7 Travel Products Business Success Stories [2024]
Even people who deeply love traveling will admit that it can be exhausting. To improve comfort levels, travelers search for everything from neck pillows to waterproof backpacks, water bottles, etc.
Imagine being an online travel store where people can go to and purchase weather-proof backpacks, hand sanitizers, travel masks, umbrellas, outdoor gear, etc.
To reach success quickly, offer them an easy and convenient shopping experience.
In this list, you'll find real-world travel products business success stories and very profitable examples of starting a travel products business that makes money.
1. TRVL MORE ($19.2M/year)
Raj Mahal, founder of PlanMoreTrips, came up with the idea for his AI travel app after founding his previous company, TRVL MORE, and gaining expertise in the travel industry. His deep knowledge of frequent flyer miles from his travel blog allowed him to monetize his content through affiliate revenue, and he later enrolled in a coding boot camp to develop the skills needed to create his own app. Despite facing setbacks with his previous startup, Raj's passion for travel and desire to inspire others led him to launch PlanMoreTrips and continue his entrepreneurial journey.
How much money it makes: $19.2M/year
How much did it cost to start: $500
How many people on the team: 10
This case study follows the entrepreneurial journey of Raj Mahal, the founder of PlanMoreTrips and TRVL MORE, who bootstrapped TRVL MORE from $0 to $20,000,000 in annual sales and eventually launched PlanMoreTrips, an AI travel app that saves users money on flights and hotels.
2. 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.
3. 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.
4. TourScanner ($720K/year)
Simone Semprini, CEO and Co-Founder of TourScanner, came up with the idea for the business while traveling in Brazil and struggling to find activities and tours online. Seeing the opportunity in the growing market for online tours and activities, he developed the concept, connected with co-founders Guillaume Picard and Joseph Dimucci, and launched TourScanner as the first meta-search engine for tours and activities. Despite the challenges of the COVID-19 pandemic, TourScanner has recovered and is now performing better than ever, with a monthly net revenue of $60k and plans to reach $1M ARR in 2022.
How much money it makes: $720K/year
How much did it cost to start: $5K
How many people on the team: 5
TourScanner, a meta-search engine for tours and activities, achieved monthly net revenue of $60k and plans to reach $1M ARR in 2022, utilizing a lightweight business model based on affiliate programs that earned a commission from referrals sent to major travel companies like Viator, GetYourGuide, Musement, and Groupon.
5. A Chef's Tour ($600K/year)
Luke, the founder of A Chef's Tour, came up with the idea after realizing his passion for travel and food. He quit his job, flew to Bangkok, and immersed himself in the city's street food culture. After conducting thorough research and finding a local guide, he launched the first food tour and focused on providing exceptional customer service and generating positive reviews to attract and retain customers.
How much money it makes: $600K/year
How much did it cost to start: $1.5K
How many people on the team: 2
A Chef's Tour, a niche travel business that creates and runs daily street food tours in 12 cities across Asia and beyond, saw revenue of $55,000 per month before Covid-19 forced them into hibernation, but they have since reopened and are rebuilding with plans to expand into new locations in Asia, the Middle East, and Latin America.
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.
7. Zirui ($12K/year)
Regina Ye, the founder of ZIRUI, came up with the idea for her business after experiencing the frustration of leaky toiletry products while traveling. As an international student who had traveled to more than 20 countries, she realized there was a need for a better solution. Through interviews and research, she discovered that many people shared the same pain point and were excited about her idea.
How much money it makes: $12K/year
How many people on the team: 2
Regina Ye created ZIRUI, a modular magnetic travel toiletry case, after experiencing the pain of traveling with easily spilled liquids, and is now raising funds to turn ZIRUI into an "on-the-go" lifestyle brand with multiple products and expand internationally.
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.
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.
