Hotel Urbano

The firm operates as a comprehensive digital travel platform, enabling customers to search, compare, and book a wide array of travel products, including flights, accommodations, and all-inclusive vacation packages. A core component of its business strategy involves negotiating discounted rates with travel suppliers on unsold inventory, which it then offers to a broad consumer base. The company generates revenue through the sale of these travel products on its platform. Over the years, Hurb has secured substantial funding, with investment rounds involving notable firms like Insight Venture Partners, Tiger Global Management, and a significant $60 million investment from The Priceline Group in 2015. This capital has fueled its expansion, allowing the company to serve millions of travelers across more than 35,000 destinations globally.

The company's history includes periods of significant change in leadership and ownership structure. In late 2015, the founding brothers stepped down from their management roles, ceding majority control to investors with plans for an IPO, though they remained on the board. They later returned to active management in 2016 after a buy-back from investment funds. More recently, the company has faced considerable challenges, including a high volume of customer complaints and legal actions related to unfulfilled travel packages sold during the pandemic. These issues, coupled with controversial public statements, led to João Ricardo Mendes resigning as CEO in April 2023.