Challenge: Increase registration and bookings for online travel customers.

Solution:   To conside with the re-launch of an updated website our Chief Strategy Officer, Sam Fiorella and Chief Technology Officer, Dennis Sherbakov developed an interactive tool designed to increase first time visitors, encourage frequent and repeat visits, and leverage influencers to drive even more traffic.

For a year, the website was augmented with a virtual reality travel application that allowed users to “fly a plane” across a map of the world to uncover hidden destinations each week. When the destination was found, flights, accomodations, travel packages, and other offers Sears Travel made available from the users local airport would be presented.

In addition, the interface was overlaid with a gamification strategy that incentivied vistiors to use the site more often and as part of groups (“travel in groups”) by awarding “digital frequent flyer dollars” towards actual flights purchased and ballots in a weekly and grand prize sweepstakes. Each user would be encouraged throughout the use of the application to continuously update their profiles and when combined with user data such places most searched or ‘discovered’ through the app, customized offerings and specials were presented to travelers.

Results: The application was credited with an increase of $2,000,000 in year to date sales during the first week! In the first quarter, the application generated just under 80,000 registered consumer users and was credited for sales exceeding $70,000,000. With a total budget of $220,000 to develop and manage the application, the ROI was exceptional.