TripShock!
TripShock! is a Southeast US-focused OTA marketplace connecting travelers with 1,000+ tours and activities across 30+ Gulf Coast destinations, primarily in watersports, serving SMB tour operators, vacation rental/property managers, affiliates, and developers via API-integrated reservation systems.
- Company typePrivate
- Founded2009
- HeadquartersDestin, United States
- Headcount11–50
- GTM typeB2B and B2C
- OfferingDigital Commerce or Content
What TripShock! does
TripShock! is a privately held online travel agency (OTA) marketplace, operated by TS Tours, LLC under a trademark and technology license from Emerald Memories, Inc., connecting travelers with local tour and activity providers across 30+ destinations in the US Southeast, with a particular concentration on watersports and boating experiences in the Gulf Coast region. Founded in 2009 in Destin, Florida by Greg Fisher — who previously worked in the jetski rental business — the company has grown to approximately 33 employees and now lists 1,000+ tours and attractions from 130+ tour and lodging suppliers. The company's core proposition for operators is filling empty seats and unsold inventory, with 70-75% of bookings reportedly occurring within 48 hours of activity departure, indicating a last-minute-driven transactional marketplace.
The product stack is built around a proprietary booking and listing management platform integrated via API with six reservation systems — WaveRez, FareHarbor, Rezdy, Bókun, Peek, and Xola — enabling real-time availability sync and two-way booking confirmation. TripShock acquired a majority stake in WaveRez in 2019, creating a vertically integrated software-and-marketplace pairing in watersports. The platform supports four primary constituents: tour operators (Featured Placement commission tiers at 27% Category Boost and 30% Destination Max, plus supplier onboarding fees), affiliates (commission-based resellers including bloggers, social media creators, and hotels), vacation rental/property managers (the Guest Rewards Program launched March 2024 with up to 50% commission share and tiered subscriptions), and developers (API connectivity).
The revenue model is a hybrid of marketplace transaction commissions (RetRate minus NetRate), one-time supplier onboarding fees ($500 per supplier and $100 per listing as of September 2024), tiered subscriptions for the Guest Rewards program (Starter free, Basic $8/month per unit, Pro $15/month per unit), and co-branded white-label affiliate portals (launched June 2024). Distribution combines direct OTA traffic at TripShock.com, a 7-day-a-week live reservation team, an active content/affiliate marketing network (including the Awkward Watersports Guys Podcast and an annual operator forum), and API-driven supply from partner reservation systems. The company has no disclosed external venture funding and operates as a profitable organic-growth business.
TripShock! firmographics
Firmographics- Name
- TripShock!
- Legal name
- TS Tours, LLC
- Website
- https://partners.tripshock.com
- Company type
- Private
- Founded year
- 2009
- Operating status
- Operating
- Headcount range
- 11–50 employees
- Short description
- TripShock! is a Southeast US-focused OTA marketplace connecting travelers with 1,000+ tours and activities across 30+ Gulf Coast destinations, primarily in watersports, serving SMB tour operators, vacation rental/property managers, affiliates, and developers via API-integrated reservation systems.
- Ownership category
- akta.pro rank
TripShock! industry classification
Industry- Product category
- Online Tours & Activities Marketplace
- NAICS
- Tour Operators (561520), Travel Agencies (561510)
- SIC
- Services-Amusement & Recreation Services (7900)
- akta.pro primary industry
- Destination/Activity Booking Marketplaces (Tours & Tickets Aggregators) (THAKAAAH)
- akta.pro secondary industry
- B2B OTA/White-Label Booking Platforms & Affiliate Networks (THAKAAAO)
Keywords
Where TripShock! is headquartered
LocationHeadquarters
- HQ city
- Destin
- HQ country
- United States
- HQ region
- North America
Offices2 records
Markets served
TripShock! business model
Business model- GTM type
- B2B and B2C
- Offering type
- Digital Commerce or Content
- Cost components
- Personnel, Marketing or Sales, Technology or R&D, Operations
Revenue model
- Marketplace Commission / Marketing Fee: TripShock collects a commission (Marketing Fee) from tour operators on each booking made through the platform. The commission is calculated as Retail Rate minus Net Rate. Commission rates for Featured Placement start at 27% (Category Boost) and 30% (Destination Max). No contracts required.
- Supplier Onboarding & Listing Fees: New suppliers pay a $500 onboarding fee (as of September 2024) and $100 per new listing created. WaveRez reservation system users receive discounted onboarding and listing fees.
- Guest Rewards Subscription Plans: Property managers and vacation rentals pay subscription fees for the Guest Rewards program: Starter (Free with 25% commission), Basic ($8/month or $80/year per unit with 35% commission), Pro ($15/month or $150/year per unit with up to 50% commission). Hosts only pay for credits actually used by guests.
