Your Guide to Launching an Online Travel Marketplace Platform

The travel and experiences industry has undergone a great transformation in recent years. The reason behind this is travelers are seeking personalized experiences and unique adventures. The demand for tailored travel services has skyrocketed. This shift has led to the creation of online travel marketplaces where consumers can easily discover and book tailored experiences. These platforms are reshaping the way travelers explore new places, connect with locals, and create memorable experiences.

Online travel markets connect service providers with travelers. Small travel operators, adventure guides, travel startups, and local service providers have an equal opportunity to reach a global audience. This has led more businesses to adopt third-party models and cater to niche tourism needs.

This blog will explore why building a market for travel and experiences is a lucrative idea, what types of marketplaces are best suited for this industry, and how to build a successful platform. It will also discuss the key features, monetization strategies, marketing techniques, and the future trends shaping this dynamic sector.

1. Why Should You Build an Online Travel Marketplace Platform

The growing demand for unique travel experiences has paved the way for building online marketplaces. The global travel and tourism market is currently at $600 billion and only expected to grow.

Travelers are no longer satisfied with generic vacation packages; they crave authentic, personalized journeys. This increasing demand for customized user experiences presents an excellent opportunity for businesses in the travel industry to create value for customers.

Platforms like Airbnb and GetYourGuide have revealed how lucrative the marketplace model can be. They have set a precedent for niche markets tailored to specific segments of travel and experiences, such as adventure travel, wellness retreats, or cultural immersions.

Marketplace ideas:

• Heritage Travel: Focuses on exploring historical landmarks, cultural heritage, and traditions.
• Adventure Travel: Involves activities that are physically challenging and adrenaline-pumping.
• Eco-Tourism: Emphasizes conservation and responsible travel to natural areas.
• Culinary Trips: Centers around exploring a region’s local food and drink.
• Religious Travel: Focuses on visiting spiritual or religious sites.
• Wildlife Trips: Involves observing animals in their natural habitats.
• Sports Travel: Traveling to participate in or watch sporting events.
• Business Tourism: Involves travel for business-related purposes like conferences or meetings.
• Health and Wellness Tourism: Focuses on improving health through spa treatments, meditation, or fitness retreats.
• Agri-Tourism: Focuses on rural farm stays and activities related to agriculture.
• Luxury Travel: Involves high-end experiences in exclusive locations with premium services.
• Sustainable Trips: Focuses on minimizing the negative impact on the environment while promoting conservation.

Now is the right time to launch a travel marketplace that serves the growing needs of experience-driven travelers.

2. Types of Marketplaces and Their Key Features

Here's a breakdown of types of marketplaces in the travel experience niche, along with their key features:

I. Service bookings marketplace

• Such marketplaces connect travelers with local service providers for various travel-related services like guided tours, adventure activities, cultural experiences, and personalized services.
• Key Features:
  • Instant Booking & Scheduling: Allow travelers to view availability and book services directly.
  • Reviews & Ratings: User-generated reviews help validate the quality and authenticity of services.
  • Multi-language & Currency Support: Essential for catering to international travelers.
  • Mobile-Friendly Interface: Most travelers book experiences on the go, so a mobile-optimized platform is key.
  • Secure Payment System: Provides secure options for online payments, often supporting various payment methods.
  • Service Categorization & Filters: Allows users to easily browse by category, location, activity type, and duration.
  • Cancellation & Refund Policies: Clearly outlined policies for cancellations and refunds, critical for service-based bookings.
  • Real-Time Customer Support: Provides support via chat, email, or phone to address last-minute traveler questions or concerns.

II. P2P rental marketplace

• A peer-to-peer (P2P) rental marketplace connects individual property owners (or vehicle owners, equipment lenders) with travelers seeking temporary rentals.
• Key Features:
  • Listing Management for Hosts: A dashboard for property or vehicle owners to list, manage, and update their rental offerings.
  • Advanced Search & Filtering: Enables travelers to filter by location, price, amenities, property type, and reviews.
  • Calendar & Availability Management: Allows hosts to control booking availability and block dates for accurate scheduling.
  • Trust and Verification Tools: Identity verification, background checks, and safety protocols for both hosts and guests to build trust.
  • Flexible Payment Options & Security Deposits: Secure payments, often with options for installment plans or pay-at-checkout. Security deposits are sometimes held for higher-value rentals.
  • Damage Protection & Insurance: Options for renters and hosts to insure against damages, commonly provided as an add-on or partner service.
  • Two-Way Reviews: Ratings for both hosts and travelers to establish transparency and reliability.
  • Community Guidelines & Policies: Clear policies around cancellations, damages, and guest conduct.

