Journey + Leisure Membership is a brand new subscription journey reserving and concierge service.
Journey + Leisure Group/Journey + Leisure Co.
From private-jet golf equipment to theme park memberships, subscription companies are more and more the best way to go on the subject of holidays and different leisure journeys.
For instance, Web websites Tripadvisor and Scott’s Low cost Flights — each free to customers of their primary variations — this yr have every rolled out premium membership plans that provide these keen to pay an annual charge additional perks and entry to particular pricing.
Now, Journey + Leisure Co., which owns about 20 resort, journey membership and way of life journey manufacturers, is staking its declare to the area with its new on-line Journey + Leisure Membership, tied to editorial content material printed in its signature Journey + Leisure journal.
Whereas all readers will now be capable of e book journeys to locations featured within the publication by way of the brand new, free Journey + Leisure GO platform, membership members will get premium perks like unique itineraries and most popular pricing and advantages, in accordance with Journey +Leisure Group President Noah Brodsky.
“After we acquired the Journey + Leisure model again in January, one of many issues we heard many instances from editors, subscribers and advertisers was that with all this unbelievable content material, it is loopy there is no ‘e book now’ button — so that is what we have finished,” he mentioned, referring to the acquisition of the model by the previous Wyndham Locations, now Journey + Leisure Co., from Meredith Corp. in a $100 million deal.
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“And we have launched a subscription journey membership, which will get you entry to some unbelievable Journey + Leisure content material, unique itineraries and editor-inspired journeys, together with actually good most popular pricing and advantages,” Brodsky added.
Subscription companies are a pattern throughout all industries, because of the content material and worth the mannequin gives shoppers, he mentioned.
“That is what we’re betting on right here: That Journey + Leisure is a model that may be the strongest participant within the journey subscription area,” Brodsky mentioned.
Membership prices $9.95 per 30 days at a particular introductory price, after a free 30-day trial interval. That charge will ultimately rise to $19.95 however at press time there was no timeframe for a value hike, in accordance with a spokesperson.
Subscribers get a mean 25% off retail charges at motels and resorts, and members-only pricing on automobile leases, actions and extra, in accordance with the corporate. Stock consists of greater than 600,000 properties, over 345,000 exercise choices, and services from all main automobile rental corporations and dozens of main air carriers.
Members additionally get a subscription to Journey + Leisure journal and concierge companies for assist with every little thing from house renovations impressed by the publication’s photograph spreads to securing present tickets and restaurant reservations. The eating community consists of greater than 1,500 eating places in 30 international locations and 120 cities, the place members can get perks like complimentary glasses of wine or additional programs.
Journey + Leisure GO, in the meantime, is “an open on-line retail journey web site that connects inspirational journey tales, vacation spot guides and curated itineraries with planning and reserving instruments, whether or not for on a regular basis adventures or a once-in-a-lifetime getaway,” in accordance with the corporate.
In recognition of Journey + Leisure journal’s 2021 World’s Greatest Awards, membership members and guests to Journey + Leisure GO can e book curated itineraries that includes high locations, motels and actions from this yr’s winners. The customizable journey experiences begin at $1,650 for a four-day stick with lodging, actions and floor transportation for 2 vacationers.
Awards and brokers tie-ins
Charleston, South Carolina, was named No. 1 U.S. vacation spot for 2021 by Journey + Leisure journal.
traveler1116 | E+ | Getty Photos
For instance, an immersive getaway in Charleston, South Carolina — voted the No. 1 metropolis within the U.S. this yr — consists of lodging on the boutique Vendue Resort, a sail within the harbor and a tour of the town’s alleys and hidden passageways. A keep on the Viceroy Chicago, named high metropolis lodge within the continental U.S., comes with an “unique VIP” tour of the Artwork Institute of Chicago and a “non-public early entry expertise” on the Area Museum of Pure Historical past.
Farther afield, Journey + Leisure is also providing itineraries at high Mexican resort the Viceroy Riviera Maya in Playa del Carmen, and in Florence, Italy, named one of many world’s high 10 cities. Because the pandemic, hopefully, subsides, extra abroad itineraries will probably be added, mentioned Brodsky.
“Within the coming months, we’ll be including extra international locations, however now we have added extra throughout the U.S. as a result of we all know shoppers really feel extra comfy touring throughout the nation,” he mentioned.
“These new curated itineraries are a tangible strategy to stay the ‘World’s Greatest’ expertise, whereas connecting us with the world and feeding our elementary human want to make genuine and distinctive journey experiences accessible to everybody,” mentioned Jacqui Gifford, editor in chief of Journey + Leisure, in an announcement.
That is actually about extending our mission of placing the world on trip, with completely different prospects in a special phase inside leisure journey.
Noah Brodsky
president of Journey + Leisure Group
Brodsky agreed.
“One of many issues Journey + Leisure has finished so properly for 50 years is write such an extremely inspiring breadth of content material, and even occurring a household journey could be inspirational,” he mentioned. “With any kind of journey and anyplace you are keen to go, there’s one thing wonderful to do, and we have all of them listed multi functional place — and membership members are going to get actually unbelievable financial savings and further concierge companies.”
For now, each the membership and GO can be found on-line — at clubtravelandleisure.com and go.travelandleisure.com, respectively — however cell apps are within the works, mentioned Brodsky. Membership members can even e book itineraries by cellphone with the concierge service.
Additionally deliberate is a tie-in to Journey + Leisure’s advisory board of “A-Listing” journey brokers, mentioned Brodsky, at the same time as the corporate strikes into the travel-planning and -booking area itself. (The publication is famous for compiling an annual record of journey advisors specializing in varied locations and actions worldwide.)
“I feel it factors to the truth that folks take all completely different sorts of journeys,” he mentioned, noting that trip planning runs the gamut from easy D.I.Y. internet searches for the perfect pricing during placing collectively an costly journey of a lifetime, “the place you need, want or can afford spectacular recommendation from among the best journey advisors on this planet.”
“And that is the place the A-Listing is available in,” Brodsky added, noting membership concierges will supply referrals to specialist brokers. “We completely see that as a continuum that the Journey + Leisure model will assist.”
What will not be getting preferential placement is Journey + Leisure Co.’s personal portfolio of legacy Wyndham Locations trip properties. “Journey + Leisure Group is appearing completely independently from these and dealing with the Journey + Leisure editorial content material,” mentioned Brodsky.
Whereas his workforce does plan itinerary bookings according to the journal’s editorial calendar, “we get no affect by any means on selecting the locations they’re writing about or selecting any of the motels, or cruises or experiences,” Brodsky famous. “There is no crossover by any means throughout the web site.
“We already are the highest participant within the components of the leisure journey business we have been already in,” he added. “That is actually about extending our mission of placing the world on trip, with completely different prospects in a special phase inside leisure journey.”