Corporate travel management provider TravelPerk has acquired Albatross, a startup that provides an API for information on Covid-19-related travel restrictions and local guidelines.
TravelPerk will incorporate Albatross's data into its own TravelCare risk management tool and also make the API available to third-party travel providers, who can use the API to incorporate information on travel restrictions into their booking flows.
Among the data provided are risk advisories on Covid-19, any virus-related movement restrictions, and social distancing and face mask regulations for given destinations, with info provided from governmental, diplomatic and regulatory sources, plus local emergency numbers.
TravelPerk's TravelCare platform also incorporates content from travel risk specialist Riskline.
Albatross was founded in April by Raphael Daverio, who will join TravelPerk under terms of the acquisition to "further develop TravelPerk’s product offering in the travel risk management space," TravelPerk said. Both companies are based in Barcelona.
The deal is TravelPerk's first-ever acquisition and reflects the company's focus on supporting its corporate clients' post-pandemic resumption of travel by providing the information organisations and their travellers need to make informed, safe decisions, according to TravelPerk CEO and co-founder Avi Meir.
"Albatross has built a fantastic risk management product that greatly enhances our product offering, but we also share a vision for the future of travel risk management, so an acquisition made perfect sense for all parties," says Meir.
"Duty of care is going to be fundamental to what employers and travellers need from their business travel provider in the post-pandemic era, and we see TravelCare as a core product offering, not just now but in the years ahead."
Bringing Albatross's technology under its corporate umbrella enables TravelPerk to "deliver the best possible traveller experience now, while also continuing to develop, enhance and customise it to the specific needs of our customers longer-term," Meir adds.
Meir declined to provide information on the sale amount.
Earlier this week, American Express Global Business Travel, FCM and Deem announced new services designed to provide clients with Covid-19-related data and risk assessments as corporate travel prepares to re-emerge.