III. Tours & activities marketplace

• Marketplaces focused exclusively on tours and activities connect travelers with local tour guides, group activities, and planned experiences.
• Key Features:
  • Detailed Tour Descriptions: In-depth details about each tour or activity, including duration, itinerary, requirements, and group size.
  • Real-Time Availability & Booking: Real-time calendar updates and quick booking to accommodate last-minute planners.
  • User-Generated Content: Photo galleries, reviews, and testimonials from previous travelers to enhance reliability.
  • Guide Profiles & Expertise Verification: Information on the guides, their experience, and language proficiency.
  • Multi-Destination & Package Deals: Option to bundle activities across multiple locations or offer multi-day tour packages.
  • Customization & Add-ons: Options to personalize experiences, like choosing private vs. group tours or adding meal packages.
  • Geo-Based Recommendations: Location-based suggestions for tours or activities based on where the user is currently located.
  • Support for Multiple Languages: Critical for ensuring a smooth experience for international users.

IV. Accommodation marketplace

• These marketplaces cater specifically to travel accommodations, offering options beyond traditional hotels, including vacation rentals, home stays, and boutique lodging.
• Key Features:
  • Map View & Search: Allows travelers to view available accommodations based on geographic location.
  • Flexible Booking Policies: Various booking options, from instant booking to reservation requests.
  • Detailed Listing Pages: High-quality images, amenities list, property rules, and nearby attractions.
  • Safety & Verification: Background checks and safety protocols for hosts and guests.
  • Multiple Payment Options & Currency Support: For ease of payment across regions.
  • Loyalty & Rewards Program: Incentives for returning guests, like discounts or exclusive offers.

V. Local guides & freelancers marketplace

• A marketplace that connects travelers with local freelancers like photographers, translators, personal guides, or even local chefs.
• Key Features:
  • Freelancer Profiles & Portfolios: Showcase each professional's experience, certifications, and skills.
  • Booking & Availability Calendar: Freelancers can manage their schedules and accept bookings directly through the platform.
  • One-to-One Messaging: Direct communication channel between travelers and freelancers to discuss services and expectations.
  • Verification & Background Checks: Ensures trustworthiness and reliability for one-on-one experiences.
  • Personalization Options: Allows travelers to request specific types of experiences or service customizations.
  • Rating & Review System: Feedback from previous customers to maintain service quality.

3. Strategies to Overcome Challenges in Building a Marketplace

Building a market has its own challenges, especially in the travel and experiences sector. However, these hurdles can be overcome with the right strategies that help in the travel marketplace platform development.

I. Vendor acquisition and onboarding

• Challenges: Attracting quality vendors, simplifying the onboarding process, and encouraging vendor retention are common hurdles.
• Shipturtle Solutions:
  • Incentive Programs: Shipturtle’s platform can support flexible commission structures and referral programs to attract vendors by incentivizing initial sales and vendor referrals.
  • Streamlined Onboarding: Shipturtle simplifies onboarding by providing easy-to-use vendor dashboards, pre-built integrations, and automation tools that guide vendors step-by-step. It can also support vendors with mobile app for on-the-go management.
  • Onboard offline vendors: Shipturtle's configurable dashboard enables you to connect with offline vendors via cloud dashboard.
  • Automated Training & Support: By providing onboarding tutorials, automated checklists, and continuous support, Shipturtle helps vendors start with confidence, reducing early churn.

II. Building customer trust

• Challenges: Trust is paramount in travel, where customers need reassurance about safety, quality, and service reliability.
• Shipturtle Solutions:
  • Robust Review and Rating System: Shipturtle’s built-in review system allows customers to rate their experiences, which builds transparency and trust. This feedback mechanism holds vendors accountable and helps customers make informed decisions.
  • Clear Refund & Cancellation Policies: Shipturtle’s platform allows for transparent, customizable refund and cancellation policies, helping marketplaces establish fair and clear practices that increase customer confidence.
  • Customer Support Integration: Shipturtle’s integration capabilities mean marketplaces can easily connect customer service tools, providing travelers with fast support and dispute resolution.

III. Scaling the marketplace

• Challenges: As the marketplace grows, maintaining quality control, handling large volumes of transactions, and managing vendor operations become complex.
• Shipturtle Solutions:
  • Vendor Management Automation: Shipturtle automates many repetitive tasks, such as order and payment processing, inventory updates, and performance tracking, reducing the burden on marketplace admins.
  • Scalable Infrastructure: Shipturtle supports seamless scalability, handling growth in vendor numbers and transaction volumes without slowing performance. This allows you to manage hundreds or thousands of vendors as your marketplace expands.
  • Quality Control Tools: Shipturtle enables performance tracking through dashboards, KPIs, and reporting features, allowing marketplaces to monitor vendor activity, maintain quality standards, and identify top-performing vendors to incentivize further.

IV. Enhanced user experience and personalization

• Challenges: Providing a personalized and convenient experience for users helps increase retention and customer satisfaction.
• Shipturtle Solutions:
  • Flexible Search & Filtering: Shipturtle’s customizable platform allows you to create intuitive search and filtering options for users, helping them find tailored experiences based on preferences like location, price, and rating.
  • Personalized Recommendations: Shipturtle can integrate with recommendation engines that suggest relevant vendors or experiences based on user behavior, making the platform more engaging.