- Featured Placement Fees: Tour operators pay premium commission rates for Featured Placement visibility boosts — Category Boost starting at 27% commission and Destination Max starting at 30% commission, with no contracts and flexible on/off toggling.
Pricing tiers
| Model | Billing | Price |
|---|---|---|
| Transaction based/ take rate | Pay-as-you-go | Category Boost — Featured placement at top of category pages |
| Transaction based/ take rate | Pay-as-you-go | Destination Max — Premium placement on high-traffic pages |
| Subscription | Monthly | Guest Rewards Starter Plan — Free tier for small hosts |
| Subscription | Monthly | Guest Rewards Basic Plan — Mid-tier with automation |
| Subscription | Monthly | Guest Rewards Pro Plan — Full-featured top tier |
| One time/ perpetual license | Pay-as-you-go | Supplier Onboarding Fee (Tour Operators) |
Go-to-market motion3 records
Distribution channels5 records
Marketing channels8 records
TripShock! product offering
Product offeringCore offering
TripShock operates an online travel agency (OTA) marketplace that connects travelers with local tour and activity providers across 30+ Southeast US destinations, primarily focused on watersports and boating activities. The platform enables tour operators to list and sell tickets, supports an affiliate reseller network with white-label co-branded booking portals, and offers property managers a Guest Rewards program for guest activity credits, all backed by real-time API integrations with major reservation systems.
Product overview
TripShock operates as an online travel agency (OTA) marketplace connecting tourists with local tour and activity providers, primarily focused on watersports and boating activities. The platform is a multi-sided marketplace serving tour operators (supply side), affiliates/resellers, and vacation rental managers. The core TripShock Marketplace is complemented by API Connectivity for reservation software integration (FareHarbor, WaveRez, Rezdy, Bókun, Peek, Xola), Partner Solutions (Featured Placement with Category Boost and Destination Max tiers), the Affiliate Reseller Program with traditional link-based marketing, the white-label Co-Branded Booking Portal for customizable affiliate experiences, and the Guest Rewards Program offering property managers up to 50% commission. The company also acquired WaveRez, a specialized reservation software for watersports operators. Together, these products enable real-time inventory management, booking synchronization, and visibility boosting across 30+ destinations.
Differentiator
Problem solved
Functional benefit
Products and services
- TripShock Marketplace Online travel agency (OTA) marketplace where travelers search, browse, and book 1,000+ tours, attractions, and watersports activities across 30+ Southeast US destinations.
- Partner Solutions (Featured Placement)
Quantifiable outcome
- Up to 5x increase in listing visibility with Featured Placement
- +4 more outcomes
Companies that use TripShock!
Customer profileNamed customers10 records
Segments3 records
Ideal customer profiles3 records
TripShock! technology and API
TechnologyTechnology focussed Yes
API detail
- Has API
- Yes
- API docs
- API detail
Core technology
AI maturity
App detail
Integration6 records
Feature5 records
TripShock! partnerships and signals
Strategic signalPartnerships
Eleven partnerships are on record, tiered notable, minor and core.
- DestinBoardwalk.comnotableDestinBoardwalk.com is an affiliate partner of TripShock. In 2022 alone, this partner sent over 25,000 referrals to TripShock.com and helped generate more than $200,000 in bookings, demonstrating significant affiliate marketing value.
- Pint Size NOLAminorAffiliate partner featuring TripShock partner activities in content about the Gulf Coast and Florida destinations. Featured the Gulfarium Marine Adventure Park on Florida's Emerald Coast.
- WaveRezcoreWaveRez is a booking software designed specifically for watersports operators. TripShock co-founder Greg Fisher also co-founded WaveRez, and TripShock acquired a majority stake in WaveRez in 2019. The two systems integrate seamlessly, allowing real-time availability syncing and booking automation. WaveRez partners receive promotional benefits including free featured placement on TripShock (valued up to $4,500/year). WaveRez was formerly known as BookRS.
- FareHarborcoreFareHarbor is a reservation system that integrates with TripShock via API, allowing real-time price and availability syncing. TripShock pulls pricing and schedule information via API without accessing the full dashboard. TripShock orders do not incur FareHarbor's 6% fee. This integration allows automatic booking confirmations and eliminates overbooking issues.
- RezdycoreRezdy is a reservation system integration partner of TripShock, enabling connectivity between Rezdy-powered operator accounts and TripShock's marketplace for real-time booking and availability syncing.
- BókuncoreBókun is a reservation and tour operator software that integrates with TripShock, allowing operators using Bókun to connect their availability and bookings to TripShock's marketplace.
- PeekcorePeek is a reservation platform that integrates with TripShock, enabling operators using Peek to connect their bookings and availability with TripShock's marketplace.
- XolacoreXola is a reservation and booking platform that integrates with TripShock, allowing operators to sync their availability and bookings with TripShock's marketplace.
