GetYourGuide raises almost half a billion dollars

GetYourGuidehas announced that it has successfully completed the Series E financing led by the SoftBank Vision Fund, the risk capital arm of the Japanese telecoms group Softbank, raising 484 million US dollars. The financing round was joined by risk capital firms Temasek, Lakestar, Korelya Capital and Heartcore Capita. As part of the investment, Ted Fike, Partner at SoftBank Investment Advisers, will join GetYourGuide’s Board of Directors.

GetYourGuide provides a booking platform by the same name via which users can book tours and activities all over the world. Since it was founded in 2009, travelers from over 155 countries have booked more than 25 million tours and activities via GetYourGuide. GetYourGuide plans to invest the Series E funding in broadening its global inventory of experiences, enhancing the booking experience for users and diversifying its marketing channels to reach even more travelers around the world.

“Consumers, especially millennials, are spending an increasing portion of their disposable income on travel experiences,” says Ted Fike. “We believe GetYourGuide is leading this seismic shift by consolidating the fragmented global supply base of tour operators and modernizing access for travelers globally.“

GetYourGuide was founded as a spin-off of the Swiss Federal Institute of Technology in Zurich (ETH). The company is currently headquartered in Berlin, but is also expanding its base in its home city of Zurich.