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The travel startup scene in Berlin

Anula Galweska of ExploRussia.com
Anula Galweska of ExploRussia.com

With ITB soon approaching, and to celebrate the fact that TravelMassive will be hosting a huge Berlin Travel Massive on Tuesday 4th March (register here), we caught up one of the many people involved in Berlin’s online travel industry – Anula Galewska of ExploRussia.com and CEEGreener.com.

1. What’s the Berlin travel startup scene like?

Berlin is said to be one of Europe’s hottest startup capitals, and travel startups play an important role in the city’s startup scene.

2. Who are some of the main players?

Based in Berlin, GetYourGuide appeared on the list of the best travel startups of 2013. Berlin is home to many locally born startups like JustBook, Wimdu, Roomsurfer, GoEuro, Waymate, Trip.me, but also many international brands have their offices here like Airbnb and Kayak. We can’t forget that ITB, the world’s biggest travel trade, is placed in Berlin, which makes it the city-to-be for the tourism industry.

3. What sorts of ideas are being created there?

In terms of trends, I see new startups trying to differentiate themselves by hitting a very specific niche (medical travel, apps for backpackers, eco travel, etc.). Some, on the other hand, take a holistic approach and aim to simplify the travel planning experience, so that we can book all possible elements with one click.

One of the platforms for comparing and combining air, rail, coach and car rentals is GoEuro, They’ve recently received a multi-million dollar investment and have a strong desire to go truly international.

4. How did you get in to the travel industry?

My first real affair with the travel industry was with the Athens-based Tripsta.

5. What inspired you to get involved in a new travel startup?

After a few job switches, I decided to start something on my own. Right now I do business development for ExploRussia, a small tour operator co-founded by my friends Olga Sitnik and Anna Mikheikina, which offers tailor-made and private tours to Russia. Besides ExploRussia, I own CEEGreener, sustainability consulting for travel businesses and destinations from Central and Eastern Europe.

6. What are you looking forward to most about the Travel Massive @ ITB event?

People, people, people and the venue! Last year’s event was HUGE. Organized by pocketvillage and Gidsy, it attracted about 400 participants and was a total success. I’m sure we can do even better this year, especially that we found such an incredible venue – Platoon Kunsthalle, the first choice for exhibitions, collaborations and art events in Berlin, made from 34 recycled shipping containers! It will be the night for networking, lots of fun and a few nice surprises from our lovely sponsors 🙂

7. What are your favourite travel websites and why?

I’m a frequent user of Airbnb, both as a guest and a host, but in general I’m not a loyal customer and don’t have any favourite platforms. I like to switch and try new things 🙂

However, I admire organizations like The Travel Foundation, which stands for the development and promotion of sustainable tourism and is one of its kind in the world.

7. If you could go anywhere in the world, it would be…

Cuba! And I’ve already bought the tickets 😉

To register for the upcoming Berlin Travel Massive on Tuesday, March 4th visit here. For information on upcoming Travel Massive events in Berlin join the Facebook group.


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