- Crazy Family AdventureminorContent creator and affiliate partner that produces blog posts and videos featuring TripShock partner activities. Examples include '31 Things to Do in Destin Florida with Kids' and 'Four Best Water Activities in Key West for Kids.'
- Allyson Berger (Affiliate Creator)minorTripShock affiliate content creator who produced standout video content featuring Bonita Springs Jet Ski and Parasail and documented an experience swimming with manatees at Crystal River Watersports.
- Emerald Coast By OwnernotableEmerald Coast By Owner partnered with TripShock to launch a new activities marketplace for Gulf Coast travelers, announced February 25, 2026.
Scale indicators7 records
Recent moves8 records
Expansion highlights5 records
TripShock! competitors and assessment
Company assessmentDirect peers
- Tours4Fun: OTA marketplace specializing in North American tours and activities, including watersports and sightseeing; directly comparable regional competitor in the same leisure activity category.
- Viator: Tripadvisor-owned global OTA marketplace for tours, activities, and attractions — the largest direct competitor to TripShock, operating across tens of thousands of destinations worldwide with significantly greater marketing scale.
- Headout: Curated marketplace for tours, activities, and attractions with a focus on last-minute and mobile bookings; comparable to TripShock on consumer marketplace model and the 48-hour booking window behavior TripShock dominates.
- Rezdy: Booking software and distribution platform for tour and activity operators; directly comparable to WaveRez/FareHarbor and integrated with TripShock as an API partner for real-time availability.
- Peek: Tours-and-activities marketplace and software platform for operators; directly comparable in both marketplace distribution (consumer-facing bookings) and reservation-system functionality, with capital from major VCs.
- FareHarbor: Booking Holdings-owned reservation and booking software for tours and activities — directly comparable to WaveRez and a major integration partner of TripShock; serves the same operator base with comparable features and a 6% booking fee.
- GetYourGuide: Berlin-based global tours and activities marketplace backed by SoftBank; directly competes with TripShock's core marketplace model across destinations, with overlapping supplier economics and a similar commission structure.
- Bókun: Tripadvisor/Expedia-owned booking management and distribution platform for tour operators; competes directly with WaveRez on reservation software and is integrated with TripShock via API.
- Klook: Asia-headquartered global OTA for tours, activities, and travel services; competes directly with TripShock in destination marketplaces and offers a similar affiliate and supplier-fulfillment model.
- Musement: TUI Group-owned tours-and-activities marketplace operating across Europe and global destinations; a directly comparable OTA that competes for the same leisure-travel activity bookers and operator supply.
Market position
Strengths5 records
Weaknesses5 records
Competitive moat5 records
Key risks6 records
Key highlights7 records
Customer concentration
TripShock! social profiles
Digital presenceTripShock! financial estimates
Financial estimateRevenue estimate
Valuation estimate
TripShock! leadership team
Management profileNumber of profiles
Profiles3 records
TripShock! subsidiaries and ownership
Company hierarchySubsidiaries1 record
TripShock! funding detail
Funding detailFunding overview
Funding rounds
Investors
Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
TripShock! 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 TripShock!
What does TripShock! do?
TripShock operates an online travel agency (OTA) marketplace that connects travelers with local tour and activity providers across 30+ Southeast US destinations, primarily focused on watersports and boating activities. The platform enables tour operators to list and sell tickets, supports an affiliate reseller network with white-label co-branded booking portals, and offers property managers a Guest Rewards program for guest activity credits, all backed by real-time API integrations with major reservation systems.
Is TripShock! a public or private company?
TripShock! is a private company. It is classified as founder individual operated bootstrapped and is currently operating.
When was TripShock! founded?
TripShock! was founded in 2009. It employs 11 to 50 people.
Where is TripShock! based?
TripShock! is headquartered in Destin, United States, in the North America region.
How does TripShock! make money?
Four revenue lines are on record. Marketplace Commission / Marketing Fee is the primary driver. The others are supplier Onboarding & Listing Fees, guest Rewards Subscription Plans and featured Placement Fees.
Who are TripShock!'s main competitors?
Direct peers on record are Tours4Fun, Viator, Headout, Rezdy, Peek, FareHarbor, GetYourGuide, Bókun, Klook and Musement.
Does TripShock! have an API?
Yes. TripShock offers API connectivity that enables partners to integrate TripShock's inventory with their preferred tools and platforms. The API allows real-time synchronization of pricing, availability, and booking data with reservation software systems. Partners using integrated reservation systems like FareHarbor, WaveRez, Bókun, Rezdy, Peek, and Xola can automatically confirm bookings without manual intervention.
What industry is TripShock! in?
TripShock!'s product category is Online Tours & Activities Marketplace. Its primary akta.pro industry code is THAKAAAH, Destination/Activity Booking Marketplaces (Tours & Tickets Aggregators), with a secondary code of THAKAAAO, B2B OTA/White-Label Booking Platforms & Affiliate Networks. Its NAICS code is 561520 and its SIC code is 7900.