Bookingkit

About Bookingkit

Bookingkit operates as a key technology infrastructure provider for the tours, activities, and attractions sector, which stands as the third-largest segment within the tourism industry. The company was founded in Berlin in 2014 by Christoph Kruse and Lukas C. C. Hempel, who identified a significant gap in the market after observing the manual, offline processes common among experience providers. The initial idea was tested by pitching the concept with only PowerPoint slides to the first ten clients before the actual software was built within a month. This early validation led to securing their first investment from High-Tech Gründerfonds (HTGF).

The core of Bookingkit's offering is a Software-as-a-Service (SaaS) platform that enables operators of leisure activities to digitize and manage their businesses. The platform provides a suite of tools including an online booking engine for providers' own websites, administration and management of reservations, and an integrated payment system. This allows businesses to accept bookings 24/7, manage timeslot tickets, and synchronize availability in real-time across all channels. The company's business model combines a recurring monthly subscription fee from its customers with a transactional component, earning a share of each booking, which aligns its success with that of its clients.

A significant component of the platform is its function as a channel manager. It acts as a two-way digital infrastructure, connecting activity providers' inventory to a wide network of online travel agencies (OTAs) and other marketing channels, such as Google Things to do. This real-time synchronization of availability and data maximizes distribution and reach for providers while offering a vast, bookable inventory for resellers. The company has also developed "bookingkit Reach," a B2B sales platform that streamlines the reselling process for partners like hotels and tourist offices, reducing administrative effort by approximately 90%. Throughout its history, Bookingkit has secured several rounds of funding, including a Series D in June 2023, with consistent backing from investors like Intermedia Vermögensverwaltungs, Müller Medien, and HTGF.