Multi-day activities will be made available to sell via third parties through a new platform created by AdventureLink.

The xTour product, CEO and founder Kelly Tompkins claims, is a breakthrough in the tours and activities sector as it will be the first software-as-a-service reservation platform for intermediaries to start booking multi-day (rather than one-off, single-day products) tours around the world.

The first named customer is youth travel brand STA Travel.

Similar services for single-day tours have been in the market for some time but Tompkins says a private label platform (rather than an affiliate selling tool) has not be in place as yet.

The STA Travel version of the product allows it to sell via its website some 20,000 trips in 160 countries, including special offers from specific partners, multi-currency payments and in a variey of languages.

Previously, agencies would sell a tour on behalf of a technology provider and pay an affiliate fee.

STA chief commercial officer Paul Maine says the company now has “ownership of the customer relationship”, as well as being able to add more merchandising to its core business of flights and accommodation.

Tompkins says the average tour is in the region of $3,500 to $5,000 and commission levels are around 10%.

He adds:

“Tour operators can now connect via a standardized API, which accommodates and maintains all their inventory and facilitates real-time bookings.

“Simultaneously, we are seeing a growing audience of travelers seeking experiential travel opportunities and retail partners that see the opportunity in selling these types of trips.”

Founded in 2006, AdventureLink took an $8 million funding from angel investors, Tompkins, Anthem Venture Partners, the Mailroom Fund and Allegis Capital.

Tompkins took over from Jeff Dossett in 2010.