Hotelsbycity.com co-founders and former Priceline executives Andrew Loewen and Randy Schartner announced their latest project, Plannin, a global travel booking platform that enables creators to monetize hotel recommendations and share travel-focused content.
As the value of the creator economy continues to grow, estimated to generate $250 billion in revenue, Plannin wants to put a new spin on travel booking by using influencers instead of travel agents.
Plannin allows creators to tell their audience about their recent trips, their favorite hotels, post travel photos, and earn revenue by sharing their affiliate links on social platforms and encouraging their followers to sign up for Plannin. Meanwhile, travelers can access thousands of creator recommendations and book hotels directly through the platform.
“One recommendation from the right person is worth more than 1,000 anonymous reviews, and our goal is to help people align their travel experiences with creators they trust,” Loewen, who previously served as chief operating officer of the Priceline Partner Network, told TechCrunch.
The most notable thing about this platform is that it gives creators a lifetime 5% commission, meaning if a follower clicks on your link and continues to book through Plannin, the creator will earn commission on their account for as long as the account exists.
“We offer a lifetime commission model, so creators can earn from their viewers even if they don’t book on the day. The reason is, travel is not an impulse purchase. … Many of our bookings come from [15 to 60] “A few days after the original account was created,” Loewen said.
Putting creators at the forefront is a strategic move for Plannin, ensuring a steady flow of content and traffic to the platform. The company also believes that travelers benefit from authentic recommendations from influencers they know and trust, who share the same interests and tastes.
But some may question whether financially motivated influencers will give honest recommendations. Schartner, the former president of the Priceline Partner Network, doesn't think that's an issue: “They assume that because it's for their audience, they're going to give an honest review… “Most people are not going to lie or be misleading on their personal social media because they have a deeper connection with their audience,” he said.
Plannin already has more than 600 influencers on board, with around 5,000 posts and 1,500 recommendations on the platform. The company approves creators with more than 10,000 followers, but also considers micro-influencers who specialize in travel-focused content.
Plannin also has the ability to search over 2 million hotels worldwide. The platform has partnered with Booking Holdings, which also owns Priceline, Agoda, Booking.com, and OpenTable.
Plannin aims to be a one-stop platform for booking entire travel experiences. For example, this summer, creators will be able to recommend restaurants, tours, attractions and other activities. The company will soon partner with GetYourGuide and OpenTable to let travelers book restaurant table reservations and activities in one place.
Additionally, the platform plans to launch “Trip Boards” later this month, allowing creators to create complete itineraries with destination experiences, hotels, and restaurants all in one place. For example, an influencer could create a travel board featuring dozens of stops in their favorite cities based on a recent trip to Italy.
Plannin is still in beta, but a formal release is on the way.
The company secured $2.5 million in funding last year led by Golden Ventures, N49P and former Booking Holdings CEO Jeffrey Boyd, and is looking to raise more venture capital this summer.
