its Destination Dupes feature. A fun take on a makeup product, Travly compares luxurious travel destinations to more affordable ones that offer a similar feel. This feature helps users not only save money, but also discover hidden gems that offer a similar experience. For example, it highlights the price difference between a hotel in London (about $325 per night) and one in Krakow, Poland (about $75 per night), which offer similar charm at a lower cost. While not a world cultural and financial capital like London, Krakow is known for its culture, cobblestone streets, and historic landmarks.
If users are still unsure of their next destination, they can click the “Discover new addresses” button to answer a series of questions and get a selection of ideas. For example, if they want a quiet and affordable holiday, Travly’s AI assistant shows them hotels that fit the description.
In the future, Travly plans to expand its offering, aiming to integrate more experiences into the platform, such as travel packages, restaurant reservations, and concert tickets, offering a complete travel planning experience. In terms of additional revenue, the company is also considering the possibility of including ads on the platform.
The creator economy is estimated to be a $250 billion industry and the market is expected to nearly double in size to $480 billion by 2027, and other startups in the booking space are also cashing in on the travel influencer trend. Planninga new travel booking platform founded by former Priceline executives, lets creators monetize their hotel recommendations.
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