Travel Startup Layla Expands with Acquisition of AI Itinerary Builder Roam Around

Travel startup Layla, supported by leading investors such as firstminute capital, M13, Booking.com co-founder Andy Phillipps, Skyscanner co-founder Barry Smith, and Paris Hilton, has announced its acquisition of the AI-driven itinerary-building bot, Roam Around. Although the deal's valuation remains undisclosed, this acquisition is expected to enhance Layla's offerings significantly.

Founded last year by Shie Gabbai, a former Google employee known for his work on Waze, Roam Around has already secured $1 million in funding from investors including FLYR.com and Jason Calacanis. As part of the acquisition, Roam Around's dedicated team of five will join the Layla family. Remarkably, Roam Around has generated 10 million itineraries and attracts half a million monthly visitors to its platform.

Layla made its public debut last year with its innovative AI-powered bot that assists users in planning trips by aggregating information from diverse sources like Booking.com and Skyscanner. Co-founded by Jeremy Jauncey, founder of the travel agency Beautiful Destinations, Layla benefits from an extensive library of content sourced from travel creators, offering users unique insights and visuals when choosing their destinations.

Saad Saeed, Layla's co-founder, remarked that Roam Around's itinerary-building capabilities and its collaborations with major platforms like TripAdvisor, Kayak, Viator, and GetYourGuide perfectly complement Layla's products. "Roam Around has been the fastest-growing travel AI startup, rapidly gaining traction with its itinerary product. Our strengths in social media align well, providing a mutually beneficial partnership," he explained during a call.

Saeed elaborated on the synergies: "While we focused on optimizing flight predictions and hotel partnerships with Skyscanner and Booking.com, Roam Around emphasized itinerary integration with services like Viator and local restaurants. The merger allows us to combine the best of both worlds."

Integration of Roam Around's offerings has already begun, enabling Layla users to access improved itinerary data. Additionally, Layla's bot will now be featured on Roam Around's website, enhancing user experience across both platforms.

Looking ahead, Saeed indicated that the Roam Around brand will gradually be phased out to achieve full integration with Layla.

In the broader landscape, numerous travel startups, including Kayak and Expedia, are launching GPT Plugins, while Matador Network's GuideGeek tool offers real-time flight updates. Similar to Layla, Matador aims to incorporate influencer videos into its results. In India, navigation company MapMyIndia is backing the startup Kogo, which is developing an AI-driven product aimed at enhancing localized travel experiences.

Keywords: AI travel startup, travel itinerary builder, travel tech, Layla, Roam Around acquisition, travel planning, travel partnerships, innovative travel solutions.