6 Travel Directory Success Stories [2024]
An online travel directory is a website that serves as a one-stop shop for all your travel needs.
It provides travelers with a vast selection of trusted reviews and tips to help people travel across the globe with ease.
These directories usually offer a comprehensive database of destinations, including hotels, restaurants, tourist attractions, and travel agents, among others.
One of the significant benefits of these directories is that they allow users to add destinations from their travel agent’s listings or local business listings based on reviews and testimonials from fellow travelers.
This feature helps users make informed decisions about their travel plans by providing them with a wealth of information on various destinations.
Additionally, online travel directories tend to have an active community of users who share their travel experiences and offer valuable insights and tips.
This community-driven approach to travel planning ensures that users get reliable and up-to-date information that can help them plan their trips with confidence.
Overall, online travel directories are an excellent resource for anyone looking to explore the world, whether you’re a seasoned traveler or a first-timer.
They offer a wealth of information on various destinations, making it easy to plan a memorable trip that meets your unique preferences and budget.
In this list, you'll find real-world travel directory success stories and very profitable examples of starting a travel directory that makes money.
1. Hotels Etc. INC ($3M/year)
Shawn Pigg, CEO of Hotels Etc, came up with the idea for his business when he saw an infomercial for the company. Recognizing the potential in offering true discounts to travelers, he purchased the company and invested his life savings to bring it to life. Since then, he has negotiated over 3,000,000 discounts worldwide, resulting in Hotels Etc becoming a multimillion-dollar company and one of the oldest membership programs on the internet.
How much money it makes: $3M/year
How much did it cost to start: $600K
How many people on the team: 14
How this CEO created a multimillion-dollar membership business offering exclusive discounts on travel and branched off into over 30 categories of discounts for members, negotiating over 3,000,000 discounts around the globe that are not available to the general public and only available to their members.
2. CuddlyNest ($2.8M/year)
Ritesh Raj, the co-founder and COO of CuddlyNest, came up with the idea for the accommodation booking platform after years of traveling to over 100 countries and realizing the pain points of finding diverse types of accommodations. Alongside his co-founder, they decided to create a centralized platform that offers all kinds of properties for all types of travelers. Since its launch, CuddlyNest has raised over $14 million in funding and has plans for continued growth and expansion.
How much money it makes: $2.8M/year
How many people on the team: 72
CuddlyNest has become the only online travel agency that offers all types of accommodations in one platform, with inventory currently including over 4 million properties of all types in 80k+ cities, and is expecting to hire more than fifty new employees in the coming months.
3. SmartGuide ($360K/year)
Jan Doležal, founder of SmartGuide, came up with the idea for his business while traveling with his family. Frustrated by the lack of quality digital guides available, he saw an opportunity to create an app that would provide travelers with personalized tour guides. Since its founding, SmartGuide has exceeded 500 destinations and is approaching half a million users, with top travel brands including the city of Prague and UNESCO sites utilizing the app as their official guide.
How much money it makes: $360K/year
How much did it cost to start: $600K
How many people on the team: 15
SmartGuide, a digital tour guide platform that turns every phone into a personal tour guide using audio, geolocation, and Augmented Reality, has exceeded 500 destinations and is approaching half a million users in just three years since founding.
4. Front Desk USA ($120K/year)
Tom Shott came up with the idea for Front Desk USA after realizing there was a demand for a product that hotels could provide to their guests with local information. He saw an opportunity to improve the existing map publication and purchased Front Desk USA in 2001, expanding it to over 100 maps nationwide. The success of the business has led to the development of a digital model and plans for further expansion in the future.
How much money it makes: $120K/year
How many people on the team: 9
Front Desk USA, a visitor map publication that offers full color customized maps to the hospitality industry, has expanded from Texas to over 100 maps nationwide, catering to over 1,000 hotels, tens of thousands of hotel guests and has created over $10,000 in earnings per map for publishers.
5. Spread Your Wings Travel Agency ($84K/year)
Marissa Daniels, the founder of Spread Your Wings Travel, came up with the idea for her millennial travel agency while scrolling on Facebook and seeing vacation deals posted by her sponsor. Realizing that she could get paid for something she already loved doing, she started her travel agency and hit $100,000 in travel sales within a year. With plans to reach $200,000 in sales by the end of the year, Marissa offers all-inclusive vacations, cruises, luxury villas, and more, with a payment plan option to make travel accessible for all.
How much money it makes: $84K/year
How much did it cost to start: $200
How many people on the team: 1
Marissa Daniels runs a successful travel agency, Spread Your Wings Travel, that hit $100,000 in sales within a year of launch and provides payment plan options for its all-inclusive vacations, and she hopes to help 100 families supplement their income through the business.
6. Points Panda ($45.6K/year)
Freddy Lansky, the CEO of Points Panda, came up with the idea for his business after realizing the value of transferring points to airlines for discounted business class flights. He started by offering award booking services to friends and family before turning it into a full-fledged consultancy business. Through consistent content creation and strategic partnerships, Points Panda has steadily grown and aims to expand its team in the future.
How much money it makes: $45.6K/year
How much did it cost to start: $1K
How many people on the team: 5
Points Panda is a points & miles travel blog/award booking consultancy business that helps people maximize their points; the business began after CEO Freddy Lansky realized he could turn his passion for booking award flights for small “hassle fees” into a thriving business.
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Download the report and join our email newsletter packed with business ideas and money-making opportunities, backed by real-life case studies.
Download the report and join our email newsletter packed with business ideas and money-making opportunities, backed by real-life case studies.
Download the report and join our email newsletter packed with business ideas and money-making opportunities, backed by real-life case studies.
Download the report and join our email newsletter packed with business ideas and money-making opportunities, backed by real-life case studies.
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