Wanderlust Secures Funding To Expand Digital Services

The Wanderlust Group (TWG), a technology leader in the marine and outdoor travel industries, announced that it has closed $14.2 million in Series B funding. 

First launching with marinas in 2015, to date The Wanderlust Group has connected more than 250,000 boaters with more than 15,000 marinas to search, explore, reserve, and pay for reservations digitally, within a matter of minutes via its subsidiaries Dockwa and Marinas.com. Now, armed with new funding, the brand says it will continue to enhance its marina presence while expanding to adjacent outdoor travel experiences.  

“Prior to 2020, boating and outdoor travel were already growing. Now, we’re seeing this growth speed up as more people look to get outside and take advantage of macro trends created by the pandemic, notably remote work and a population-wide re-evaluation of time spent with close friends and family,” said Mike Melillo, CEO and co-Founder of The Wanderlust Group. 

TWG’s Dockwa platform helps boaters and marinas discover and connect with each other, getting more people out on the water, and keeping them coming back. Once underway, the average boater spends upwards of $500 per trip in their destinations’ waterfront communities; the Dockwa platform connects travelers directly to the team at each destination, which expedites the transaction and has increased the YoY revenue generated for local businesses. 

“Marinas are the lifeblood of many waterfront communities, and reservation-accepting marinas and cruisers have interconnected needs,” said Melillo. “Our technology seeks to level the playing field and provide cost-effective ways for all marinas to attract guests and manage their reservations. As our network of marinas and boaters grows, the value we deliver grows as well.”

This announcement continues strong momentum for The Wanderlust Group. Dockwa users have now booked nearly five million nights at marinas across the U.S.