Lovetovisit raises £3.2m to boost local tourism

Cardiff-based travel platform Lovetovisit, which aids users in discovering and booking local attractions, experiences, and events, has secured £3.2 million in venture capital funding to facilitate its growth. Leading the funding round were Venrex and Redrice Ventures, with participation from Active Partners, Velocity Partners, and angel investors.

Established in 2021 by twin sisters Georgia and Alice Aubrey, together with tourism and culture specialist Fed Pereira, Lovetovisit aims to simplify the search and booking process for the UK's 19.4 million families. The platform offers a diverse range of activities, from theatre outings and city landmarks to unique family excursions, local events, and festivals, serving locals, domestic tourists, and international visitors. Since its inception, Lovetovisit has generated £7.4 million in revenue and supported hundreds of thousands of experiences.

Currently, Lovetovisit features over 2,700 products and reaches a user base of over 3.2 million. Its proprietary API allows real-time ticket purchases at the lowest guaranteed prices, with tickets delivered instantly via text and email. The mobile-optimised platform employs AI to provide personalised recommendations and interactive maps, enhancing users' ability to find and plan their next adventure.

The idea for Lovetovisit emerged from the founders' previous work at Pereira's tourism marketing agency, where they observed the challenges consumers faced in finding and booking local activities – a contrast to the seamless experiences offered by takeaway and accommodation booking services. Lovetovisit addresses this gap by offering a single platform for discovering and booking tailored experiences at competitive prices.

Eighty percent of Lovetovisit's offerings are exclusive to the platform, with partnerships including prominent names like Alton Towers, Chester Zoo, and ZipWorld, as well as family favourites like Pennywell Farm, Techniquest Science Museum in Cardiff, and local music and food festivals.

Lovetovisit is also boosting visitor numbers at attractions across the UK, with 85% of its listings located outside of London. For instance, days out in Devon have drawn over 25,000 visitors via the platform since the start of 2024. The domestic tourism market is valued at $927 billion.

The recent investment will be used to scale UK operations and support international expansion. The team plans to double growth and inventory annually for the next three years. Additionally, the funds will enhance the platform’s AI capabilities to further refine the user experience.

Lovetovisit was recently named Wales Tourism StartUp of the Year and will compete in the UK finals in September. In September 2023, Georgia and Alice Aubrey received the John Hays Entrepreneur of the Year award at the Travel Industry Awards.

Alice Aubrey, co-founder at Lovetovisit comments: “Lovetovisit has gone from strength to strength this year and we're incredibly proud to have such esteemed investors on board. Building the business and hitting these milestones alongside my sister is a dream. We each bring unique strengths to the team, but we share a passion for supporting the many amazing events, attractions and experiences in the UK to digitise and scale. There are so many weird, wonderful and iconic things to do in this country, we just need to make it easier for people to find, explore and book them. Our goal is to be the go-to platform for booking memorable things to do and this raise is a big step towards achieving that mission."

Lilac Watt, Investment Associate, Venrex Investment Management, comments: “We are excited to join Lovetovisit’s journey as new shareholders. Venrex looks to back compelling founders who meet the needs of modern consumers in innovative and tech-forward ways. We have been impressed by the team’s knowledge around the culture and tourism market from day one and we look forward to watching as they build their business at scale.”

Andrew Sutcliffe, Partner at Redrice Ventures, comments: “In a post-pandemic era, consumers want to connect with others through in-person experiences and in many cases are seeking these close to home. Until now, there have been few ways for consumers to easily find such experiences. Lovetovisit’s industry experience has enabled them to build a platform with an exceptional depth of supplier inventory and we are excited to support them on their journey to become the next-gen platform for things-to-do.”

Tom Profumo, Partner at Active Partners, comments: “In an era where consumers are prioritising spending on experiences, Lovetovisit offers families discoverability, convenience and value when booking local attractions. The company's impressive growth to date attests to Fed, Georgia and Alice’s expertise in the attractions market and their deep understanding of their customers, and we’re excited to collaborate with them to bring their unique offering to many more families across the UK and beyond.”  

Patrick Colquhoun, Assistant Chief Executive Officer, Loch Lomond Fairie Trail at Luss Estates, comments: “We have had an excellent experience with Lovetovisit. Their geographic reach has expanded recognition of our product to all areas of the UK, bringing visitors that we’ve never had before. Our partnership has been professional and results driven, and has generated exponentially greater sales for our brand.”