TripAbrood

TripAbrood was a travel technology company established in 2019 with a specific focus on the family travel market. The firm was founded by Alexa-Maria Rathbone Barker, who previously served as the European Head of Analytics for Bloomberg, and Ketan Anand, a former Engineering Lead at Lloyds Banking Group. The inspiration for the company stemmed directly from Rathbone Barker's own frustrations as a mother of three, who found the process of finding and booking suitable family holidays online to be time-consuming and inefficient.

The company operated as an online travel agent, distinguished by its use of artificial intelligence to provide a personalized booking experience. Its core product was a virtual family travel assistant named 'Skye', designed to understand the specific needs and preferences of a family and match them with relevant holiday options. This AI-driven platform aimed to significantly reduce the search and booking time for family vacations, from an estimated 30 hours down to just 10 minutes. By creating a profile and detailing their preferences, users received tailored recommendations for accommodations and holiday packages. This approach targeted a market segment that the founders felt was overlooked by one-size-fits-all online booking platforms.

TripAbrood's business model was centered on providing a more relevant and streamlined booking process for busy families, who often struggle to find new and suitable travel options online. The company secured approximately £1 million in total funding across two seed rounds, attracting investment from notable figures in the travel and finance industries, including former executives from Barclays Ventures, American Express, Expedia, and Hertz. After a beta launch in September 2020, the company reported a 10% conversion rate, which was higher than the industry average. Despite its initial traction and industry awards, including Startup of the Year at the Travolution Awards 2020, TripAbrood entered voluntary liquidation in January 2023.

Keywords: family travel, AI travel assistant, personalized travel, online travel agent, holiday booking, family holidays, travel technology, Alexa-Maria Rathbone Barker, Ketan Anand, virtual travel assistant, Skye AI, family vacation planning, travel discovery, UK travel tech, seed funding, travel startup, accommodation booking, bespoke holidays, travel personalization, family-friendly hotels