TourRadar
{{Short description|Travel and holiday companies of Austria}}
{{Use dmy dates|date=August 2019}}
{{Infobox company
| name = TourRadar
| logo = TourRadar logo.svg
| type =
| industry = Tourism
| fate =
| predecessor =
| successor =
| founded = {{Start date and age|2010|df=yes}}
| founder = Travis Pittman, Shawn Pittman
| defunct =
| hq_location_city = Vienna
| hq_location_country = Austria
| num_locations = Vienna, Toronto, Brisbane
| area_served = Global
| key_people =
| products = Multi-day group tours
| services = Internet booking engine
| owner =
| num_employees = 200{{Cite web |url=https://www.trendingtopics.at/tourradar-inside-the-50-million-dollar-deal/ |title=LinkedIn| website=LinkedIn}}
| num_employees_year =
| parent =
| website = {{URL|www.tourradar.com}}
}}
TourRadar is a privately held global company headquartered in Vienna, Austria that operates an online marketplace and internet booking engine specializing in multi-day tours.{{cite web |last1=O'neill |first1=Sean |title=TourRadar Raises $10 Million as Solo Female Travelers Turn to Tour Bookings |url=https://skift.com/2017/10/24/tourradar-raises-10-million-as-solo-female-travelers-turn-to-tour-bookings/ |website=Skift |publisher=Skift |accessdate=24 October 2017}}
Product overview
TourRadar's global inventory includes over 40,000 different multi-day tours including those related to adventure, food, river-cruising, hiking and trekking, and several other types of travel styles.{{cite web |last1=Baratti |first1=Laurie |title=TourRadar Announces Top 100 Multi-Day Travel Experiences of the Year |url=https://www.travelpulse.com/news/tour-operators/tourradar-announces-top-100-multi-day-travel-experiences-of-the-year.html |website=TravelPulse |publisher=TravelPulse |accessdate=10 December 2019}}
History
Founded in 2010, TourRadar was created by Australian brothers Travis and Shawn Pittman and was inspired by their social travel website BugBitten.{{cite news | url=https://www.phocuswire.com/TLabs-Showcase-TourRadar | title=TLabs Showcase - TourRadar | first=Kevin | last=May | work=Phocuswire | date=July 6, 2010}} TourRadar was spun-out of Bugbitten in June 2010 and has since grown to include the ability to find, book and review multi-day tours.
In June 2013, TourRadar announced a round of angel funding from investors including Erik Blachford, the former CEO of Expedia.Robin Wauters: [https://thenextweb.com/insider/2013/06/10/tourradar/ “Social group tour marketplace TourRadar books funding from ex-Expedia CEO and others”]. The Next Web. Retrieved 8 October 2015.
In May 2014, TourRadar appeared on the Austrian version of Dragons' Den and secured US$500,000 in funding led by former chief executives from Expedia and the HolidayCheck Group, as well as funding from a private Austrian investment company.Thomas Ohr: [http://www.eu-startups.com/2014/05/group-tour-platform-tourradar-secures-500k-in-angel-funding/ "Group tour platform TourRadar secures $500k in angel funding"]. EU-Startups. Retrieved 14 October 2015.
