Brianna Schneider - Thu Feb 24 2022
Today, Hopper announced that it acquired Paris-based SMOOSS, a merchandising and customer care travel SaaS platform. SMOOSS helps airlines and other travel companies increase revenue and improve customer experience through tailor-made solutions designed on top of reservation systems. SMOOSS provides ancillary revenue streams and streamlined passenger recovery processes in the event of operational flight disruptions. The ultimate goal is to help partners deliver personalized services to customers, enhancing their experience while generating extra margin.
Through Hopper’s B2B initiative, Hopper Cloud, Hopper will continue to serve SMOOSS’ partners, including the airlines of the Air France-KLM Group and Corsair. The entire SMOOSS team, including Benjamin Lalanne, CEO and Co-Founder, will join the Hopper Cloud team. With some exciting new partnerships in the pipeline, the SMOOSS team will double down on expanding our successful fintech portfolio in the airline industry.
With Hopper Cloud, any travel provider – airlines, hotels, online travel agencies, meta-search companies, travel agencies, etc. – can integrate and seamlessly distribute Hopper’s fintech or travel agency content. Additionally, Hopper Cloud offers white-label travel portals for companies that aspire to sell travel with a differentiated consumer experience and offering. To date, partners include Capital One, Amadeus, Kayak, Trip.com, Marriott, MakeMyTrip, and there are many more in the pipeline.
“The SMOOSS team has built an impressive operation and they are a welcome addition to Hopper,” said Frederic Lalonde, CEO and Co-Founder of Hopper. “As airlines focus on recovery this year, fintech products – like Hopper’s Price Freeze™, Cancel for Any Reason, and Flight Disruption Guarantee – have the ability to drive conversion and create new revenue streams. We look forward to continuing a close partnership with these airlines as we integrate the SMOOSS team.”
"Hopper has experienced impressive and sustained growth over the past several years," said Benjamin Lalanne, CEO and Co-Founder of SMOOSS. “Joining the team to enhance our existing partnerships with Hopper’s scale and technological abilities, was an easy decision for us. We are excited to bring our expertise in the airline industry and revenue generation to Hopper and help airlines from around the world tap into Hopper’s revolutionary fintech capabilities.”
Hopper is now valued at $5 billion and increased its revenue by over 300% YoY in 2021. The company has been utilizing the capital to acquire companies, such as PlacePass and SMOOSS, to fuel its international expansion efforts, develop new product lines and expand across travel verticals. In fact, the team from Journy, which Hopper brought on last year, was responsible for the recent launch of Hopper Homes. Hopper is actively seeking to acquire other travel, data science, or engineering-heavy startups.
About Hopper
Hopper is the world’s fastest-growing mobile-first travel marketplace. By leveraging massive amounts of data and machine learning, the company has developed several unique fintech solutions that help customers save money and travel better. Through its B2B initiative, Hopper Cloud, the company is syndicating its fintech solutions, infrastructure, and agency content. Whether it’s pricing volatility or trip disruptions, Hopper’s proprietary suite of fintech solutions address every pain point in the customer journey while driving conversion, repeat purchases, and profitability. To find out more, visit hopper.com.