// startup autopsy
TouristEye
The travel planner that got lost on Lonely Planet
acquisition gone wrongAcqui-hire
Fatal mistake: Accepted acquisition by Lonely Planet, a traditional media company unable to integrate or scale a mobile-first travel product.
Key Events Timeline
FOUNDING
TouristEye founded in Spain as a mobile travel planning and itinerary app.
FUNDING
Raised $475K in seed funding to grow the travel planning platform.
ACQUISITION ATTEMPT
Lonely Planet acquired TouristEye, integrating its team and travel planning technology.
SHUTDOWN
TouristEye product shut down by Lonely Planet as the parent company failed to scale or monetize the platform.