Layla and Roam Around are two big names that are changing how we plan our travels. Layla is known for its AI-powered tools that simplify travel planning by retrieving various data and giving you personalised tips. Roam Around has attracted attention for its intelligent travel planner. This tool allows you to create travel plans that perfectly match your wishes easily. Together, they are at the forefront of travel tech.
The big news is that Layla recently acquired Roam Around. This move is a big deal. It makes us wonder: could this be the change we’ve been waiting for in our travel planning?
The Growth of Layla and Roam Around
Layla and Roam Around have changed the way we plan our journeys. In this section, you will learn how both companies came about and developed over time. They have significantly advanced the travel industry by making travel planning easier and more personalised for everyone.
What Is Layla?
Layla was announced last year. It’s an AI-driven bot that facilitates travel planning with a chat-like interface. Layla gathers information from various sources, including Booking.com and Skyscanner, to simplify searching for your next destination.
Jeremy Jauncey, who founded Beautiful Destinations, is the co-founder of Layla. His influence can be seen in how Layla utilises an extensive library of content from travel providers worldwide. This allows you to discover unique views and clips. So you can experience a place virtually before you even pack your bags.
Layla is very easy to use. Tell the chatbot what you dream of for your holiday, and it’ll quickly suggest places that match your wishes. It also gives you video suggestions to get a real feel for the places. It’s like seeing a preview of your holiday before you leave.
Additionally, Layla helps you book your trip. You can book flights and hotels with a few clicks via Skyscanner and Booking.com. This makes the whole process smooth and stress-free.
Big names are backing Layla, including Firstminute Capital and M13, and celebrities such as Andy Phillipps from Booking.com, Barry Smith from Skyscanner, and Paris Hilton. Their support proves that Layla is a big deal in making travelling effortless and more enjoyable.
What Is RoamAround?
RoamAround is a clever tool that uses AI to help you plan your travels. For those who want to explore new destinations, RoamAround has changed the world. To date, it has created over 10 million customised itineraries.
Unlike some other travel apps, RoamAround doesn’t book trips directly. Instead, it has smart partnerships with platforms such as Kayak and GetYourGuide. This means booking your plans is easy after RoamAround has helped you find the perfect trip. You simply go to one of these partner sites.
You can also see your destination before you even get there. Once you’ve finalised your itinerary, you can see a Google map view directly in the app. It’s like a little taster of your adventure.
The man behind RoamAround is Shie Gabbai, who used to work on the Waze project at Google. He founded RoamAround just last year and quickly received 1 million dollars from investors such as FLYR.com and Jason Calacanis. This shows how much people believe in what RoamAround is doing for travel planning.
Layla’s Acquisition of RoamAround
Layla recently took a big step with the acquisition of RoamAround. Saad Saeed, who co-founded Layla, spoke about how well RoamAround fits Layla’s mission. He pointed out that RoamAround is excellent for travel planning and has good connections with TripAdvisor, Kayak, Viator and GetYourGuide. This fits perfectly with Layla’s strengths.
RoamAround has quickly become a leading AI startup for travel. It’s known for its unique travel planning approach, attracting many users. For its part, Layla has focussed on predicting flights and finding the best hotels, working closely with Skyscanner and Booking.com. With RoamAround joining Layla, the best of both worlds are now brought together.
Following the acquisition, Layla plans to integrate RoamAround into its brand gradually. This means that RoamAround will become fully owned by Layla over time. Although the price of the acquisition hasn’t been disclosed, the main objective is clear. They want to make travel planning as simple and comprehensive as possible for users.
By merging the features of Layla and RoamAround, they want to create an unrivalled tool for travel planning. This tool will make it convenient to find, plan and book your next trip – all in one place.
Integrating Roam Around’s Tech into Layla’s Ecosystem
After Layla acquired Roam Around, they’ve been working hard to blend Roam Around’s tech into Layla’s system. This means that Layla users now get even better travel plans. Here’s a step-by-step guide on how to use Layla to plan your next journey with the new, improved features:
1. Head to Layla’s Homepage
Go to Layla’s website. Here, you’ll find a chatbot that can help you. As we’re testing the integration of RoamAround, we have asked the bot to create a travel plan. Once you have entered your request, click on the arrow next to the dialogue box to continue.
