FareHarbor
By FareHarbor B.V.
FareHarbor is a leading booking and business management solution for tours, activities, rentals, and attractions. Founded in 2013, it has grown to become the #1 booking software in the market, powering billions of experiences for over 20,000 businesses across the globe. In 2018, FareHarbor was acquired by Booking Holdings, becoming part of one of the world's leading providers of online travel and related services.
FareHarbor was founded in 2013 by brothers Lawrence and Zach Hester in Hawaii. The idea came when Lawrence tried to reserve a surfboard and kayak online during a visit to Hawaii and found there wasn't a simple way for tourism businesses to accept online sales. They started by selling to their first customer without a product and grew to 25 Hawaii-based clients in their first 12 months.
The company experienced rapid growth, doubling revenue every year. By 2018, FareHarbor had scaled to $50 million in revenue and had over 200 employees. Their growth strategy included aggressive sales tactics, such as hiring young salespeople right out of college and paying them based on the bookings they secured for operators.
FareHarbor is notable for being a bootstrapped company. The founders never raised external funding, which allowed them to retain full ownership. This strategy paid off when they sold the company to Booking Holdings in 2018 for approximately $300 million.
FareHarbor offers a comprehensive suite of tools for tour and activity operators:
Online booking system
Availability calendar and management
Dynamic pricing tools
Guide management capabilities
Mobile apps for on-the-go management
Customizable reporting
Integration with popular online travel agencies (OTAs)
Payment processing
Customer management
Marketing tools
A key feature is FareHarbor Dock, a powerful booking point-of-sale solution designed to streamline in-person sales and enhance customer experience.
Recent additions to FareHarbor's offerings include:
Predictive pricing platform powered by artificial intelligence
Enhanced mobile capabilities
Improved integration with various OTAs and marketplaces
FareHarbor maintains a strong company culture rooted in its Hawaiian origins. Their core values include:
Think Client First
We Are One 'Ohana (Family)
Be Curious and Learn
Own It
Act With Integrity
Embrace the Challenge
The company prides itself on maintaining an 'Ohana spirit, fostering accountability, nimbleness, and a focus on client success.
FareHarbor serves over 20,000 companies across more than 90 countries, making it the largest platform in its industry. Its user base primarily consists of tour operators, activity providers, rental companies, and attractions. The company has a strong presence in North America but has expanded globally.
FareHarbor maintains an active community of users, providing resources such as webinars, tutorials, and customer support to help businesses maximize the platform's potential. They also share customer success stories to showcase how different businesses have benefited from using FareHarbor.
