The Viator Story
Corporate Information & Background
The Viator Story
Viator has evolved from its founding in Sydney in 1995, as a technology company building websites for other travel companies, to emerge as the leading resource for researching and booking destination activities around the world. While other companies were honing in on airline tickets, hotels and rental cars, Viator focused on an untapped niche in the then nascent online travel market of destination activities, or the 'things you do when you get there.' Today, Viator is the market leader with an unmatched portfolio of tours and activities in destinations around the world.
Viator is not a paid listing or advertising site, and not simply an aggregator. The Viator team around the world has built close relationships with local tour operators over the past 10+ years. Viator features only the best local operators, and the steady stream of customer reviews keeps them honest; providers that don't meet expected service levels are removed. Through its collection of more than 20 websites, mobile apps and call center, Viator reaches more than 3 million travelers a month. Its global affiliate network of more than 2,000 active partners expands the company's reach to even more travelers through affiliate sites like American Airlines, British Airways, Priceline, Lonely Planet and AAA.
A few highlights from the Viator story include:
- May 2011: Viator launches two mobile apps: The Viator Tours & Activities App for iPhone and the Viator Ultimate Experience Guide℠ for iPad as well as an enhanced mobile website
- February 2011: Sponsor of travel industry's first in-depth study into the tours and activities segment, PhoCusWright's 'When They Get There (and Why They Go): Activities, Attractions, Events and Tours'
- January 2011: Launch of Japanese-language website extends Viator's reach into the Asian travel market
- November 2010: Worry-Free Shore Excursions launched
- October 2010: Acquisition of the OurExplorer private tour guide network to complement popular private tour offerings
- September 2010: In-depth content on 3,000+ of the world's most popular attractions added to Viator.com; debut of an open platform for submitting traveler recommendations and reviews
- February 2010: Further international expansion aided by the launch Danish, Dutch, Norwegian and Swedish language websites
- November 2009: Debut of the company's beta mobile website
- June 2009: Launch of three European language websites (German, French and Spanish), helping fuel Viator's international expansion
- March 2009: Viator releases redesigned and revitalized affiliate distribution platform
- February 2008: Traveler photos added to complement existing traveler reviews
- September 2007: Viator re-vamps the company's flagship consumer-direct website, Viator.com, to include traveler reviews, the Viator Travel Blog and Wishlists, all fueled by two rounds of Series B financing
- May 2006: Acquisition of Las Vegas-based LookTours.com
- November 2005: Company secures financing from the Carlyle Group; Barrie Seidenberg joins as President and company headquarters moved to U.S.
- Viator, Inc. Names Gavin L. Delany Head of Global Product Sales
- A Jubilee, Judo and John, Paul, George, and Ringo are Just a Few of the Great Reasons to Visit London this Summer with Experiences from Viator.com
- Viator Adds Dozens of Tours and Activities in New Destinations, Perfect for Summer Travel Season
- Viator.com Announces Three "Win Your Dream Travel Job" Finalists
- Viator® Launches New Shore Excursion Website to Help Cruise Passengers Find and Book Great Deals on Popular Local Excursions, Exclusive Experiences and Private Tours, up to 60% Off
What destinations are hot in 2011? Here's a list of Viator's Top 10 destinations:
