{{Short description|German online travel activities marketplace}} {{Infobox website | name = GetYourGuide | logo = GetYourGuide Logo.svg | logo_size = 165 | type = privately held company | foundation = {{Start date and age|2009}} in Zurich, Switzerland | location_city = Berlin | location_country = Germany | language_count = 37 | area_served = worldwide | founder = {{unbulleted list|Johannes Reck|Tao Tao|Tobias Rein|Martin Sieber|Pascal Mathis}} | key_people = Johannes Reck (CEO)<br/>Tao Tao (COO) | industry = tourism | products = online marketplace | num_employees = 1000+ | homepage = {{URL|https://www.getyourguide.com/}} }} thumb|Headquarters in Berlin '''GetYourGuide''' is a German online marketplace for tour guides, excursions, travel-related activities, and tickets to tourist attractions.<ref>{{cite magazine | last=Williams | first=Greg | title=Europe's hottest startup capitals: Berlin | url=https://www.wired.co.uk/article/berlin | magazine=Wired | date=15 August 2011}}</ref><ref>{{cite news | url=https://www.wsj.com/articles/BL-VCDB-12671 | title=GetYourGuide Finds You Leisure Activities at Your Travel Destination | last=Kolodny | first=Lora | work=The Wall Street Journal | date=7 January 2013 | url-access=subscription}}</ref> It offers more than 150,000 'experiences' from more than 20,000 supply partners worldwide, some of which use the GetYourGuide branding.<ref>{{cite news | url=https://www.fastcompany.com/91037407/getyourguide-most-innovative-companies-2024 | last=Kelso | first=Stirling | title=Wanna tour the McLaren Racing headquarters? This travel site could take you there | work=Fast Company | date=19 March 2024}}</ref> In the third quarter of 2025, the company reported 10 million 'experiences' booked.<ref name=stacks/>
Providers list their service on the platform and are charged a commission on sales.<ref>{{Cite news | url=https://www.cnbc.com/2023/06/01/travel-firm-getyourguide-raises-194-million-at-2-billion-valuation.html | last=Browne | first=Ryan | title=TripAdvisor rival GetYourGuide nears $2 billion valuation as it raises fresh funds to invest in A.I. | work=CNBC | date=1 June 2023}}</ref> The website features an online customer review system; operators are required to perform to certain standards.
==History== On a trip to Beijing in 2009, Johannes Reck arrived a day early and had trouble navigating the city; his experience improved greatly after he was shown around by his friend and classmate at ETH Zurich, Tao Tao, and they sensed a market for local tour guides.<ref>{{Cite news | url=https://www.inc.com/ali-donaldson/how-this-travel-company-went-from-bootstrapped-startup-to-a-2-billion-valuation/91147118 | title=How This Travel Company Went From Bootstrapped | first=Ali | last=Donaldson | work=Inc. | date=28 February 2025}}</ref><ref>{{Cite news | url=https://www.webintravel.com/full-circle-getyourguide-comes-home-to-asia/ | title=Full circle: GetYourGuide comes home to Asia | first=Yeoh Siew | last=Hoon | work=Northstar Travel Group | date=30 October 2025}}</ref> They developed a business plan for a peer-to-peer Internet platform that connected tourists with amateur guides. The plan was expanded and refined to an internet booking platform for professional tours and activities.<ref name=welt>{{cite web | url=https://magazin-forum.de/de/node/11508 | title=Zeig mir deine Welt | trans-title=Show me your world | last=Knoller | first=Rasso | work=Forum Magazine | date=19 October 2018 | language=de}}</ref> That year, they founded GetYourGuide.<ref>{{cite news | url=https://www.morgenpost.de/bezirke/pankow/article215240895/Get-your-Guide-plant-neuen-Campus-in-Berlin.html | last=Bath | first=Dominik | title=Get your Guide plant neuen Campus in Berlin | trans-title=GetyourGuide is planning a new campus in Berlin | work=Berliner Morgenpost | date=3 September 2018 | language=de}}</ref> Initially, the company was funded by friends and family members.<ref name=welt/> GetYourGuide was initially headquartered in Zurich. It relocated its headquarters in 2012 to Berlin to raise venture capital.
