With the summer travel season in full swing, you may well be daydreaming about setting up your next Out Of Office message.
A record-setting number of Americans are set to jet set this summer and get out of the office. According to Allianz Partners, Americans will spend upwards of $221 billion on summer vacations this year, a 3% increase from last year and a gigantic 118% increase from 2019.
Here are the local travel-focused tech startups you need to know:
* Swiftstay
CEO and co-founder: Ifrah Khan
Not all vacation rental properties are created equal. The prices of Airbnbs have skyrocketed over the past few years, making them a less viable option for many travelers. And none of the traditional travel-focused platforms are designed specifically for adventurers looking to snag last-minute accommodations for a weekend getaway. Atlanta-based Swiftstay is looking to shake up the short-term rental market with what CEO Ifrah Khan describes as the “SoHo house for home exchange.”
Swiftstay’s member-only platform allows for well-traveled individuals to swap homes for a weekend. We first spoke with Khan as the Swiftstay team officially launched this spring in cities across the Southeast. Since then, she said that the concept has really taken off with home and condo owners.
“We also have a huge persona of people with pets who are familiar and have done things where people house and pet sit for them at the same time – they instantly get the idea of Swiftsay,” she told Hypepotamus.
Since launch, she said that their member base has grown strong in Asheville and Chattanooga.
* Travelsist
Founder: Veronica Woodruff
We first caught up with flight attendant turned entrepreneur Veronica Woodruff in early 2022 as her startup Travelsist was gaining traction inside the Atlanta airport as an on-demand personal assistance service and app for travelers.Since then, the team has been making its mark on the travel industry. Woodruff has been featured in The New York Times, TechCrunch, and Essence Magazine.
* Camping Tools
Founder: Robert McMillan
Camping enthusiasts will want to check out Camping Tools before heading out on their next outdoor adventure. The digital platform helps campers organize their trip’s photos and videos while easily journaling about their experience. The platform also has built out a marketplace where people can buy and sell their gear with fellow camping enthusiasts.
The platform officially launched in 2021. There were multiple factors that helped Camping Tools get off the ground, Founder Robert McMillan, who lives in Woodstock, Georgia, told Hypepotamus.
“COVID-19 proved that remote work was viable, and people began exploring RVing and camping. Traditional social media was declining, creating an opening for our niche focus on the camping industry. While we may have been fortunate with timing, it was also about seizing the moment,” he added.
Whether you are a seasoned camper or not, McMillan gave us some suggestions on spots across the Southeast this summer. He recommended Cloudland Canyon in northwest Georgia, Cades Cove in Tennessee, Okefenokee Swamp in Georgia, and Ichetucknee Springs State Park in North Central Florida.
* Flaire
Founder and CEO: Julia Carter
Looking for inspiration for your next European adventure? Or ideas on how to pull off an epic foodie tour around New York? Flaire is a platform that is looking to streamline how we all plan our next big summer vacation.
Founded by Atlanta-based entrepreneur Julia Carter, the platform leverages both social data and artificial intelligence to help users curate, discover, curate, and share travel adventures.
