Hotelsbycity.com co-founders and former Priceline executives Andrew Loewen and Randy Schartner have announced their latest project, Plannin. Plannin is a global travel booking platform that enables creators to monetize hotel recommendations and share travel-specific content.
As the creator economy continues to grow in value, estimated to generate $250 billion in revenue, Plannin wants to add a twist to travel booking by leveraging influencers instead of travel agents.
Plannin lets creators tell their viewers about their latest trips and favorite hotels, and post photos from their trips. To earn money, they share affiliate links across social platforms to help their followers sign up for Plannin. Meanwhile, travelers can access recommendations from thousands of creators and book hotels directly through the platform.
“One recommendation from the right person is worth over 1,000 anonymous reviews. We’re about helping people experience travel through trusted creators,” Loewen told TechCrunch. Previously, he served as Chief Operating Officer of Priceline Partner Network.
The most notable thing about this platform is that it gives creators a 5% lifetime commission. This means that if a follower clicks on a link and continues to book through Plannin, the creator will earn a commission on the account for as long as the account exists.
“We offer a lifetime commission model, so creators can earn money from viewers without having to book on the day. The reason we did it that way is because travel is not an impulse purchase. … Many of our bookings occur (15-60) days after the original account is created,” Loewen said.
Image credit: Plannin
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 preferences.
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However, some may doubt that they are getting honest recommendations from influencers who are motivated by financial gain. But Schertner, who previously served as president of Priceline Partner Network, doesn’t think that will be a problem. “You would think they would give an honest review because it’s aimed at their audience. … Most people wouldn’t lie or mislead on their personal social media because they have a deeper connection with their audience,” he said.
Plannin already employs over 600 influencers, with approximately 5,000 posts and 1,500 recommendations on the platform. The company approves creators with more than 10,000 followers, but may also consider micro-influencers who specialize in travel-specific content.
Image credit: Plannin
Plannin also has a search feature for over 2 million hotels worldwide. The platform is affiliated with Booking Holdings, which owns Priceline, Agoda, Booking.com, and OpenTable.
Plannin aims to be a one-stop-shop platform for booking your entire travel experience. This summer, for example, creators will be able to recommend restaurants, tours, attractions, and other activities. The company will soon partner with GetYourGuide and OpenTable to allow travelers to book restaurant table reservations and activities in one place.
Additionally, the platform plans to release “Trip Boards” later this month. Creators will be able to curate complete itineraries with all the experiences, hotels, and restaurants from a destination in one place. For example, an influencer can create a trip board showing dozens of locations in their favorite cities based on their recent trip to Italy.
Plannin is still in beta, but a formal release is in the works.
The company secured $2.5 million in funding last year, led by former Golden Ventures, N49P and Booking Holdings CEO Jeffrey Boyd. The company is looking to raise more venture capital this summer.
