Tourplus Technology Sdn Bhd, the start-up of Malaysia's travel company, has obtained US$ 1 million (RM4.1 million) in seed round for travelers offering customised routes linked by a local guide.

Tourplus said the community investment players were led by Jin Hui Wong, a Malaysian business angel, a Malaysian company GT-MAX, followed by SOSV and Chinaccelerator venture fund, and several other undisclosed investors.

Chief Executive Officer and Founder, Rickson Goh, said that 40% was earmarked for the expansion and refinement of the product platform.

"About 30 per cent is allocated towards marketing effort in their bid to expand market base by securing clients and establishing their brand across the region and 30 per cent of the funds is towards building the manpower strength," he said in a statement.

Meanwhile, leading investor Jin said "We are positive about Tourplus 's growth. Although the travel sector is currently being severely affected, we think the postsituation will be like China when domestic tourism boosted over the holidays of the Golden Week.

"We are encouraged by the team’s tenacity and the positive outlook of the Southeast Asia (SEA) tourism market in the near future which we believe will rebound as well.”

Founded in 2015 and aiming at a 300 per cent rise in turnout at the time , the company switched towards a more market-friendly mobile app in 2018.

Tourplus has so far succeeded in building a strength in the period 2019-2020 of more than 3,000 registered tour guides across Malaysia or SEA with a success of 10,000 visitors.

Tourplus offers accredited guides and customised routes which other travellers worldwide.