Travel platform raises six-figure investment
Africa focused travel platform Viatu has announced the closing of a six-figure pre-seed round. The Swiss-based company lets users design and book sustainable trips into wild destinations. It combines cutting-edge technology and travel expertise to define a new era of travel with an emphasis on being smarter, wilder and greener.
Despite travel and tourism being one of the hardest hit sectors during the global coronavirus pandemic, Viatu sees the current situation as an opportunity to hit the reset button on over-tourism. “In a post-Covid world, reinventing travel really is the only option,” Alfredo Seidemann, Viatu founder and CEO explained. Based on principles of regenerative travel, the company envisions a new way for tourism to provide lasting positive impact for local environments and people.
Viatu offers users efficient and free carbon offsetting, instant booking and transparent business operations that do not rely on agents. Accommodation and transportation are vetted for their environmental credentials.
Seidemann added, “Travel is not just an item you place on a shelf and sell off. It’s personal and it’s powerful and I think we don’t realise that enough. The wildlife and adventure market is a $200 billion industry waiting to be disrupted.”
The team consists of former executives in travel, ex-Googlers and Booking.com engineers, well equipped to take on the challenge, having previously worked together at a tech-enabled travel operator.
Funds raised will go towards building a functional and reliable minimum viable product (MVP).
“I’m very excited about where we are. To see so many people support our mission, it’s been incredible to know that others too believe in the positive power of travel,” said Seidemann. He continued, “We’re grateful to our investors and ready to get out there and change the way we travel.”
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