Lovu, an app-based platform that connects romance travelers with travel advisors and hotels, has soft launched. The app is available for download for iOS and Android.
The platform is actively seeking travel advisors who are interested in joining. Founder Shri Lildharrie is also investigating strategic opportunities with travel companies.
Lovu was originally slated to launch in the fall 2021, but its launch was delayed due to some setbacks as the application was being developed, Lildharrie said. It is officially in beta testing now.
The platform links consumers with a hotel or a travel advisor. Advisors and hotels pay an annual fee to have a profile on the app (though hotels have a “freemium” option). There are currently around 500 hotels on the platform, some paid and some sourced by Lovu. They are located in top destinations for North American romance travelers, Lildharrie said, in Mexico, the Caribbean, Europe and Asia. Lovu’s travel advisors are helping identify appropriate properties, too.
Lildharrie said that about 25 advisors, considered early adopters, are on the platform now. He hopes to open it to around 250 advisors worldwide within the next year.
“We want to make sure that we are attracting the best of the best travel advisors who have deep relationships with these four- or five-star properties, with destinations, that can bring value to the table that a consumer would not otherwise get on their own or through the current online channels that are available,” he said.
Advisors interested in the platform have to meet at least three of seven criteria: CTA, CTC or CTIE accreditation from the Travel Institute; certificate of completion of the Institute’s destination weddings and honeymoon course; certification from the International Association of Destination Wedding Planners; certification from the Destination Wedding & Honeymoon Specialists Association (DWHSA); affiliation with CLIA, ASTA, DWHSA, Iatan, TRUE or the ASTA Small Business Network; accolades from industry suppliers; and acceptance to GTM East or West.
Lildharrie said pricing is still at an early adopter rate of $795, but he is currently running a promotion though which any advisor who joins Lovu before the end of June will get a 20% discount.
While Lovu is now available in app stores, Lildharrie said the company has not done any active marketing yet as it further tests the platform. He plans to move Lovu out of beta testing in the next six months. The marketing plan includes content marketing, social media marketing, Google campaigns and display marketing on wedding-focused sites like the Knot.
Source: Read Full Article