App developer and tech startup Zonetail Inc. tells MMW that it has raised $2.3 million CDN in Series A financing through private investors.
The round of financing will help further develop its “anchored local” white-label hotel app, and grow its market and revenue.
If you’re not familiar, Zonetail calls itself the world’s first free mobile app and platform, custom branded to hotels, which connects guests to the full range of hotel services and businesses in the surrounding neighbourhood.
“People don’t just check into a hotel, they check into the neighbourhood of a city,” said Mark Holmes, President and CEO of Zonetail. “Most of people’s lives, whether at home or traveling, are spent within five miles of their home base. By organizing the information that matters most to them, we are saving them time, and making their experience more rewarding.”
The app platform taps into people’s desire to travel to new cities, but to shop, dine, and explore like a local. According to a 2014 Trip Barometer survey, 90 per cent of U.S. travelers use their mobile phones when vacationing. Further, 62 per cent used it to search for restaurants, 52 per cent to look for activities, and 62 per cent to search for hotels.
“We strongly believe that Zonetail will help us enhance our guest services and connect with our customers,” said Tom Tittel, Vice President of Operations, Silverbirch Hotels. “The app gives us the flexibility we need without developing a custom solution, which we predict will reduce our operating costs and increase revenue.”