Whiteboard in our office (Technopark Zurich)

We are currently sourcing companies offering tours & activities in the Top 20 travel destinations of the world, as well as in Switzerland, Austria & Germany (strengthening the homebase…).  The idea behind this acquisition strategy is to build a strong local network here in the German speaking countries, where the competition is weak (so far) and where we are rooted and thus have good access to suppliers and distributors alike. On the other hand we need to serve potential B2B partners in the travel space (Online Travel Agents, Travel Communities etc.) from the first second, providing them with appropriate content in the destinations, they make most money in. The resulting list of target destinations is compiled on our whiteboard, which you can see here:

Each day we are working ourselves further down the list, sourcing dozens of potential customers in each of the places listed above. Currently, we have covered central Switzerland, London, Vienna, Prague, Paris and some Berlin. Following a couple of basic learnings we have made already along the way of this first global sourcing effort:

1. The competition only covers the tip of the iceberg using their “hand-picked tours” approach: There is plenty more colorful fish in the ocean, which might not fit their mainstream approach, is very interesting nonetheless!
2. The Long Tail in Tours & Activities is not as obscure as you might think: Although some offers are definitely niche content, there are professionals focussing on these very specific services, building a reputation and brand around it. For instance in the field of biking tours a very vivid, professional and interconnected scene has emerged (see for instance Pedal Power in Vienna)
3. The market cries for a better standard: Apart from one or two companies and its affiliates, there are just one million separate websites that all look different and offer different functionality. As a customer, you have no idea where to start and need to apply some really hardcore tricks on the search engine (or knowledge of the location) to get to interesting content.

So far a first oversight…more updates, as soon as the sourcing is further down the road…

One of the contest sponsors of GetYourGuide’s Tour de Suisse is Bettmeralp. Many people have asked us about where Bettmeralp is located and what you can do there, which is why we decided to release a special Blog post on this great place. Bettmeralp is located in Valais and is part of the UNESCO World Heritage Site Jungfrau-Aletsch-Bietschhorn.

The sun-spoiled village of Bettmeralp is situated at 2,000 meters (6,561 ft) above sea level and is a perfect holiday destination, as you can combine nature and sports. Whether you take varied hiking tours in summer or enjoy unforgettable skiing days in winter, Bettmeralp, the family-friendly and car-free village, provides the perfect framework for carefree and relaxing days far away from routine and the hectic pace of the world.

A very special point to Bettmeralp is that families are really a core element of the philosophy. Bettmeralp aims to provide a vacation according to the needs of kids and their parents or accompanying persons. Welcoming families is at the heart of what they do and is not just a marketing gag. It is also supported by the undersigned tourism service providers and by local residents. In line with the needs of the families at their vacation destination, Bettmeralp recognizes the quality criteria that are required by each resort, and which are checked periodically by independent experts. They guarantee to stick to the quality criteria and constantly endeavor to improve family offers and incorporate new ideas.

If you are looking for a good place to spend your winter vacation at – check it out! There are several good deals for hotels and ski passes on the Bettmeralp website.