Travel startup Layla, with backing from firstminute capital, M13, Booking.com co-founder Andy Phillips, Skyscanner co-founder Barry Smith, and Paris Hilton, has announced its acquisition of AI-powered itinerary building bot Roam Around. The financial details of the deal have not been disclosed.
Key Takeaway
Layla, a travel startup, has acquired Roam Around, an AI itinerary building bot, to enhance its trip planning capabilities and expand its user base.
Layla’s Acquisition of Roam Around
Roam Around, founded by Shie Gabbai, a former Google employee who worked on Waze, secured $1 million in funding from investors such as FLYR.com and Jason Calacanis. As part of the acquisition, Roam Around’s team of five will be joining Layla. The company has already generated 10 million itineraries, attracting half a million monthly visitors to its site.
Layla’s AI-Powered Trip Planning
Layla, which launched publicly last year, offers an AI-powered bot that assists users in planning their trips by aggregating information from various sources, including Booking.com and Skyscanner. Co-founded by Jeremy Jauncey, the founder of travel agency Beautiful Destinations, Layla leverages a vast library of content from travel creators to provide users with unique views and clips when they are researching destinations.
Saad Saeed, co-founder of Layla, emphasized that Roam Around’s strengths in itinerary building and partnerships with platforms such as TripAdvisor, Kayak, Viator, and GetYourGuide complement Layla’s existing product offerings. The integration of Roam Around’s product into Layla’s platform aims to provide users with improved itinerary data.
Layla has already begun the process of integrating Roam Around’s product, allowing users to access enhanced itinerary data. Conversely, Layla has also deployed its bot on Roam Around’s site. Saeed revealed that the startup plans to gradually phase out the Roam Around brand and fully integrate it with Layla.
Notably, other travel startups such as Kayak and Expedia have introduced GPT Plugins, while Matador Network’s GuideGeek tool displays real-time flight details. Similarly, Layla’s approach aligns with Matador’s strategy of incorporating influencer videos into search results. In India, navigation company MapMyIndia has supported Kogo, a startup focused on developing an AI-based product to enhance travel experiences with a localized approach.
