Experience Engine
Experience Engine (dba XML World) is a UK-based B2B hotel distribution platform that connects over 200,000 properties with 500+ travel operators via its EE Connect XML API, monetizing through transaction take-rates and tiered subscription analytics.
- Company typePrivate
- Founded2001
- HeadquartersWitham, United Kingdom
- Headcount11–50
- GTM typeB2B
- OfferingSoftware
What Experience Engine does
Experience Engine, doing business as XML World, is a UK-based B2B travel technology company that operates a hotel distribution marketplace connecting hotel suppliers with travel trade demand (tour operators, online travel agents, and travel agents). Founded in 2001 and headquartered in Witham, Essex, the company serves a two-sided customer base — hoteliers on the supply side and travel operators on the demand side — through its core EE Connect XML API, an XML-over-HTTPS interface (version 6.0+) supporting search, availability checking, booking creation, booking management, and cancellation, with separate development and live environments. The platform claims connectivity to over 200,000 hotel properties across 100+ countries and to 500+ distribution partners, with named enterprise relationships spanning Hotelbeds Group, Expedia, Travelopia, Virgin Holidays, Travel Republic, Lastminute.com, Yalago, and luxury hotel groups (Jumeirah, One&Only, Constance, Burj Al Arab). Supporting products include a Developer Suite for partner onboarding and certification, a three-tier Reporting & Analysis Suite for conversion and ADR analytics, and rate loading services for hoteliers.
The technology stack is centered on the XML Booking Interface API and integrates with all three major GDS systems (Amadeus, Sabre, Travelport), GIATA for hotel identification, and Google Ads for demand-side marketing. Revenue is generated through two streams: per-transaction take rates on both sides of the marketplace (operators 1%–0.5%, hoteliers 0.5%–0.1%, declining with volume) and quarterly subscription fees for the Reporting Suite (£99–£299/quarter). No upfront connectivity, setup, or minimum-commitment fees are charged. Go-to-market is exclusively B2B and API-first, with marketing concentrated on the company website, developer documentation, and a MailChimp e-newsletter.
The company is privately held, operates with 1–10 employees, has no disclosed funding, no recorded M&A, and no publicly available revenue figures. It is governed by UK law and headquartered at 119 Newland Street, Witham, Essex, CM8 1BE.
Experience Engine firmographics
Firmographics- Name
- Experience Engine
- Legal name
- XML World
- Website
- https://experienceengine.com
- Company type
- Private
- Founded year
- 2001
- Operating status
- Operating
- Headcount range
- 11–50 employees
- Short description
- Experience Engine (dba XML World) is a UK-based B2B hotel distribution platform that connects over 200,000 properties with 500+ travel operators via its EE Connect XML API, monetizing through transaction take-rates and tiered subscription analytics.
- Ownership category
- akta.pro rank
Experience Engine industry classification
Industry- Product category
- Travel Distribution Technology
- NAICS
- All Other Travel Arrangement and Reservation Services (561599), Travel Agencies (561510)
- akta.pro primary industry
- B2B OTA/White-Label Booking Platforms & Affiliate Networks (THAKAAAO)
- akta.pro secondary industries
- Hotel & Accommodation Booking Platforms (THALAFAB), Online Booking & Reservation Platforms (B2B/B2C) (THALAMAA)
Keywords
Where Experience Engine is headquartered
LocationHeadquarters
- HQ city
- Witham
- HQ country
- United Kingdom
- HQ region
- Europe
Offices1 record
Markets served
Experience Engine business model
Business model- GTM type
- B2B
- Offering type
- Software
- Cost components
- Technology or R&D, Personnel, Infrastructure, Marketing or Sales, Operations
Revenue model
- Operator Transaction Fees: Travel agents, OTAs, and tour operators pay transaction fees ranging from 1% to 0.5% per booking based on volume. No upfront connectivity charges, no set-up fees, and no minimum commitments.
- Hotelier Transaction Fees: Hoteliers pay 0.5% to 0.1% per transaction for distribution access, with no one-off fees for onboarding distribution channels.
- Reporting Packages: Three-tier subscription model for analytics and reporting: Bronze (£99/quarter), Silver (£199/quarter), Gold (£299/quarter) with varying report inclusions.
