Johannes Reck, born in Cologne, Germany, is the founder of the German company “GetYourGuide,” a platform dedicated to tourism activities. The company launched by Reck offers travel services, tours, excursions, and tickets to various attractions. Founded in 2008, the company currently holds a valuation of over two billion dollars and manages more than 33,000 services per day.
Since its founding in 2008, the German entrepreneur has become the company’s leading figure. As CEO, he oversees a workforce of 850 employees, with headquarters in Berlin, Germany’s capital. According to European sources, the company has surpassed 200 million booked experiences and consolidated travel packages in over 12,000 cities worldwide.
The company’s figures reflect its strength and growth. Reck entered the market after facing difficulties while traveling abroad, which inspired his business idea. Today, he replaces the term “travel” with “experience,” applying a suite of artificial intelligence tools to optimize resources and assist operators.
The company collaborates with hundreds of providers who have become more efficient through technology, using the platform to improve booking systems and coordinate with travel agencies. Reck has highlighted that “the internet has become the main channel for most people.”
How Did the Idea for GetYourGuide Emerge, and What Makes It Unique?
The journeys of great entrepreneurs often begin with an idea, a need, or a problem they encounter. Years ago, Johannes and his friends traveled to China, but the future CEO arrived a day earlier and found little to do. GetYourGuide was born from the idea of promoting local-led activities and excursions designed for tourists.
This is why the company is considered a pioneer in its field. “We don’t look too much at our competitors because GetYourGuide has been a pioneer in this space over the last decade,” stated the CEO, who also noted that there haven’t been many market innovations since most competitors are “still adapting.”
Experiences and Memories: The Pillars of Reck’s Company
Purchases have been replaced by experiences and memories. “Now it’s called experiences, and I think that shows it’s less about basic items,” said the German entrepreneur, preferring the term to describe a post-pandemic paradigm shift in consumer behavior.
This concept aligns with the “experience economy,” where consumers focus less on buying products and more on investing time to create memories and experiences—a deeper and broader approach to consumption. In that sense, GetYourGuide has become a benchmark, offering tailored travel packages and services for each customer.
Based in Berlin, the company helped small businesses grow during the Covid-19 lockdown. Digitalization expanded the reach of online purchases, and with the rise of AI and advanced systems, many platforms noted that users now turn not only to Google but also to specialized travel platforms.
When visiting the company’s website, the phrase that stands out is: “Unforgettable travel memories,” followed by two main sections — “Places to See” and “Things to Do.” The site organizes each option to help users easily find what they seek.
The Arrival of AI in the Tourism Sector: Good or Bad According to Reck?
Artificial intelligence has become a significant force in the tourism industry. For Johannes Reck, this technology is “useful for the travel industry because it can process and structure data very efficiently,” he said, calling it “promising.”
GetYourGuide has implemented AI across its data systems, and its CEO emphasized that to fully benefit from this tool, all stakeholders must understand and adopt artificial intelligence to achieve greater efficiency.
The CEO’s Vision for the Future
The post-pandemic period marked an exponential rise for GetYourGuide. Reck has stated that the coming years will bring further “market maturation” and noted that the company is now “five times larger than before the pandemic.”
It is worth remembering that in 2019, before the Covid-19 lockdown, a major firm invested billions of dollars in Reck’s project. After the pandemic, with that investment and the shift in consumer behavior toward more purposeful travel, Johannes Reck demonstrated his leadership at GetYourGuide—a company that continues to expand and redefine the global tourism experience.