Travel entrepreneur Steve Endacott has invested in social media-focused travel brand Trending Travel and joined the company’s board as non-executive director.
Trending Travel specialises in working with digital influencers to drive engagement and sales, said Endacott had injected “a substantial sum” into the business.
The company has its own Atol and recently launched its latest £500,000 round of crowdfunding investment, valuing the business at £4 million, having already secured £320,000.
Endacott will take responsibility for shaping Trending Travels technology platform, as well as helping to forge new trade partnerships and develop relationships with tourist boards.
Trending Travel chief executive Keith Herman said the company was “excited to bring somebody with Steve’s travel experience and contacts” to its board.
Endacott said a recent partnership between Trending Travel and another of his ventures, Travel Solutions Network, opened his eyes to "what a low-cost route to customer acquisition the guys have developed".
“The customer reach Trending Travel’s influencer network has and the volume of leads their activity generates truly amazed me and made me realise what an exciting new route for attracting travel bookers Trending Travel had developed,” he added.
Herman said the business was “highly confident” of reaching its latest investment target of £500,000 and had agreed to push funding to £800,000 while still valued at £4 million.
“The value of Trending Travel is only going in one direction, and it will be an exciting ride for investors and management alike,” he said. “Our initial focus remains on travel, but investors are already asking us which business verticals are next.”
Endacott added Trending Travel was one of his “most exciting investments” and claimed Google’s “stranglehold on travel advertising is doomed” by the rise of social channels providing alternate route for travel marketing.