Pricing tiers
| Model | Billing | Price |
|---|---|---|
| Transaction based/ take rate | Pay-as-you-go | Operator Transaction Fee - Volume-based pricing from 1% to 0.5% |
| Transaction based/ take rate | Pay-as-you-go | Hotelier Transaction Fee - Volume-based pricing from 0.5% to 0.1% |
| Subscription | Quarterly | Bronze Reporting Package - £99 per quarter |
| Subscription | Quarterly | Silver Reporting Package - £199 per quarter |
| Subscription | Quarterly | Gold Reporting Package - £299 per quarter |
Go-to-market motion1 record
Distribution channels3 records
Marketing channels3 records
Experience Engine product offering
Product offeringCore offering
Experience Engine (trading as XML World) operates a B2B hotel distribution platform built on an XML-based Booking Interface API that connects travel agents, OTAs, and tour operators with over 200,000 hotel properties worldwide. The core service enables real-time search, booking, cancellation, and rate loading between the supply side (hoteliers and resorts) and demand side (travel operators), monetized via per-transaction fees on both sides and tiered analytics subscriptions.
Product overview
Experience Engine (operated as XML World) provides a B2B hotel distribution platform that connects hotels and resorts with travel agents, tour operators, and OTAs. The core product is the EE Connect XML API, which enables real-time hotel search, availability checking, booking management, and cancellation via XML over HTTPS. This is supported by the Developer Suite for partner onboarding and connectivity management. The platform distributes to over 200,000 hotel properties across 100+ countries and connects to hundreds of travel trade partners worldwide. Add-on services include the Reporting & Analysis Suite (available in Bronze, Silver, and Gold tiers) for analytics and conversion insights, and rate loading services for hoteliers.
Differentiator
Problem solved
Functional benefit
Products and services
- EE Connect XML API
Quantifiable outcome
- 200,000+ hotel properties accessible through single platform
- +1 more outcomes
Companies that use Experience Engine
Customer profileNamed customers12 records
Segments3 records
Ideal customer profiles2 records
Experience Engine technology and API
TechnologyTechnology focussed Yes
API detail
- Has API
- Yes
- API docs
- API detail
Core technology
AI maturity
App detail
Integration3 records
Feature4 records
Experience Engine partnerships and signals
Strategic signalPartnerships
Eleven partnerships are on record, tiered core, major and minor.
- Burj Al ArabcoreLuxury hotel property connected to the XML World distribution network, making their inventory available to travel agents and tour operators globally.
- Jumeirah Hotels & ResortscorePremium hotel group including Burj Al Arab, Jumeirah Vittaveli, and other luxury properties distributed through XML World's network.
- Constance Hotels & ResortscoreLuxury resort group with properties in Maldives, Mauritius, and other destinations, connected to distribution network.
- Hotelbeds GroupcoreMajor tour operator accessing hotel inventory through XML World's platform for distribution to end consumers.
- Expedia GroupcoreLeading OTA accessing XML World's hotel supplier network for vacation and travel bookings.
- TravelopiacoreTour operator group including Hayes & Jarvis, accessing XML World's property network for curated travel packages.
- Virgin HolidaysmajorUK-based tour operator distributing XML World's hotel inventory to UK travelers.
- Travel RepublicmajorUK online travel agent accessing XML World's accommodation inventory.
- One&Only ResortscoreUltra-luxury resort brand with properties in Dubai and elsewhere, distributed through XML World network.
- YalagomajorGlobal supplier partner distributing through XML World's network.
- GoogleminorGoogle Ads integration for travel booking visibility.
Scale indicators4 records
Recent moves6 records
Expansion highlights5 records
Experience Engine competitors and assessment
Company assessmentDirect peers
- WebBeds (Webjet): Global B2B accommodation distribution platform serving travel trade partners across multiple regions. Operates a marketplace model that competes head-to-head with Experience Engine's XML-based hotel distribution platform.
- Hotelbeds Group: The world's largest B2B hotel bedbank, distributing hotel inventory to tour operators and travel agents worldwide. Directly comparable to Experience Engine's B2B hotel distribution model and is also listed as one of Experience Engine's distribution partners.
Broad incumbents
- Expedia Partner Solutions: B2B arm of Expedia Group providing hotel API and white-label inventory to OTAs, airlines, and travel agents. Overlaps directly with Experience Engine's connectivity proposition but at significantly larger scale and as part of a broader consumer OTA portfolio.