In early January 2013, the company raised $14 million in a Series A round with investments from Spark Capital and Highland Capital Partners.<ref>{{Cite news | url=https://techcrunch.com/2013/01/07/getyourguide-raises-14m-series-a/ | title=Online Holiday Events Booking Platform GetYourGuide Raises $14M Series A To Internationalize Content, Zero In On Mobile | first=Natasha | last=Lomas | work=TechCrunch | date=7 January 2013}}</ref> In late January 2013, it added $4.5 million in funding from investors including Kees Koolen.<ref>{{Cite news | url=https://techcrunch.com/2014/01/30/getyourguide-series-a-expansion/ | title=GetYourGuide Gets $4.5M Series A Expansion, From Ex-Booking.com CEO (& Others), To Help It Scale Globally | first=Natasha | last=Lomas | work=TechCrunch | date=30 January 2013}}</ref>
In April 2013, GetYourGuide acquired Gidsy, which had also been developing mobile apps and had a team of 12 developers.<ref>{{Cite news | url=https://techcrunch.com/2013/04/24/dead-pooling-gidsy-acquired-by-getyourguide-in-a-berlin-insiders-deal/ | title=Deadpooling Gidsy Acquired By GetYourGuide In A Berlininsiders-deal | first=Mike | last=Butcher | work=TechCrunch | date=24 April 2013}}</ref><ref>{{cite news | url=https://techcrunch.com/2013/04/24/dead-pooling-gidsy-acquired-by-getyourguide-in-a-berlin-insiders-deal/ | last=Butcher | first=Mike | title=Deadpooling Gidsy Acquired By GetYourGuide In A Berlin Insiders Deal | work=TechCrunch | date=24 April 2013}}</ref>
In July 2014, the company raised $25 million in a Series B round.<ref>{{cite news | url=https://techcrunch.com/2014/07/31/getyourguide-series-b/ | last=Lomas | first=Natasha | title=Holiday Events Booking Platform, GetYourGuide, Pulls In Another $25M To "Landgrab" New Markets | work=TechCrunch | date=31 July 2014}}</ref>
In November 2015, the company raised $50 million in a Series C round.<ref>{{Cite news | url=https://techcrunch.com/2015/11/13/getyourguide-series-c/ | title=GetYourGuide Bags $50M To Grow Its Travel Activities Booking Platform | first=Natasha | last=Lomas | work=TechCrunch | date=13 November 2015}}</ref>
In October 2017, GetYourGuide opened an engineering office in Zurich.<ref>{{cite news | url=https://www.nzz.ch/wirtschaft/von-zuerich-nach-berlin-und-zurueck-ld.1325111 | title=Zürich-Berlin hin und zurück | last=Imwinkelried | first=Daniel | work=Neue Zürcher Zeitung | date=31 October 2017}}</ref> In November 2017, GetYourGuide raised a $75 million Series D funding round to expand in Asia and the Americas. It sold 5 million tickets that year, compared to 5 million sold in all years prior.<ref>{{cite news | url=https://techcrunch.com/2017/11/02/battery-ventures-leads-75m-series-d-in-travel-activities-platform-getyourguide/ | title=Battery Ventures leads $75M Series D in travel tours app GetYourGuide | last=Lomas | first=Natasha | work=TechCrunch | date=2 November 2017}}</ref>
In August 2018, GetYourGuide began selling tours under its brand name in partnership with operators that meet certain standards.<ref>{{cite news | url=https://skift.com/2018/06/18/getyourguide-will-market-some-tours-and-activities-under-its-own-brand/ | title=GetYourGuide Will Market Some Tours and Activities Under Its Own Brand | last=O'Neill | first=Sean | work=Skift | date=18 June 2018 | url-access=subscription}}</ref>
In April 2019, GetYourGuide raised $484 million in a Series E round led by SoftBank Vision Fund at a valuation above $1 billion, making it a unicorn. It was one of the largest-ever funding rounds for a European startup.<ref>{{Cite news | url=https://techcrunch.com/2019/05/16/getyourguide-picks-up-484m-passes-25m-tickets-sold-through-its-tourism-activity-app/ | title=GetYourGuide picks up $484M, passes 25M tickets sold through its tourism activity app | first=Ingrid | last=Lunden | work=TechCrunch | date=16 May 2019}}</ref> By that time, the company had sold 25 million tickets since inception.<ref>{{cite web |last=Lunden |first=Ingrid | title=GetYourGuide picks up $484M, passes 25M tickets sold through its tourism activity app | url=https://techcrunch.com/2019/05/16/getyourguide-picks-up-484m-passes-25m-tickets-sold-through-its-tourism-activity-app/ | work=TechCrunch |date=16 May 2019}}</ref>