In September 2015, TourRadar launched in North America, establishing an office in Toronto, Canada, and named Christian Wolters, former VP of Sales and Marketing at Intrepid Travel, as the company's North America Managing Director.{{cite web |url=https://www.travelpress.com/tourradar-launches-in-north-america/ |website=TravelPress |title=TourRadar Launches in North America |accessdate=2 September 2016}}
In May, 2016, TourRadar raised $6 million in Series A funding.{{Cite web|url=https://techcrunch.com/2016/05/24/tourradar/|title=TourRadar locates $6M Series A for its travel tour booking site|website=TechCrunch|language=en-US|access-date=2019-07-18}} In September of the same year, the company announced that it would be adding river cruising to its catalogue of bookable tours.{{Cite web|url=https://www.travelweekly.com/River-Cruising/TourRadar-wades-into-river-cruise-market|title=TourRadar wades into the river cruise market: Travel Weekly|website=www.travelweekly.com|language=en|access-date=2018-07-25}}
In October 2017, TourRadar completed a Series B funding round of $10 million.{{Cite news | url=http://www.travolution.com/articles/104813/tourradar-raises-10-million-in-series-b-funding | title=TourRadar raises $10 million in Series B funding | first=Lee | last=Hayhurst | work=Travolution | date=October 26, 2017}} Later that year, TourRadar was named one of the top three start-ups in Austria by Trend.{{Cite news| url=https://www.trend.at/trendventure/ranking-oesterreichs-start-8449191|title=Ranking: Österreichs beste Start-ups 2017 |date=2017-11-23|work=trend.at|access-date=2018-07-25|language=de}}
In June 2018, TourRadar raised $50 million in Series C funding, led by Silicon Valley growth venture capital firm, TCV, who previously backed Expedia and Airbnb.{{Cite news|url=https://techcrunch.com/2018/06/26/tourradar-series-c/|title=TourRadar, the OTA for tour holidays, scores $50M Series C led by Silicon Valley's TCV|work=TechCrunch|access-date=2018-07-25|language=en-US}} The funding also included participation from existing investors Cherry Ventures, Endeit Capital, Hoxton Ventures and Speedinvest.
In February 2019, TourRadar launched a contest called Tour the World which included a global search for two strangers willing to travel the world together for 50 days.{{Cite news | url=https://www.travelandleisure.com/travel-news/tour-radar-tour-the-world-free-with-stranger | title=You Can Travel the World for Free — If You're Willing to Do It With a Stranger| first=Stacey | last=Leasca | work=Travel + Leisure | date=February 15, 2019}} The winners had their experiences documented by a film crew while they traveled to five different continents.{{cite web |last1=Sorrells |first1=Mitra |title=TourRadar works with Google Zoo for unusual multi-continent tour contest |url=https://www.phocuswire.com/TourRadar-marketing-contest |website=Phocuswire |publisher=Phocuswire |accessdate=18 February 2018}}
In the same year, TourRadar's Melissa Lopez received the Gold Stevie Award at the Stevie Awards for Women in Business.{{Cite web |title=Search All Past Stevie® Winners and Finalists |url=https://stevieawards.com/search-past-winners-and-finalists?site_type=&year=&company_name=tourradar&award=Gold+Stevie%C2%AE+Award&nomination_title=&country=&category_group=&state=&category=&city=&submitted_by=&industry=&items_per_page=10 |access-date=2024-08-30 |website=Stevie Awards |language=en}} TourRadar's Cruise Team also received the Gold Stevie Award for 2018 Global Sales Team of the Year at the 2019 Stevie Awards.
In 2020, TourRadar began offering its services in German.{{Cite web |last=Ltd |first=Travel Weekly Group |date=2020-11-18 |title=TourRadar optimistic over prospects for... |url=https://www.travolution.com/news/travel-sectors/tours-and-activities/tourradar-optimistic-over-prospects-for-2021-as-it-debuts-german-language-site/ |access-date=2024-08-30 |website=Travolution |language=en}}
In 2021, TourRadar announced its Adventure Booking Platform category which allows travel agents to earn a commission on multi-day tours.{{Cite web |date=2021-11-24 |title=TourRadar wants to work with travel advisors, using its new commissionable Adventure Booking Platform |url=https://www.travelweek.ca/news/tourradar-wants-to-work-with-travel-advisors-using-its-new-commissionable-adventure-booking-platform/ |access-date=2022-04-07 |website=Travelweek |language=en-US}} TourRadar also formed a global partnership with Flight Centre Travel Group.{{Cite web |title=TourRadar and Flight Centre form partnership |url=https://www.travelweekly.com/Travel-News/Tour-Operators/TourRadar-Flight-Centre-partnership |access-date=2024-09-08 |website=www.travelweekly.com |language=en}} As a result of this partnership, TourRadar's inventory and online bookings were integrated into Flight Centre's Helio agent platform.
TourRadar also formed a global partnership with Flight Centre Travel Group.{{Cite web |title=TourRadar and Flight Centre form partnership |url=https://www.travelweekly.com/Travel-News/Tour-Operators/TourRadar-Flight-Centre-partnership |access-date=2024-09-01 |website=www.travelweekly.com |language=en}} As a result of this partnership, TourRadar's inventory and online bookings were integrated into Flight Centre's Helio agent platform.
