Holibob, a provider of tours & experiences technology for travel brands and tourism boards to sell experiences online, has confirmed the addition of funding to its previously announced Series A raise. Led by Guinness Ventures, the funding marks the first institutional capital raised by Holibob.
Holibob was founded in 2019 in London by Craig Everett and Angus Hardy to help consumers discover and book tours, activities and experiences.
The new funds, which come on the heels of the company adding new partners across the MENA region, and seeing promising returns for the travel brands testing its Experiences Marketing Platform, will be used to further develop the solutions Holibob delivers for destinations and travel brands to sell experiences online.
That includes Holibob’s Experiences Marketing Platform, which aims to deliver hyper-relevant experience recommendations to in-destination travellers. Early results from companies testing the platform have shown strong engagement and driven bookings at higher rates than existing third-party experiences booking platforms.
Craig Everett, CEO of Holibob, said “We’re thrilled to have Guinness Ventures join the Holibob family and look forward to their support as we develop new ways for destinations and travel brands to sell experiences by getting the right product to the right person, at the right time. It’s a testament to the hard work and ingenuity of our team that nearly five years into our journey we’re alreadyadding institutional money, and I look forward to innovating even more in the months ahead.”
Craig Everett, CEO of Holibob
As part of the investment, Malcom King, Chief Investment Officer at Guinness Ventures – which is based out of the UK – will join the Holibob Board of Directors.
“It is clear to us that capturing a much greater share of in-destination tours & activities experiences sales online is a massive opportunity that the industry has yet to take advantage of due to its current fragmentation and offline nature,” said King. “We believe that Holibob – with its mix of technology and industry-acumen – is well positioned to be the company that unlocks this opportunity. We look forward to partnering with them in the years ahead as they work toward that vision.”
The company’s previous funding was led by individual and family offices, most notably from the founder of Staysure Insurance Group, Ryan Howsam, who remains a strong supporter and major investor in the company.
“Having an investor like Guiness Ventures join validates what I have known all along about the Holibob team – they are exceptionally talented and tackling a unique problem that can provide immense value. I look forward to seeing the company continue its growth in the coming years,” noted Howsam.
Holibob was supported in the fundraising process by its Board member Andreas Nau and the wider team at Ennea Capital Partners, a leading M&A and fundraising advisor in the travel & hospitality industry.
