What is Backroads?
Founded in 1979 and headquartered in Berkeley, California, Backroads has cultivated a robust reputation for delivering high-end active travel experiences. With a portfolio spanning over 4,200 scheduled departures annually, the company facilitates immersive journeys across 6 continents and 64 countries. Their service offerings include specialized bike tours, multi-adventure excursions, walking and hiking expeditions, and curated ocean and river cruise tours. By maintaining a diverse geographic footprint across 20 US states and 4 Canadian provinces, Backroads occupies a dominant position in the experiential travel industry, catering to a sophisticated demographic seeking premium, guided exploration.
How much funding has Backroads raised?
Backroads has raised a total of $7M across 2 funding rounds:
Debt
$5M
Debt
$2M
Debt (2020): $5M with participation from PPP
Debt (2021): $2M led by PPP
Key Investors in Backroads
PPP
Public-Private Partnership
PPP
Public-Private Partnership
What's next for Backroads?
With this major strategic investment, Backroads is positioned to accelerate its enterprise-level growth initiatives. The capital will likely be deployed to enhance digital infrastructure, expand its global destination network, and optimize operational efficiencies across its vast array of tour offerings. As the travel industry continues to rebound, the company's focus on high-margin, experiential tourism provides a stable foundation for long-term value creation. Future strategic efforts will likely prioritize the integration of sustainable travel practices and the expansion of its cruise-based adventure segments to capture emerging market demand.
See full Backroads company page
