i just got back from a stunning trip to paris and south of france (refer to picture above). when i am planning for vacations, i usually turn to a friend’s unwieldy google document, tiktok, or
‘s content. while i was skeptical at first, the guides provided on fora’s blog were some of the best recommendations for my trip (link is here and at the end of the article).what is fora? fora travel is a modern travel agency platform designed to connect travelers with expert travel advisors. they aim to reinvent the traditional travel agency model by leveraging technology to offer personalized and curated travel planning services. in my mind, fora is similar to the uber business model - democratizing the travel agency space. notably, fora recently raised $13.5 million in series a funding, co-led by heartcore capital and forerunner.
how does fora work? a fora travel agent handles all the logistics — on-the-ground transfers, hotel and tour bookings, itinerary planning — so you can get the most out of your trip. they have insider access to over 5,000 preferred partnerships, so when you book with fora, you get complimentary perks and priority upgrades. to become a fora agent, you can do it part-time. all you have to do to become a fora advisor is apply and talk about what you specifically focus in for travel planning (i.e. luxury travel, city travel, etc). fora currently has nearly 500 advisors around the world, with more than 30,000 people on the waitlist: “97 percent of fora advisors had never sold travel previously, proving that fora was the linchpin in empowering people to transform their passion into a career.”
why i think fora overlaps with uber, and why i like their model:
platform-based model: both fora travel and uber utilize platform-based business models: fora connects travelers with professional travel advisors, while uber connects riders with drivers.
people always want customized experiences: fora allows you to plan a trip by your interests or by country. you can create really specific trips tailored to your interests (for me, on their website i would select arts and culture; international travel; food and wine)
disruption of traditional industries: both uber and fora are companies that have disrupted traditional industries. uber revolutionized the taxi and transportation industry, whereas fora is aiming to modernize the travel agency model.
customer first: fora is made for the consumer; they want to simplify travel planning by providing expert advice and personalized itineraries.
in the travel industry, there are very few players in the space that are modernizing the experience in a way that is truly appealing. fora reminds me of an “early stage inspirato” - inspirato is a company in the travel space that was able to also find its niche (inspirato is one i also use and really enjoy). what i find most appealing about fora is their innovative platform business model to connect users with people. i believe that becoming a travel agent is a career that can be democratized - in my own travels, the people i look to most are social media creators and tiktok these days.
if you could use fora, who provides you with better, tailored recommendations, and gives you the benefits of booking at top hotels, why wouldn’t you do that instead?
in case you were wondering - this was not sponsored.
let me know what you think!
📚 what i have been reading lately, linked here for you:
https://www.foratravel.com/the-journal/insider-paris-travel-tips
https://www.foratravel.com/guides/G9WEXS/the-french-riviera-nice-laura-doroghazi
https://www.foratravel.com/