Subscription Travel Models Offer Encouraging Pandemic Resilience to Inspirato and BeRightBack
Photo Credit: The Amangiri resort in Canyon Point, Utah, which is one of the places Inspirato offers to members of some of its membership-based travel programs. Amangiri
Skift Take
Skift cited the subscription model as one of the megatrends to watch in travel this year. So we were intrigued to see that Inspirato and BeRightBack, two pure-play efforts at being the "Netflix of travel," have withstood the pandemic assault rather well.
Many people subscribe to streaming TV, internet access, and apartment rentals, so why not vacations? That was Skift's thinking when we noted earlier this year that one of the rising megatrends in travel was the testing of subscriptions in services.
Several travel companies have added subscription products and services in recent years, reporting encouraging early results. But only a couple of companies, most prominently Inspirato and BeRightBack, have gone "all in" on subscriptions. Inspirato, focused on luxury, and BeRightBack, focused on budget travel, both say they have held up better-than-expected during the pandemic.
Other travel companies may watch their resilience with interest. Airlines, hotels, and other travel providers have more supply than demand right now and might adopt a whatever-it-takes approach and test subscriptions.
Inspirato, a luxury hospitality club based in Denver, debuted a year ago Inspirato Pass, which let people book unlimited travel for a monthly fe
