Singapore start-up, TheLuxeNomad.com, relaunches site and pivots

SINGAPORE – Change is constant, and in the fast moving world of technology and travel, this holds truer than most. Responding to the demands from members for 24/7 rates on hotels and resorts, TheLuxeNomad.com has pivoted its initial business model to not only feature flash sales but also offer best available rates which can be booked at any time. The start-up also goes a step further to enable live bookings on selected villas which traditionally have required customers to TT payments; a payment method considered out of touch for the modern luxe consumer who is always on the go.
 

“The key to running any business is that you are continuously growing and adapting to consumer demands and behaviour. Initially, our main focus was on flash sales which worked well as a USP because these were deals you could not find elsewhere. The catch however, was that they only ever lasted two weeks at a time. Whilst this segment appeals greatly to the deal-savvy traveller, we found there is also a growing segment that is not price sensitive and prefer to book at any point in the day. With this pivot, we now cover both ends of the market,” says Founder and Chief Nomad, Stephanie Chai.
 

Launched in July 2012, TheLuxeNomad.com now offers over 400 properties across Asia Pacific and Europe and has grown from a staff-strength of two to a team of ten spread across three regional offices in Singapore, Kuala Lumpur and Hong Kong. The company has since raised over SGD1 million worth of investments and has tripled its revenues in the short period of June to December 2013.
 

The site has also garnered a strong and organic social media following of 60,000 Facebook fans and 21,000 Instagram followers – no mean feat, thanks to the clever use of destination reviews and online coverage from celebrities and personalities such as Arissa Cheo and Vanness Wu.

 

  

“The challenge every e-commerce site has is that you are always selling so if someone isn’t in the mood to shop, they’re not going to your site. The answer to keep them coming back is quality content. The online magazine is a good way to break up the monotony of e-commerce with alluring and visually captivating content from our celebrity nomads and team of curators. We have such amazing content from our travels and reviews of the different properties in our collection, and the magazine is a natural platform to showcase these. Our first article “8 signs you’re an Asian traveler” has already garnered a viral 4300 shares! With content, we provide members a reason to come back to our site even when they aren’t looking for a holiday – yet.”  

 

“The revamped interface and additional new features has been a big step for us moving forward into 2014 and will definitely help in our expansion to inspire travel between Asia and the rest of the world.” says Founder and Chief Nomad, Stephanie Chai.