Travelstart acquires Satisfly to leverage social data

CAPE TOWN – Travelstart has acquired the Hong Kong based social intelligence company Satisfly, for an undisclosed sum.
 

Satisfly was launched in 2008 by Sergio Mello and Edoardo Serra. Mello now joins Travelstart in the dual position of Head of Innovation, while remaining CEO of Satisfly.
 

Travelstart’s latest acquisition empowers the Cape Town headquartered OTA to create more meaningful experiences for their customers through social media data as they continue their expansion in African and Middle-Eastern markets. Through Satisfly, Travelstart will implement social login functionality on their websites (such as Facebook login), allowing them to gain valuable insights into the way customers interact with the site across various channels, as well as be more relevant with client-facing deals. In addition, Satisfly are currently rolling out mobile apps for the company.
 

“Satisfly’s technology will allow us to make sense of our immense social data,” says Stephan Ekbergh, Travelstart’s Founder. “Going forward, we will know where our customers normally want to go even before they ask, giving us the ability to cut through the clutter and provide them with personalised offers.”
 

Sergio Mello, Travelstart’s Head of Innovation, says Satisfly invented the concept of “intelligent seating”, a solution which pairs social data with airline seat assignments.
 

“The acquisition is important as it allows Travelstart to capitalize on the data part of social media in addition to the direct marketing part of it,” said Mello. “Travelstart will have access to Satisfly’s technology to create relevant experiences for their customers.”
 

Although fully-owned by Travelstart, the Satisfly brand will be retained and Satisfly management will remain independent. The company’s research and development centre is based in Taiwan.