Holibob secures new funding to power its ecommerce engine for experiences

Funding is the first institutional investment for the company

Tours and experiences technology provider Holibob has revealed it has closed new undisclosed amount of funding to its previously announced Series A raise. 

The raise was led by Guinness Ventures, the first institutional capital raised by Holibob. 

The news comes just after the UK-based business announced several new partnerships.

The new funds will be used to further develop the solutions Holibob delivers to "make it easy" 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 said to show strong engagement and driven bookings at higher rates in comparison to using existing third-party experiences booking platforms. 

Craig Everett, CEO of Holibob, is thrilled with the move. He 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.”

As part of the investment, Malcom King, chief investment officer of UK-based Guinness Ventures, will join the Holibob Board of Directors.

Malcolm King, chief investment officer of Guiness Ventures, added: “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. 

"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. 

howsam said: "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."

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.