MENA Tourism Startups

MENA startups attracted $1.1 billion in funding in Q1 2023, according to Wamda, with the travel-tech sector accounting for $9 million. Here are four regional travel startups revitalizing the market

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DHARMA 

Founded: 2021

Headquarters: U.A.E.

Established by Nisma Benani, Charaf El Mansouri, Leah Howe, and Brice Carpentier in 2021, the Abu Dhabi-based startup builds, co-creates, and operates travel experiences for “passion tourism” and wellness retreats. The B2B2C platform had raised a total of $4.9 million so far over three funding rounds, as of April 2023. The startup is backed by Pernod Ricard’s Convivialite Ventures, Mubadala’s Hub71, and Flat6Labs. In January 2022, DHARMA partnered with Eric Cantona, the former captain of Manchester United, to launch a travel brand. The company has launched a number of travel brands, including luxury fitness brand Equinox, travel media publication Culture Trip, and cryptocurrency unicorn Bitso, according to Forbes.

Turismo

Founded: 2020

Headquarters: Qatar