- RateGain Travel Technologies: Listed travel-tech provider offering rate intelligence, channel manager, and distribution APIs to hotels and chains. Comparable on the analytics and connectivity dimensions, with overlap in B2B distribution and reporting/analytics products.
- Travelport (now part of CWT): Major GDS operator providing hotel content, booking, and connectivity to travel agents and OTAs. Comparable infrastructure-layer offering that connects hotels with the same demand-side audiences Experience Engine serves.
- Sabre Hospitality: Distribution and CRS technology from one of the major GDSs, providing hotel connectivity and rate loading to travel trade partners. Overlaps with Experience Engine's distribution and rate-loading capabilities via the Sabre GDS.
- SiteMinder: Hotel channel manager and distribution platform connecting properties to OTAs and GDSs. Competes in the same hotel-to-travel-trade distribution space, with deeper PMS/channel manager integrations but overlapping B2B connectivity.
- Booking.com Connectivity Partner Solutions: Connectivity and demand-generation services from the world's largest OTA, providing hotels access to global traveler demand. An incumbent that competes for the same hotel-supply relationships Experience Engine brokers for travel trade partners.
Regional players
- DOTW (Destinations of the World): Dubai-headquartered B2B hotel distributor serving travel trade partners with strong Middle East and luxury resort inventory. Comparable niche and customer profile to Experience Engine, with overlap in luxury resort distribution.
Emerging players
- DHISCO (now part of RateGain): Specialist hotel distribution switch connecting hotels to multiple OTAs and GDSs. Closely aligned with Experience Engine's API-first, interoperability-led approach to hotel connectivity for travel trade.
Market position
Strengths5 records
Weaknesses5 records
Competitive moat4 records
Key risks7 records
Key highlights7 records
Customer concentration
Experience Engine social profiles
Digital presenceExperience Engine financial estimates
Financial estimateRevenue estimate
Valuation estimate
Experience Engine leadership team
Management profileNumber of profiles
Experience Engine funding detail
Funding detailFunding overview
Funding rounds
Investors
Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
Experience Engine M&A and investment
M&A and investmentM&A
Investments
M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
Frequently asked questions about Experience Engine
What does Experience Engine do?
Experience Engine (trading as XML World) operates a B2B hotel distribution platform built on an XML-based Booking Interface API that connects travel agents, OTAs, and tour operators with over 200,000 hotel properties worldwide. The core service enables real-time search, booking, cancellation, and rate loading between the supply side (hoteliers and resorts) and demand side (travel operators), monetized via per-transaction fees on both sides and tiered analytics subscriptions.
Is Experience Engine a public or private company?
Experience Engine is a private company. It is classified as unknown and is currently operating.
When was Experience Engine founded?
Experience Engine was founded in 2001. It employs 11 to 50 people.
Where is Experience Engine based?
Experience Engine is headquartered in Witham, United Kingdom, in the Europe region.
How does Experience Engine make money?
Three revenue lines are on record. Operator Transaction Fees are the primary driver. The others are hotelier Transaction Fees and reporting Packages.
Who are Experience Engine's main competitors?
Direct peers on record are WebBeds (Webjet) and Hotelbeds Group. Broad incumbents are Expedia Partner Solutions, RateGain Travel Technologies, Travelport (now part of CWT), Sabre Hospitality, SiteMinder and Booking.com Connectivity Partner Solutions. DOTW (Destinations of the World) is listed as a regional player. DHISCO (now part of RateGain) is listed as an emerging player.
Does Experience Engine have an API?
Yes. XML-based Booking Interface API over HTTPS providing access to hotel search, booking, booking details, and cancellation functionality. The API supports two environments: development (https://xmldev-xml.xml.world/) and live (https://xml.xml.world/). All connections require login credentials and API version (6.0+ supported). Timeouts are 30 seconds for SearchRequest and 60 seconds for other requests. Static data exports available in CSV and JSON formats via the interactive portal. Modifications are not supported; cancel and rebook is the recommended approach. Developer documentation is at experienceengine.com/documentation.
What industry is Experience Engine in?
Experience Engine's product category is Travel Distribution Technology. Its primary akta.pro industry code is THAKAAAO, B2B OTA/White-Label Booking Platforms & Affiliate Networks, with a secondary code of THALAFAB, Hotel & Accommodation Booking Platforms. Its NAICS code is 561599.