April 16, 2024

• 

[THE INVESTOR] South Korean motel-booking app operator Yanolja said on Dec. 21 that it has signed a partnership with Minda, another homegrown startup which facilitates bookings for Korean guesthouses overseas.

Under the partnership, which will involve unspecified investments, Yanolja will add some 1,600 Minda-registered lodging options around the world to its app, widening user options.

 

Yanolja CEO Lee Su-jin. Lee Sang-sub/The Investor

With the addition, Yanolja will now operate a network of more than 30,000 motels and guesthouses in and out of Korea, the company said.

Founded in 2006, Minda currently offers booking services for around 1,600 Korean guesthouses located across more than 180 countries around the world. Minda users can also access guesthouse reviews, travel itineraries recommended by locals and other helpful travel tips.

Yanolja and Minda expect positive synergies from the partnership as both services target travelers in their 20s and 30s who seek affordable lodging options, the companies said.

“We are delighted to have formed a win-win partnership with Minda after searching for optimal business partnerships,” Yanolja CEO Lee Soo-jin said in a statement. 

“We will continue to form more exemplary business partnerships in the industry to expand our company’s vision and strengths.”

By Sohn Ji-young/The Korea Herald (jys@heraldcorp.com)