BusinessWire India
New Delhi [India], November 8: 30 Sundays, an AI-first travel agent, has secured USD 770,000 in pre-seed funding. The round was led by Infoedge Ventures with participation from First Cheque, Eximius, Misfits, and several renowned angel investors.
30 Sundays is scaling a traditionally people-heavy business with generative AI and technology. The company aims to offer the highest levels of customer experience, which they believe is possible when their team focuses on customers while AI manages many of their mundane, repetitive tasks.
Boosting Efficiency with AI
By integrating generative AI into their sales, operations, and marketing, 30 Sundays achieves up to 5x improvements in efficiency. This technology allows them to handle more customers without compromising on service quality--a common issue in traditional travel agencies that rely heavily on large teams.
"A lot of mundane, repetitive tasks such as information gathering from customers, updating itineraries, and auditing supplier quotes are taken care of by AI. This leaves our team to do what they love most--provide the best service to our customers," says Anuj, Co-founder of 30 Sundays.
A Data-Driven Approach to Travel
30 Sundays place a strong emphasis on understanding their customers. They analyze interactions like phone calls and reviews at scale using AI to gather insights. This data-first approach enables them to tailor their offerings to the specific needs and preferences of their customers and continue improving their offerings in line with customer needs.
Focus on Couples
Today, couples want more than just a holiday package. They desire unique stays and experiences and want holidays that are personalized to their interests and personalities. With traditional travel companies and even larger players focused on commoditized and standardized travel packages, this leaves a large gap in the market.
"Personalization and scale are difficult to achieve together--until generative AI came onto the scene," reflects Kshitij - co-founder, 30 Sundays. "When we plan our own vacations, it can take several days. Can you imagine a traditional travel company dedicating so much time to personalize a trip for their customers? What sets us apart is that we can plan detailed, personalized holidays in minutes instead of days using generative AI."
Tapping into India's Outbound Travel Boom
The timing is ideal. India's outbound tourism market is expected to reach USD 18.8 billion in 2024 and soar to USD 55.4 billion by 2034, growing at an annual rate of over 11 per cent, according to a report by the Federation of Indian Chambers of Commerce & Industry (FICCI).
This surge is driven by factors like increased disposable incomes, improved aviation connectivity, and a growing desire for global experiences. Social media and online travel agencies have made planning trips easier, while the 30 million-strong Indian diaspora fuels visits to friends and relatives abroad.
"We're optimistic about generative AI's role in the travel industry amid rising demand and a shortage of quality agencies. GenAI is unlocking new possibilities in travel by bridging the gap between personalization and scalability. With 30 Sundays, Kshitij and Anuj are redefining what it means to offer tailored experiences at scale, making customized travel efficient. We are thrilled to back them on this journey." added Sahil Makkar from First Cheque.
Looking Ahead
With the new funding, 30 Sundays plans to open more destinations, including the European market and long-haul trips. At the same time, they want to further strengthen their AI and data capabilities to scale faster with excellent customer experience.
Kitty Agarwal, Partner at InfoEdge Ventures, said, "30 Sundays is adopting an AI-first approach to solving travel discovery and booking for couples at scale. With the underlying macros driving a significant uptick in India's outbound tourism market and the prevalent gap in solving for the nuanced requirements of couples, Agentic AI systems of tomorrow will be able to deliver superior personalised customer experience at scale. This investment aligns with our strategy of backing visionary founders who are pioneering AI-first platforms to solve for the inefficiencies within existing consumer markets."
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