In 2022, TourRadar formed a partnership with Flight Centre to integrate its inventory and bookable online content into Flight Centre's Helio agent platform via API.{{Cite web |title=TourRadar and Flight Centre form partnership: Travel Weekly |url=https://www.travelweekly.com/Travel-News/Tour-Operators/TourRadar-Flight-Centre-partnership |access-date=2022-04-07 |website=www.travelweekly.com |language=en}} In the same year, TourRadar held its second annual Adventure Together conference in Vienna, Austria.{{Cite web |title=TourRadar’s Adventure Together Event Sees Record Attendance |url=https://www.insidertravelreport.com/tour-radars-adventure-together-event-sees-record-attendance/ |access-date=2024-09-01 |website=Insider Travel Report}}{{Cite web |last=Ltd |first=Jacobs Media Group |title=Adventure operators optimistic despite cost-of-living pressures |url=https://travelweekly.co.uk/news/tour-operators/adventure-operators-optimistic-despite-cost-of-living-pressures |access-date=2024-09-01 |website=Travel Weekly |language=en}}
At the 2023 Stevie Awards, TourRadar's Talent Cycle & Skill Development team received a Bronze Stevie Award in the category of Great Employers.{{Cite web |title=Search All Past Stevie® Winners and Finalists |url=https://stevieawards.com/search-past-winners-and-finalists?site_type=&year=&company_name=tourradar&award=Bronze+Stevie%C2%AE+Award&nomination_title=&country=&category_group=&state=&category=&city=&submitted_by=&industry=&items_per_page=10 |access-date=2024-09-01 |website=Stevie Awards |language=en}} In October 2023, TourRadar partnered with Local Adventures and TRAVLR for improvements to the company's business-to-business tool for travel booking.{{Cite web |last=Brophy |first=Selene |date=2023-10-02 |title=TourRadar Adds 2 Partners for Organized Adventure Tours |url=https://skift.com/2023/10/02/tourradar-adds-2-partners-for-selling-group-adventure-tours/ |access-date=2024-09-01 |website=Skift |language=en-US}} TourRadar also organized the 2023 Adventure Together conference, which included GuideTogether, a training program developed in collaboration with TripSchool and the Global Guide Alliance.{{Cite web |last=Media |first=Baxter |date=2023-10-20 |title=TourRadar Building A ‘Bigger Pie’ At Adventure Together 2023 |url=https://www.travelpress.com/tourradar-building-a-bigger-pie-at-adventure-together-2023/ |access-date=2024-09-01 |website=TravelPress |language=en-US}}{{Cite web |date=July 26, 2023 |title=TourRadar Announces 2023 Adventure Together Event |url=https://www.vaxvacationaccess.com/the-compass-old/tourradar-announces-2023-adventure-together-event/ |website=vaxvacationaccess.com}}
In 2024, TourRadar announced the return of its Guide of the Year Awards for tour guides worldwide.{{Cite web |title=How TourRadar Will Honor the Tour "Guide of the Year" |url=https://www.insidertravelreport.com/how-tourradar-will-honor-the-tour-guide-of-the-year |access-date=2024-09-08 |website=Insider Travel Report}}
In June 2025, TourRadar launched TourRadar Moments, becoming a pioneer in the organized adventure industry by introducing a new way for travelers to discover, share, and book multi-day tours through user-generated short-form videos and photos within its mobile app.https://www.phocuswire.com/tourradar-moments-social-commerce
Offices
Awards
2023 Stevie Awards, Bronze Stevie Award in the category of Great Employers.{{Cite web |title=Search All Past Stevie® Winners and Finalists |url=https://stevieawards.com/search-past-winners-and-finalists?site_type=&year=&company_name=tourradar&award=Bronze+Stevie%C2%AE+Award&nomination_title=&country=&category_group=&state=&category=&city=&submitted_by=&industry=&items_per_page=10 |access-date=2024-09-08 |website=Stevie Awards |language=en}}
References
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