Holiday-makers and businesses alike have found 2020 tricky to navigate with quarantine restrictions ruling out international trips for many. But as travel companies see a surge in bookings for summer 2021, we speak to co-founders of Pluto, a travel planning and insurance app. Since lockdown, the company has been working hard to stay relevant and guide customers whatever their travel plans - home or away, this year or next.
“The pandemic taught us that we were too reliant on travel insurance as the sole entry point and source of revenue,” says co-founder Alex Rainey. “When people travel in a different way - domestic travel, short breaks or trips to safer destinations - travel insurance becomes much less applicable.”
As an app-based agile business, Pluto responded by diversifying its business and launching Pinboard, a free planning tool for travellers. From staycations to day trips, Pinboard can be used by any traveller with a smartphone looking to plan their next trip, share their travel plan with friends, or read recommendations. In future, the team plans to monetise Pinboard by offering a booking service for accommodation or flights.
Remember, if you’re planning to travel in the next few months, be sure to check the Government advice and quarantine restrictions before you book.
All about travel
“Pinboard was being worked on before lockdown but it basically allowed us to focus almost exclusively on it,” Alex says. “We want Pluto to be about more than just insurance. We want to provide something that all travellers can benefit from to help them get the most out of their travels.”