Travly allows travelers to submit videos and earn a 5% commission on hotel bookings

Travly is a new, social-first hotel discovery and booking platform aimed at the growing number of travelers who rely on short-form video content to find trip ideas.

The platform features user-generated content that offers authentic hotel reviews instead of generic information and often outdated images. Creators who submit videos of hotels have the opportunity to earn a 5% commission from bookings.

Co-founded by travel enthusiasts Zak Longo (CEO) and Mayur Patil (COO), Travly initially started as a travel network on Instagram and TikTok. In the summer of 2022, the duo acquired @Travel and built a social community with millions of followers on Instagram, TikTok and Snapchat. Longo and Patil run a total of 45 channels, including @Cruises, @Hotels, @Resorts and @Vacation on Instagram and TikTok. Together, the pages reach over 1 billion views per month, they say. Travly also has an ambassador group of about 1,000 creatives who help with brand deals on its numerous social media accounts.

The company recently branched out into developing its own travel discovery product and used its learnings to launch a video-based booking platform and mobile app. Travly has been integrated into Booking.com to improve its search functionality, which includes millions of hotels worldwide.

“We always thought, 'Okay, we need a product to go with that,'” Longo told TechCrunch. “So we put our heads together and thought, 'Why don't we make a booking platform?' Because we feel like the new generation of travelers these days are using social media as a search tool… we could fill that gap with our network and help people book the things they see on social media.”

The platform is currently accepting video submissions and offers anyone who submits high-quality videos of hotels a 5% commission on all bookings made through the platform for that hotel. Travly only accepts one video per hotel and may replace it if it performs poorly.

“We will analyze if a video is not working optimally for a hotel. In that respect, we want to be fair to the hotel,” Longo said, explaining that Travly will take into account factors such as average viewing time or click-through rate. It can also share new and recent videos if, for example, hotels offer new amenities that they want to promote.

Travly has so far received around 2,000 registrations and 500 video submissions.

Another way Travly stands out from the crowd is its Destination Dupes feature. A playful take on a makeup “dupe” or a similar copy of a product, Travly compares luxurious destinations with cheaper but similar-looking destinations. This feature not only helps users save money, but also discover hidden gems that offer a similar experience. For example, it highlights the price difference between a hotel in London (around $325 per night) and one in Krakow, Poland (around $75 per night), which offer similar charm at a lower price. Although Krakow is not a global cultural and financial capital like London, it is known for its culture, cobblestone streets, and historical landmarks.

If users don't yet know where they want to travel next, they can click the “Discover New Directions” button to answer a series of questions and receive a curated selection of ideas. For example, if they're planning a relaxing, budget-friendly vacation, Travly's AI assistant will suggest hotels that match the description.

In the future, Travly plans to expand its offerings and integrate more experiences into the platform. These include travel packages, restaurant reservations and concert tickets, allowing for comprehensive travel planning. To generate additional revenue, the company is also considering placing ads on the platform.

The creator economy is estimated to be a $250 billion industry and is expected to nearly double in size ($480 billion) by 2027. Other startups in the booking space are also capitalizing on the travel influencer trend. Plannin, a new travel booking platform founded by former Priceline executives, allows creatives to monetize their hotel recommendations.