Booking Booster Program, the three-week Netherlands-based accelerator run by US-headquartered travel booking platform Booking.com, has selected 10 startups to participate in its third edition.
The initiative helps 10 emerging companies with business development each year. Booking.com professionals will mentor the participants throughout the year, and the finalists are also entitled to endowments of different ticket sizes from its €2m ($2.2m) fund.
Australia-based sustainable utilities technology developer Okra Solar and Colombia-based experiential travel agency Impulse Travel ranked top and have received approximately $450,000 each.
India-based immersion tourism operator NotOnMap and Netherlands-based automated drone developer Avy secured $280,000 and $220,000 respectively, while Nepal-based hiking training provider Sasane Sisterhood Trekking and Travel and Malaysia-based halal catering service Picha Eats each got $200,000.
The scheme also awarded $110,000 each to Australia-based ethical immersive tourism provider Clean Travel, France-based water resources manager Hydrao, Netherlands-based local tour platform developer I Like Local and Indonesia-based hotel and restaurant facilities operator Sumba Hospitality Foundation.
Gillian Tans, president and chief executive of Booking.com, said: “We have long believed that technology is a powerful instrument for good, including when it comes to sustainable travel.
“I am so proud of each and every one of these passionate change-makers and am looking forward to following their progress and supporting them as they seek to transform their visions into reality, helping to keep the destinations that we all love happy and healthy for decades to come.”
