I interviewed some of the executives and wrote about their media/transaction model in Travel Weekly.
There was an extensive industry-wide discussion in this blog several months ago about the inspiration phase of travel planning, and how the online travel agencies largely target consumers ready to book -- the low-hanging fruit.
Voyage.tv, in contrast, is taking a page from the likes of TravelMuse, UpTake and NileGuide, among others, and is focusing on the inspiration phase of the travel-planning process. Through its videos, Voyage.tv is targeting urban dwellers with visions of grand vacations and a cushy lifestyle experience at Caribbean resorts and other destinations.
This is believed to be one of the first attempts in travel to blend video on demand with website bookings, in this case facilitated by Mark Travel sister company Trisept Solutions.
For now, the videos prompt viewers to book the featured vacations online or to phone a call center to complete their transactions.
But, Trisept Solutions also is working on functionality that would enable consumers to book travel through their cable set-top boxes.
Will consumers want to book vacation packages -- a relatively complex product compared with ordering a movie or buying a book -- through their cable remotes?
It's an interesting experiment and maybe the moment indeed is approaching when video on demand makes its Mark (Travel) in travel. Mobile is said to be getting there, so why not video on demand, too.
In 2002, Worldspan stormed similar barricades when it launched the first interactive TV travel application with a U.S. cable company.
But, nothing much ever came of Worldspan's pioneering.
Well, like Worldspan and Star Trek, Voyage.tv is attempting to navigate, "Where no man has gone before."
Beam us up, Voyage.tv. Let's hope your chances are more than remote.
1 comment:
Interesting idea, but I can't see myself booking a vacation through my remote. I wouldn't be sure I was getting the best price available. Plus remote control purchasing is usually an impulse decision.
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