Israel's 10 Best Travel Tech Start-Ups

Jerusalem-based Aspectiva uses artificial intelligence (AI) and natural language processing to analyse consumer opinions from across the web, turning them into comprehensive and valuable insights.

Founders Ezra Daya and Eyal Hurwitz found that while travellers often ‘turn to customer reviews for advice, they are only left more confused by the massive amount of customer opinions that were often irrelevant to their own personal concerns’. By generating personalised recommendations, Aspectiva gives travellers looking for anything from hotel reviews to restaurant recommendations the power to make more informed decisions, while brands benefit from increased online conversion rates.

Nes Tziona-based SeeVoov has developed a trip planning concept around an interactive video planner.

Users start by choosing a destination and the kind of vacation they’d like to have in that country (from ‘sightseeing’ to ‘gastronomy’), and are presented with videos about popular tourist attractions, restaurants or museums in those locations. After choosing the points of interest that look most appealing, SeeVoov generates a trip plan, enabling users to book flights, hotels and other reservations without leaving the platform.

Tel Aviv-based FairFly maximises savings on business travel by tracking flights after booking.

The real-time data platform, backed by Waze founder Uri Levine, monitors flight fluctuations after a purchase. If the price of a flight drops so far that the potential savings make up for the cancellation fee, FairFly automatically cancels the original itinerary and books the new one.

New York City-based, Israel-founded Roomer is an online marketplace for selling and buying discounted hotel reservations.

Travellers who can’t use their pre-booked hotel rooms due to a last-minute change of plans can post their reservation on Roomer. The platform then verifies the booking and allows other travellers to purchase the discounted spaces, saving both parties money.

Tel Aviv-based Arbitrip is reducing business travel costs with AI by giving travellers tailored room recommendations and tracking price fluctuations after point of purchase.

If a room drops in price, Arbitrip will automatically rebook at the cheaper rate. If a nicer room or a better hotel becomes available for the same price, the platform will upgrade the booking at no extra cost.

Tel Aviv-based Simgo offers travellers virtual mobile phone SIMs, letting people roam the globe without replacing their physical SIM card.

Simgo users can choose their own mobile phone operator anywhere in the world and never have to fear going off-grid.

Jerusalem-based Bitemojo offers self-guided food tours with nothing but a mobile phone.

The app takes users on a journey through the given community’s history, identifying key points of interest and local cuisine along the route.

Haifa-based Pruvo tracks existing hotel reservations and notifies travelers when the price drops.

Users email their reservation to Pruvo and if a price shift is detected, are given the option to cancel and rebook at a lower price.

Tel Aviv-based Bidflyer auctions airline’s unsold seats to travellers in real time.

Benefiting both airlines and their customers, BidFlyer users gain from attractive prices while airlines profit on otherwise unsold stock.

For more on the start-up nation’s tech scene, read about the rise of Tel Aviv’s tech hubs.