Jetsetter Betters the Odds on Upscale Travel

by Tom Johansmeyer (RSS feed)
Oct 11th 2009 at 6:01PM

There's a gap in the upscale travel market right now. The companies that plan these limited-access excursions aren't selling as much as they used to, and once-upon-a-time buyers still have a thirst for the experiences not available to the general public – but not at the prices they paid before the recession. A new website, Jetsetter, is planning to help luxury travel planners and buyers meet in the middle.

Jetsetter, now in beta, bills itself as a "flash-sale website" for the up-market. This Gilt Groupe enterprise is invitation-only. So, the opportunities provided are not subject to the mass competition of the entire travel market. Nonetheless, inventory is likely to move quickly, and the window within which to act is not wide. "International trip curators" roam the world to conduct primary research – including on-site visits. These experts, including veteran travel writers and industry experts, then compile their findings on Jetsetter's site, with editorial accounts and photographs used to help would-be travelers make informed decisions.

Members of the online community will receive e-mail alerts every evening announcing the coming sales. Once that e-mail goes out – at 8 PM – the clock starts to tick.

Destinations available through Jetsetter include The Cotton House on Mustique, Negresco in Nice, the Paws Up resort in Montana (an amazing space) and Encantado in New Mexico.

Members of the online community will receive e-mail alerts every evening announcing the coming sales. Once that e-mail goes out – at 8 PM – the clock starts to tick. The sale is open for two days (or until the inventory is exhausted). Each sale will include only a few properties, yachts or high-tours, with an emphasis on experiences that can't be found anywhere else.

"The proliferation of indistinguishable travel sites and search engines force discerning travelers to wade through too many versions of the same trip, still lacking real insight," says Drew Patterson, CEO of Jetsetter. "Jetsetter serves as the trusted editor identifying noteworthy vacation destinations and memorable travel experiences."

Tags: encantado, france, gilt, gilt groupe, gilt.com, GiltGroupe, jetsetters, jetsetting, luxury travel, LuxuryTravel, montana, mustique, new mexico, NewMexico, nice, paws up, PawsUp, recession, resort, resorts, travel, travel writers, travel writing, TravelWriters, TravelWriting, upscale travel, UpscaleTravel

Filed under: Luxury Travel & Hotels

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Reader Comments (Page 1 of 1)

Andrew P Oct 11th 2009 6:30PM

I am a member of the Gilt Groupe and Jetsetter, if you want an invitation to this please comment here and i can get an invitation sent to you.

Chellie Oct 12th 2009 11:06AM

Andrew - yes - please send me an invite. I'm curious to see if there is any substance to the um...gilt...

I've been using http://www.quikbook.com/ for years to get my luxury boutique hotel fix for US locales...I'd like to see what jetsetter can offer for international travel.