ToursByLocals

ToursByLocals
TypeTour Operator
IndustryTourism
Founded2008 in Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada
HeadquartersVancouver, British Columbia, Canada
Key people
Paul Melhus, founder and CEO
Luciano Bullorsky, president
David Vincent, founder and Chief Technical Officer
ProductsPrivate tours, local travel experiences
RevenueUSD 45 million
Number of employees
190
Websitetoursbylocals.com
ToursByLocals office headquarters in Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada

ToursByLocals is a Canadian-based, international private tour provider. Headquartered in Vancouver, with offices in Buenos Aires, Kuala Lumpur and Glasgow, the company serves upwards of 400,000 clients a year, connecting them with over 4300 private tour guides in 163 countries and 1,000 locations.

The company is a member of the Local Travel Movement, which aims to connect independent and mindful travellers with local people and local experiences.[failed verification]

History

Founded in 2008 by Paul Melhus and Dave Vincent, the company initially focused on the basic function of connecting travellers with local guides via an online platform, relying on peer reviews to establish quality control measures. One of the originators of the "peer to peer" travel model the company has since shifted to offering more closely managed, curated tour content and shore excursions for cruise ships.

The company actively recruits independent local guides in new locations globally, and currently accepts roughly 1 in 9 applications after a multi-stage screening and interview process.

In January 2020, ToursByLocals announced $33 million in series A funding with Austin, Texas-based growth capital fund Tritium Partners. Funds from the round will be used for enhancements in user experience, technology, marketing and recruiting more talent.

'Controversy

Since the invasion of Ukraine by Russia in February 2022, despite calls for travel companies to cease operations in Russian, President Luciano Bullorsky and CEO Paul Melhus have confirmed that they will continue their Russian tours and continue to employ Russian guides. The company provides financial allowances and subsidies to its Russian guides during the war.

External links


This page was last updated at 2022-08-31 03:08 UTC. Update now. View original page.

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