Travel Services Start-up HighOnTravel.com Receives Angel Funding

Travel services portal HighOnTravel has received an undisclosed amount in angel funding, led by senior executives of the financial sector. The proceeds of the angel round will be utilised to build technology for streamlining discovery & enquiry, and also for enhancing user experience. In addition, the monies raised will also support the company's plans for global expansion, which will get underway by the middle of next year, co-founder Chirag Bhandari told VCCircle.

Founded by two alumni of IIT Bombay, HighOnTravel became operational in July 2011. Bhandari, a chemical engineer from IIT Bombay, guides the team on overall strategy regarding product positioning, building partners, sourcing content, marketing and exposure, and strengthening the niche.

According to Bhandari, HighOnTravel currently interacts with more than 1500 members registered with the travellers' club on the site and the member base is steadily growing.

The company offers three types of travel options including local experiences, special stays and special interest tours. It promotes and enables exclusive holidays – ranging from camel expeditions in Rajasthan to visits to the border regions of Ladakh, from biking to head-hunting festivals in Nagaland to attending tea appreciation sessions in the Nilgiris and so on.

Recently, Bangalore-based holiday comparison site Polama.com raised Rs 1.5 crore from a consortium of angel investors, led by Rehan Yar Khan and Blume Ventures.