Automatic

💸 Exoticca, a long-distance travel platform, has raised €60 million in a funding round led by Quadrille Capital to further its expansion and improve technology. The company's technology enables a 30% cost reduction and booking time to minutes, connecting local providers with agencies and OTAs. Quadrille Capital led the Series D round with All Iron, ICF, and existing investors 14W, Mangrove, Bonsai, Sabadell, and Aldea. Exoticca has doubled sales annually since 2015, offers trips to over 70 destinations, and aims to build a global brand and open new markets.

🏠 In July 2024, a new chain of tourist apartments will open in Costa Brava. Visitors can access content for free by accepting cookies, or opt for a cookie-free experience by becoming a Premium member, which also offers content privacy and cookie preference settings after login.

💰 A Travelport study on travel retailing for 2024 reveals that 58% of travelers feel overwhelmed by the plethora of options, with 71% experiencing anxiety post-booking, questioning the value they received. Around 56% find airline offers harder to understand, 61% believe flight change penalties have risen, and 66% cite too many hidden fees. Despite direct connection efforts from providers, 80% of travelers say comparing fares is time-consuming, with 69% noting limited information on airline websites. Over half (60%) spend 1-4 hours on planning and comparison, while over a third dedicate over five hours. The study also highlights that 88% of travelers would prefer to see all flight options and fares on one screen, explaining why 54% use comparison sites before purchase. Furthermore, 63% of travelers feel airlines do not prioritize customer service. Internationally, booking experiences vary: 49% of U.S. travelers find flight search more time-consuming than hotels, car rentals, or restaurants, whereas in Germany, South Africa, and the U.K., hotel searches are considered the most time-consuming. Technology and travel agencies are deemed crucial for improving booking processes, suggesting a personalized, efficient customer experience is key to industry evolution.

🚧 María Jose Aguilló, FEHM's executive vice president, reports protests in Mallorca under the slogan "Cambiemos el rumbo, pongamos límites al turismo" against tourism-related issues such as overcrowding, salary drops, quality of life decline, traffic jams, noise, and housing prices. FEHM disapproves of related vandalism. Hoteliers cite problems like 92,000 tourist rental places in the last 8 years and a 40% population increase over 20 years without adequate public transport and infrastructure. Hoteliers urge constructive actions for Mallorca's economy and quality of life.