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Source: Facebook
If there’s one thing Luxury Link prides itself on, it’s personalization. A member of the online travel-booking industry — a market rife with steady competition — the Playa Vista company has developed a formula of internally curated travel options and in-house travel consultation that, it believes, are lacking among its competitors.
Much of the company’s identity is, unsurprisingly, informed by its demographic. The site targets the affluent, offering four- and five-star hotel and vacation packages for destinations around the world, equipped with such activities as golf and wine-tasting. Each package is unique to Luxury Link, priced at a discounted rate negotiated with the hotel.
“We have personal, direct relationships with all our hoteliers and are constantly sourcing new properties and experiences to offer our members,” said CEO Scott Morrow. “All of our offerings are unique to Luxury Link...Our account managers work closely with our hotel partners to design one-of-a-kind packages that highlight the best of each property and destination.”
Another key to Luxury Link’s approach is its history. Established in 1997, Luxury Link remains one of the world’s first online travel companies, predating the advent of the World Wide Web as a commercial entity. Unlike travel apps founded in the 2010s, for which most or all customer interaction takes place through a few taps within an app, the company prioritizes multi-channeled customer service and assistance from in-house consultants, especially by phone -- likely a product of its time of inception.
Morrow said these qualities distinguish Luxury Link from other sites in the travel space, who tend to aggregate deals rather than create them and lack a concierge-like presence.
“Unlike anonymous travel sites that cater to the masses, Luxury Link fosters relationships between savvy travelers and hotels,” he explained. “Having a [hotel expert] on staff insures guests receive a personalized experience and facilitating that relationship enhances both client and customer trust. Luxury Link offers not only bookable rooms and escapes, but insider tips from hoteliers, locals and veteran travelers, and dispatches from our destinations.”
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Source: Facebook
In efforts to expand its reach, the company inked a deal with discount designer-shopping site Gilt in January, allowing Gilt members to book packages through Gilt.com. “Travelers are now able to discover Luxury Link’s curated hotel and vacation experiences on Gilt and book exclusive accommodations at a great value. The partnership also allows Luxury Link to extend its brand to a younger demographic,” said Morrow.
While Luxury Link’s focus has primarily been its website and customer service, Morrow said the 40-person company has begun investing in app development and algorithmic merchandising to keep itself aligned with current consumer behavior and demand.
“We have seen a tremendous growth of mobile traffic over the last several years and we now boast a responsive design website,” he said. “We will continue to invest in mobile with the Gilt partnership, where we plan to power the travel category for their mobile application in the coming months. We will also explore creating a Luxury Link mobile application.”
He also intends to broaden the international presence of the site, which has mostly targeted a North American audience. For starters, he said, the site will support transactions with multiple forms of currency this month. “There is a tremendous opportunity for us to market our international inventory to a regional audience and better match supply and demand...We are already a global business and we aspire to be a global consumer brand.”