2. Enter the Chat Interface
Next, you’ll see Layla’s chat-like interface. Now powered by Roam Around’s AI technology, the Layla bot creates a comprehensive itinerary for you. To see the itinerary, simply click on it.
3. Review Your Itinerary
Your travel plan will open in a side tab. Here, you can easily browse through all the suggestions. This is where you’ll notice the influence of Roam Around. The itinerary contains links to Google Maps and GetYourGuide, similar to Roam Around. There are also pictures of the recommended places along with their Google ratings.
4. Modify Your Itinerary
Customising your itinerary is straightforward. Click on the pen-like icon to add activities or change something for a specific day. You can recreate the entire itinerary if you want to start from scratch. This way, you can quickly and flexibly customise your travel plans.
Layla’s integration with Roam Around’s technology makes planning your trip easier, more detailed and personalised. You can enjoy the best of both worlds – the efficient booking of Layla and the expert travel planning of Roam Around.
Layla’s Presence on Roam Around Platforms
Following Layla’s acquisition of Roam Around, they have also integrated their AI bot into the RoamAround website. This is good news if you like using Roam Around but want the new Layla features. Find out how to use them here:
1. Selecting Your Destination
The first step involves visiting Roam Around’s homepage, where you’ll start by typing in the destination you’re excited to explore. Once you’ve entered your desired location, click the arrow to proceed.
2. Explore Itinerary Options
The AI will then present an itinerary it has previously crafted for that destination, complete with user ratings. You can stick with this plan or ask for a new one. Layla’s bot pops up in the bottom right corner, ready to help you.
3. Get Suggestions for Local Spots
Layla’s bot springs into action as you search for itineraries, suggesting local places of interest. This feature ensures you don’t miss out on hidden gems around your chosen destination.
4. Dive Deeper with Layla’s Bot
Layla’s bot can do more than just make suggestions. It shows you a video of the place you want to travel to and tells you how much you can spend and what the weather might be like. You can even book your flights via Skyscanner and find hotels – directly on-site.
When you add Layla’s bot to Roam Around, you now have everything you need in one place. Roam Around helps you plan your daily itinerary. Layla makes booking your trip easy and makes sure you get good deals. Together, they make planning and booking your trip smooth and easy.
How Has Layla’s Acquisition of RoamAround Changed Travel Planning?
Layla acquiring RoamAround has changed how we plan trips. This big move means planning a trip was much easier and more fun. Let’s break down what this means for travellers like you and me.
Everything You Need in One Place
Now that RoamAround’s tools are part of Layla, you have everything you need to plan a trip in one place. This makes it super easy to gather ideas, figure out details and make decisions without jumping back and forth between different apps or websites.
With Layla and RoamAround working together, you’ll get travel suggestions that match your preferences. The platform will help you find the perfect plan whether you’re into adventure or relaxation.
Booking Made Simple
The acquisition has also streamlined the booking process. Thanks to Layla’s existing partnerships with major booking platforms such as Skyscanner and Booking.com and RoamAround’s connections to local experience providers, travellers can book flights, accommodation and activities through a single interface.
You can also compare prices and find the best deals. This integration means you can now plan and book your trips more cost-effectively.
A Global Community of Travelers
The merger has created a larger community of people who love travelling. Now you can share your travel plans, give advice and talk about your travels. This sense of community makes it easier for people to discover new places and share advice, enriching travel planning with real-life tips and suggestions.
Takeaway
Layla’s acquisition of Roam Around has made our travels more integrated, community-orientated, and open to future advancements. Layla and Roam Around have made travel planning a one-stop shop by joining forces. Now, you can get personalised travel suggestions, book flights and hotels, and find cool local activities all in one place. That means less hassle and more time to dream about your next adventure.
The merger of these two evolving AI tools also promises continuous innovation. We can look forward to smarter features to make our travel planning smoother and booking even more affordable.