V. Data-driven insights for growth

• Challenges: Identifying growth opportunities and making data-informed decisions are critical for sustained success.
• Shipturtle Solutions:
  • Analytics and Reporting: Shipturtle provides detailed analytics on customer behavior, vendor performance, and booking trends. These insights allow marketplace owners to refine strategies, optimize offerings, and target marketing efforts.
  • Vendor Insights: Shipturtle’s vendor-specific analytics help vendors understand their performance, see their best-selling offerings, and make improvements based on data, which in turn benefits the entire marketplace.

5. Top 5 Travel and Tourism Marketplaces

I. Airbnb

Airbnb is a peer-to-peer marketplace that allows hosts to rent their homes or offer unique experiences. It’s one of the most popular platforms in the global travel market.

Key Factors of Success:

• Unique Experiences: Airbnb offers curated local experiences along with lodging, allowing travelers to enjoy authentic, one-of-a-kind activities.
• Global Reach: With listings in over 220 countries and regions, Airbnb provides access to a wide variety of rooms and experiences.
• Trust System: Airbnb’s review system and user ratings on its travel website help build trust between hosts and guests, ensuring a high standard of quality.
• User-Friendly Interface: The platform’s intuitive design and easy-to-navigate mobile application enhance customer satisfaction, making reservations simple.
• Flexible Business Model: Airbnb adapts to different market needs, offering both budget-friendly accommodations and luxury stays, which broadens its customer base.

II. Viator

Viator, owned by TripAdvisor, is a B2C travel platform specializing in tours, activities, and unique experiences. It connects travelers with tour operators and local guides.

Key Factors of Success:

• Diverse Offerings: Viator features a wide range of experiences, from city tours and outdoor adventures to niche travel activities catering to all types of travelers.
• Strong Partnership Network: The platform collaborates with local tour operators worldwide, giving customers a seamless user experience in over 2,500 destinations.
• Integration with TripAdvisor: Viator benefits from its association with TripAdvisor, leveraging customer reviews and ratings to boost reservations.
• Book Now, Pay Later: This payment flexibility appeals to travelers who want to secure their plans but pay later.
• Excellent Customer Support: Viator provides 24/7 customer service and offers easy cancellation options, enhancing customer trust and satisfaction.

‍III. Expedia

Expedia is a B2C platform that offers a wide array of travel services, from flights and hotels to car rentals and vacation experiences.

Key Factors of Success:

• All-in-One Platform: Expedia’s ability to bundle travel services—flights, hotels, and experiences—makes it a convenient option for travelers planning their trips.
• Global Presence: With listings in nearly every country, the platform has a massive reach. It allows online booking to help users book tours and activities from virtually anywhere in the world.
• Loyalty Programs: The Rewards program encourages users to book on the platform by offering discounts, points, and member-only benefits.
• Powerful Search Filters: The user-friendly platform offers extensive filtering options for users to find what they need, whether it’s a specific price range, activity type, or hotel category.
• Mobile Optimization: With a dedicated mobile app and exclusive app-only deals, it caters to travelers on the go, ensuring an easy experience.

IV. GetYourGuide

GetYourGuide is a popular online travel company that connects travelers with tours, activities, and attractions worldwide. It meets travelers expectations and focuses heavily on providing exceptional experiences and services.

Key Factors of Success:

• Quality Control: GetYourGuide partners with top-rated local providers and ensures all listings meet a high standard, giving travelers confidence in their reservations.
• Easy-to-Use App: The app offers smooth booking, ticket access, and real-time updates, greatly enhancing the overall travel experience.
• Customer Reviews and Photos: Detailed customer reviews and user-uploaded photos give potential buyers a clearer picture of what to expect.
• Exclusive Access: GetYourGuide offers authentic experiences, including skip-the-line tickets to major attractions, differentiating it from competitors.
• Flexible Cancellations: The platform allows free cancellations up to 24 hours before the activity, giving travelers peace of mind.

V. Klook

Klook is an online travel agency (OTA) and experiences platform primarily catering to Asian markets but with a growing global presence. It offers tours, transportation, and attraction tickets.

Key Factors of Success:

• Mobile Focus: Klook has developed a technology platform for travelers who prefer to book experiences on the go.
• Exclusive Deals: Klook frequently offers exclusive discounts and promotions on popular attractions, which attracts budget-conscious travelers.
• Diverse Range of Activities: Klook provides access to various experiences, from local tours and transportation services to amusement park tickets.
• Seamless Booking Process: The platform simplifies the reservation process by providing instant confirmation and e-vouchers, enhancing convenience for users.
• Localized Offerings: Klook focuses heavily on regional markets, particularly in Asia, allowing it to offer more culturally relevant and localized experiences for travelers.

These platforms stand out by offering innovative, easy-to-use features and creating trust among service providers and travelers worldwide. Their ability to adapt to market trends, provide diverse travel experiences, and maintain a focus on customer satisfaction has contributed to their continued success.