The startup that’s helping Traveloka push further into events

Photo credit: PouchNation

Indonesian unicorn Traveloka is ramping up its push into the experiences market by investing in the series B round of PouchNation, a Singapore-based startup that offers tech-based solutions for event organizers.

SPH Ventures was among the participants in the fundraise, which Traveloka announced last month.

Launched in 2012, PouchNation is known for its near field communication (NFC) wristbands that can serve as event passes and be used to pay for goods sold inside venues.

The wristbands have been used at several events in Asia, including Good Vibes in Malaysia and Sensation in Thailand as well as Zoukout and BeerFestAsia in Singapore.

“Events in general are very, very traditional,” points out Ilya Kravstov, founder and CEO of PouchNation. “There is some technology – people do buy tickets online – but when they’re at an event, it’s very limited,” he tells Tech in Asia.

The Asian startups are working together to change this status quo.

Implications and competition

Since it began as a flight-booking site, Traveloka has been focused on travel. Even as its roster of services expanded to include accommodations, the company’s business model remained straightforward.

But this year, it has introduced a slew of offerings that’s transforming it into an entirely different beast.

A hallmark of this shift is Traveloka Xperience, which the company officially kicked off in June. The service allows users to discover travel-related activities like tours, classes, workshops, and events, and then book them through its app and website.

Traveloka, however, isn’t the first to move beyond traditional travel services. US short-stay rental giant Airbnb made a similar transition when it launched Airbnb Experiences in 2016. And expanding into attractions means Traveloka now squarely competes with Hong Kong unicorn Klook, which has been in the space since 2014.

That’s why the PouchNation investment is important to Traveloka’s plan for its new vertical. The companies will collaborate on new technologies that can help event organizers deliver better experiences, shares Christian Suwarna, CEO of Traveloka Xperience.

“Traveloka will act as the main distribution and promotions partner, and occasionally also as a brand sponsor,” he adds. “And PouchNation will act as the on-the-ground technology and execution partner.”

And while both companies operate in Southeast Asia, they target customers differently. PouchNation concentrates its efforts on creating good experiences on the ground. Meanwhile, Traveloka zeroes in on online activities, such as enabling people to book flights and hotels as well as selling event tickets. It currently lists 16,000 activities in over 300 cities.

Evolution and pivot

Competitive landscape