SaaS startup ParaBooking raises INR 50 lakhs to make Adventure Tourism safer in the country

• ByStartupStory     |    March 6, 2023

FlutterBuy Ecom Ventures’ online portal, ParaBooking, has secured seed funding of INR 50 lakhs from the Department of Industries, Himachal Pradesh, under the Him Startup Yojna. This marks a historic moment as it is the first time that a tech startup based in Himachal Pradesh has created advanced SaaS-based solutions that can expand nationwide and ensure safety and compliance in the adventure sports sector.

Having been incubated at IIT Mandi Catalyst in Himachal Pradesh and received guidance from top-notch mentors, the company has refined both its technology and business model. ParaBooking’s revenue model is two-fold, consisting of revenue generated from the paragliding adventure sport as well as from offering SaaS tools to adventure tourism operators and agencies throughout the country. With a team of eight members, ParaBooking plans to use the funding to focus more intently on enhancing their technology and marketing strategies.

ParaBooking.com, established in 2021 by Ankush Rana, Deepak Abrol, Sohail Lalani, and Vikram Thakur, provides an online platform for customers to reserve paragliding flights in popular destinations across India such as Bir-Billing, Dharamshala, and Manali. The company’s primary objective is to enhance safety and regulatory compliance in the adventure tourism sector in India. In addition to the website for booking paragliding flights, ParaBooking also supplies a software application for tourism operators to streamline and automate their operations, which is offered on a SaaS basis.

ParaBooking has been operating for 18 months and has successfully arranged more than 5,000 flights within India. The company is expanding its services to include trekking and adventure sports like kayaking. Although adventure sports have a lot of potential in India, safety is a significant concern for the public. FlutterBuy aims to address this issue and establish itself as a venture. Specifically, when it comes to paragliding, there are several essential factors to consider, such as the airworthiness of the equipment, the pilot’s skill level, knowledge of weather conditions, and terrain awareness, which are currently not being adequately addressed. Consequently, the government of Himachal Pradesh has decided to invest in organizations that prioritize safe adventure tourism experiences.

Sh. Rakesh Prajapati (IAS), Director of HP Industries, emphasizes that ensuring the safety of tourists who visit their state is a top priority for their tourism board. In pursuit of this goal, they will concentrate on supporting ventures that prioritize safe adventure sports within the state.

According to Ankush Rana, the CEO of Parabooking, the primary issue with adventure sports in India is the lack of emphasis on safety and providing an enjoyable experience. As a result, customers often give up after just one attempt. Parabooking has made it their mission to provide the best customer experience possible by implementing a thorough onboarding process that includes certified pilots, verified equipment, and insurance that enables Heli rescue during paragliding. Additionally, a local weather station provides the latest updates on weather conditions, which can help avoid unnecessary anxiety and choose the best timings for take-offs. The funding provided by IIT Mandi will assist them in furthering their mission of making safe and secure adventure sports accessible to everyone.

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