Gidsy

Gidsy emerged in the online marketplace sector as a platform for booking authentic local experiences, positioning itself as a competitor to services like Airbnb's Experiences. The company was founded in 2011 by Edial Dekker, Floris van Rijn, and Philipp Wassibauer. The platform facilitated transactions between individuals offering unique activities and those seeking them, operating on a peer-to-peer model. It catered to travelers and locals who wanted to engage in non-traditional tours and workshops, such as a private graffiti workshop in Berlin.

The business model centered on taking a commission from the bookings made through the site. Gidsy's key value proposition was the curation of unique, community-driven experiences that were not available through conventional travel agencies. The platform provided a space for locals to monetize their skills and hobbies while offering users a more immersive way to explore a city.

In a significant market development, Gidsy was acquired by the competing travel activity marketplace, GetYourGuide, in April 2013. The acquisition was aimed at consolidating the market and leveraging Gidsy's strong community and brand identity. Following the acquisition, the Gidsy platform and brand were discontinued, with its operations and team being integrated into GetYourGuide to enhance the latter's offerings in the tours and activities space.

Keywords: experience marketplace, local activities, peer-to-peer, travel tech, online booking, community platform, user-generated content, acquisition, GetYourGuide, tours and activities