HolidayIQ.com is an online travel community and information portal powered by user-generated content. Travel information is generated through varied forms of content including reviews, photographs, videos and interactive travel forums. The website is not a travel agent and does not do any bookings directly. It is a repository of travel information that connects travellers to each other and to hoteliers, tour operators and online travel agents. [1] [2]
Description
editHolidayIQ.com is owned by Leisure & Lifestyle Information Services Pvt. Ltd. The company operates in the leisure travel space in India. In addition to being a travel information portal, the company also creates products for hoteliers and travel agents in India. [2]
Based on traveller insights, the website provides information to visitors to the website. The company has investments from Tiger Global Management and Accel Partners. [2] Headquartered in Bangalore, HolidayIQ.com has offices in Delhi, Mumbai and Kolkata. According to HolidayIQ.com, it is India’s largest holiday information portal powered by India's first & biggest travel community. The website claims to ‘unleash the power of user opinions to create a smarter Indian traveller.’[4]
HolidayIQ.com does not hold any transactions with consumers. It connects travellers to its travel partners and follows the 'cost per search' business model to earn revenue. HolidayIQ.com claims to have close to 30,000 hotels and 1,500 destinations listed on its website.[5]
History
editIn 2004, Hari Nair, Founder & CEO of HolidayIQ.com founded the company. Since 2004, the company has received funding from Tiger Global Management and Accel Partners. [6] http://www.nextbigwhat.com/holidayiq-funding-297/
HolidayIQ.com merged with the Singapore-based travel search company Wego in 2010. However, the companies de-merged in 2013. [3] On October 31, 2012, HolidaylQ.com launched a campaign called 'Goa to the power of HolidaylQ'. [4]The initiative aimed at improving traveller experience in Goa. Key hotels of Goa were given customized tablets called the hiq!PAD that is preloaded with an application that enables guests at the hotel to share reviews about their stay.
In 2012, HolidayIQ.com also launched its new look, with a completely re-designed home page, site-search and a simplified top navigation menu. [5]
References
1. http://techcircle.vccircle.com/2013/02/14/holidayiq-ceo-on-the-firms-merger-and-demerger-with-wego-latest-round-of-funding-and-future-plans/
2. http://articles.economictimes.indiatimes.com/2013-02-06/news/36949772_1_holidayiq-accel-partners-travel-agents
3. http://www.afaqs.com/news/company_briefs/index.html?id=55968_HolidayIQ.com+launches+CenterStage+an+effective+online+hotel+advertising+product
4. http://www.afaqs.com/news/company_briefs/index.html?id=55968_HolidayIQ.com+launches+CenterStage+an+effective+online+hotel+advertising+product
http://articles.economictimes.indiatimes.com/2013-02-06/news/36949772_1_holidayiq-accel-partners-travel-agents
2. http://www.holidayiq.com/about-us/info-for-press#factsheet
3. http://www.medianama.com/2013/02/223-holidayiq-wego-tiger-accel/
4. http://articles.timesofindia.indiatimes.com/2012-11-01/goa/34856235_1_hotel-reviews-goa-remo-fernandes
5. http://www.holidayiq.com/about-us/whats-new-discovery
HolidayIQ (in box)
Type: Private Industry: Travel services Founded: 2004 Founder: Hari Nair Headquarters: Bangalore, Karnataka, India Key people: Amit Shrivastava, Senior VP, Engineering
Vijay Anand, Senior VP, Operations
Sushant Sreeram, VP, Marketing
Products: Hotel listing, package listing, travel information Website: HolidayIQ.com References: More than 50 lakh monthly UV, over 1 million reviews