During the COVID-19 pandemic, the company shifted to remote work.<ref>{{Cite news | url=https://techcrunch.com/2020/03/13/three-travel-startups-tell-us-how-theyre-responding-to-the-coronavirus-crisis/ | title=Three travel startups tell us how they're responding to the coronavirus crisis | first1=Matthew | last1=Panzarino | first2=Joey | last2=Hinson | work=TechCrunch | date=13 March 2020}}</ref>
GetYourGuide started selling activities in the United States in 2021. It also began accepting Dogecoin for payment.<ref>{{cite news | url=https://www.cnbc.com/2021/06/29/crypto-friendly-travel-site-marks-us-debut-with-dogecoin-payments.html | last=Kiesnoski | first=Kenneth | title=Crypto-friendly travel site marks U.S. debut with dogecoin payment option | work=CNBC |date=29 June 2021}}</ref>
In May 2023, the company raised $194 million at a $2 billion valuation.<ref>{{cite news | url=https://techcrunch.com/2023/05/31/getyourguide-books-194m-at-a-2b-valuation-with-travel-experiences-back-in-business/ | title=GetYourGuide books $194M at a $2B valuation with travel experiences back in business | first=Ingrid | last=Lunden | work=TechCrunch | date=31 May 2023}}</ref><ref>{{cite news | url=https://www.cnbc.com/2023/06/01/travel-firm-getyourguide-raises-194-million-at-2-billion-valuation.html | last=Browne | first=Ryan | title=TripAdvisor rival GetYourGuide nears $2 billion valuation as it raises fresh funds to invest in A.I. | work=CNBC | date=1 June 2023}}</ref>
In April 2025, the company was one of several companies fined by the Italian Competition Authority for profiting from the resale of tickets to the Colosseum and making it harder for tourists to buy tickets at face value.<ref>{{Cite news | url=https://www.theguardian.com/world/2025/apr/08/italy-fines-seven-firms-17m-for-price-fixing-of-tickets-for-rome-colosseum | title=Main ticket seller and six tour companies fined £17m for Colosseum price-fixing | first=Angela | last=Giuffrida | work=The Guardian | date=8 April 2025}}</ref><ref>{{Cite news | url=https://www.reuters.com/world/europe/italy-fines-tour-operators-almost-20-mln-euros-over-colosseum-tickets-hoarding-2025-04-08/ | title=Italy fines tour operators almost 20 mln euros over Colosseum tickets hoarding | first=Gavin | last=Jones | work=Reuters | date=8 April 2025}}</ref>
In October 2025, the company announced that it was profitable for the first time and that it had €1 billion in sales in the past year.<ref name=stacks>{{Cite news | url=https://skift.com/2025/10/21/getyourguide-profitable-travel-experiences/ | title=GetYourGuide Says It’s Profitable on $1 Billion+ in Sales: How it Stacks up in Experiences | first1=Bailey | last1=Schulz | first2=Pranavi | last2=Agarwal | work=Skift | date=21 October 2025 | url-access=subscription}}</ref><ref>{{Cite news | url=https://www.bloomberg.com/news/articles/2025-10-21/travel-site-getyourguide-nears-1-billion-in-sales-profit-after-pandemic-slump | title=Travel Site GetYourGuide Nears €1 Billion in Sales After Pandemic Slump | first=Mark | last=Bergen | work=Bloomberg News | date=21 October 2025 | url-access=subscription}}</ref>
==References== {{Reflist}}
==External links== * {{Official website|https://www.getyourguide.com/}}
Category:Companies based in Berlin Category:Companies based in Zurich Category:German travel websites Category:Multilingual websites Category:Online marketplaces of Germany Category:Online travel agencies Category:Privately held companies of Switzerland Category:Swiss travel websites Category:Transport companies established in 2009 Category:Travel and holiday companies of Germany