WAUG

About WAUG

WAUG Travel Inc., operating as WAUG, is a South Korean online travel agency that has established itself in the tour and activity booking sector. Founded in 2015 by CEO Yoon Sunwoo and co-founder Hyemi Jung, the company launched its platform in 2016 to digitize the booking process for travel experiences at a time when online reservations were mostly limited to flights and hotels. The name WAUG is an acronym for "Where are you going?", positioning itself as a travel companion for discovering and booking activities.

Headquartered in Seoul, with an office in Singapore, WAUG operates as an online marketplace where users can search, compare prices, and book a wide array of travel products. The platform initially focused on adrenaline and adventure activities abroad but has since expanded its inventory significantly. Today, it offers thousands of products across over 170 cities, including theme park tickets, museum passes, dining vouchers, transportation, and unique local tours. A notable component of its offering is the "WAUG Pink" series, its own brand of private-labeled tours operating in several countries.

The company's business model centers on its mobile-first platform, with a high percentage of payments processed through its app. It generates revenue by acting as a sales broker for the activities and services listed, connecting millions of global users with travel product providers. The platform supports multiple languages, including Korean, English, and Japanese, to cater to a global user base. To enhance user engagement, WAUG offers features like instant confirmation, mobile vouchers for quick access, and a loyalty program where users earn points on transactions that can be used for future bookings.

Since its inception, WAUG has secured significant financial backing to fuel its expansion. The company has progressed through multiple funding rounds, including a Series A in 2016, a $2.39 million investment from Global Taxfree in 2017, and a Series C round that raised approximately $9.8 million in 2019, followed by another $10 million in 2021. By August 2017, just over a year after launch, the platform was reportedly the largest of its kind in Korea, with 80,000 monthly transactions. The company continues to target travelers, primarily in their 20s to 40s, by offering curated experiences and a seamless booking process.