Edinburgh-based travel tech firm Criton has raised £5 million pounds from an anonymous investor to help the company grow internationally.

The investment follows a number of high profile customer acquisitions including high profile Scottish destinations including the Crieff Hydro and Auchrannie Resort. They join a growing list of clients including hotels and resorts in the USA, Australia, Germany and Portugal.

The new investment will allow Criton to increase staff numbers, from it’s current six staff members to over 30 in the next two years. The company is planning to open sales offices in London and the Middle East in the next year.

Criton gives hotels, apartments, hostels and other holiday lets the ability to put information into the hands of guests, with instructional videos, property management and destination guides, as well as special offers and messaging with the guest.

Julie Grieve, founder and CEO of Criton Apps, told DIGIT: “We have achieved a lot in the first twelve months, both in customer sign-ups and awareness. Our app-builder offers independent hotels a guest facing technology which rivals anything offered by chains such as Hilton and Marriott and we are making an impact.

“This is a sector, however, where it is important to move fast and this investment will allow us to take Criton to the next level with more staff and an international sales team. We believe the future of travel and hospitality tech is on the guest’s own device, where they can use their own phone or tablet to check-in, access their room and operate in-room appliances using the power of the Internet of Things.

“In-room devices are used briefly, if at all, during the guest stay because they want to use their own device both in room and when out and about.  What’s more, our technology is available to independent hotels and small chains making it possible for them to offer guest facing technology that is world class.”

“We now have the foundations and the funds in place to meet our growth ambitions. It is an exciting time.

“Criton literally provides the who, what, where, when and how about a place to stay via the touch of a screen, any way, any time on a white labelled app. It is a means to enhance customer service and experience, easy to update and can be translated into any language to suit international visitors.

“As the hospitality sector looks to digitise the guest offering, we believe Criton will help operators do this without paying for expensive technology that does not give them full control over the content.”