🇯🇵 Japan’s Tourism Boom

Easy multi-stop travel

Copenhagen-based Tryp.com raised €3.1M to simplify complex itineraries. Born in a dorm room, the startup integrates flights, trains, buses, and hotels into one booking. They’re big on AI, using virtual interlining to stitch together routes that traditional sites miss. It cuts down on guesswork and speeds up group or multi-destination planning.

Now, with more backing, they’re ready to take things further and help the industry craft easier (and more connected) travel experiences.

Travel & Expenses, finally in sync

Barcelona-based TravelPerk just made another power move: acquiring Yokoy and securing a $200M Series E. Their valuation? Now at $2.7B, doubling since their last raise exactly one year ago. January must be their lucky month ✨

If you read our newsleter earlier this month, you know I talked about The Fintech Effect and how travel companies are leaning into payments, expense management, and financial tools. TravelPerk is the latest to jump in, merging travel and expenses into one streamlined platform. With Yokoy’s Swiss-built tech and TravelPerk’s deep inventory, they’re creating a fully automated T&E solution for SMBs and mid-market companies.

Last November, we hosted CEO Avi Meir at the FutureTravel Summit for a fireside chat. He talked about the early days of building TravelPerk, the key moments that got them here, and what’s next. Great to see things unfolding just a couple of months later.

With fresh funding, TravelPerk is doubling down on AI, US expansion, and deeper fintech integrations. The company is betting on tackling one of the biggest headaches in business trips: expenses. Looking forward to see where they take this.

Danish curation of Italian stays

Denmark-based Landfolk just made its first acquisition, bringing Danitalia’s curated Italian vacation homes under its umbrella. Founder Elisabeth Hjorth will stay on as Italy Country Manager, leading the expansion. This follows Landfolk’s €10.3M Series A and rising demand for authentic, locally immersive stays.

As they grow beyond Scandinavia, Landfolk is stepping into one of Europe’s top leisure destinations. As more travelers seek unique stays, platforms like Landfolk are growing fast. And consolidation is picking up in the vacation rental space.

Less Stress for MICE

Paris-based Naboo just raised €20M in a Series A led by Notion Capital. Their AI-powered platform simplifies corporate event planning, venue booking, travel logistics, and team retreats. As remote work drives demand for in-person gatherings, tools like this are becoming essential.

The funding will fuel UK expansion in 2025, followed by Germany and Spain. Their solution also integrates carbon tracking and budget management, keeping companies aligned with sustainability and travel policies.

I see a loooot of funding announcements, but their video is one of the best in a long time. It’s fresh, fun, and actually enjoyable to watch. Well done :)

Bridging air gaps

airBaltic is teaming up with Latin American startup SUA Líneas Aéreas in a new partnership. Starting October 2025, airBaltic will wet lease up to five Airbus A220-300s to SUA and support them with operations, pilot training, and sustainability initiatives.

If you haven’t heard about SUA yet - it’s because they are planning to launch by late 2025, connecting key cities in Uruguay, Argentina, Brazil, and Chile.

Getting around Latin America by air often means long waits and limited routes. This partnership helps change that. airBaltic taps into a high-growth region, while SUA gets the boost it needs to take off. And for traveleres, this means better choices and more competition.

Meanwhile, airBaltic is gaining momentum in Europe. Lufthansa just acquired a 10% stake, ahead of airBaltic’s planned 2026 IPO. This funds their expansion and could lead to deeper collaboration in the future.

Simplifying group travel

Founded in 2023, Mygocu just raised €463,000 to centralize the whole process of planning group trips and make life easier for travel agencies, tour operators, and event organizers. It’s a huge but outdated market.

The startup already processed over 60k bookings across 7 countries, with strong traction in Spain, France, and Italy. Now, with fresh backing, they’re gearing up to expand across Europe and help finally ditch outdated processes for good.