Bon Voyage to Big Prices: LivingSocial Launches Curated Travel Experiences

WASHINGTON, Nov. 10, 2010 /PRNewswire/ -- LivingSocial (www.livingsocial.com), the online source for people to find handpicked experiences at a great value, today announced the launch of LivingSocial Escapes, a travel site offering unbeatable savings on curated, unforgettable adventures. Just as LivingSocial lets people discover new services, experiences and attractions at deep discounts in their hometown or places they visit, LivingSocial Escapes will now help anyone find one-of-a-kind day trips, packaged nearcations, quick escapes that don't require air-travel, or weekend excursions they might not typically pursue. In October, LivingSocial acquired local adventure company Urban Escapes, the company's first step towards providing its more than 10 million subscribers a chance to experience diverse, fun and unique adventures, produced by a team of on-the-ground experts.

"LivingSocial is not just about deals, it's about creating experiences and memories at a value. People really cherish their vacations – whether it's an overnight trip to a local Bed & Breakfast or a tropical beach getaway – traveling is special, and LivingSocial Escapes is the best place to find one-of-a-kind travel packages to places you love, have been dying to try, or ones that will surprise you," said Tim O'Shaughnessy, CEO and Co-founder of LivingSocial Escapes. "We want to make it as easy for people to discover new things, so each travel experience offered through LivingSocial Escapes is authentic, accessible and requires minimal planning."

"I personally believe that LivingSocial Escapes is the beginning of a new way to showcase and market hospitality houses and creative travel offerings to a major audience," said Janice Fitzgerald, Innkeeper/Owner of By the Side of the Road Inn & Cottages. "When our LivingSocial guests arrive for their two-day stay, they are already extremely happy about being here because we took the headache out of planning their getaway and put together a great pre-packaged experience for them to enjoy."

LivingSocial has been bringing targeted deals and experiences to its worldwide subscribers for more than a year, and designed LivingSocial Escapes to similarly meet their users' needs – each travel adventure will be simple, handpicked and memorable. LivingSocial Escapes' travel experts package every trip to fit anyone's travel needs, taking the stress and hassle out of coordinating the getaway. And, because the company has dedicated area experts on the ground in more than 100 markets across the U.S., Canada, UK and Ireland – working directly with business owners, and constantly researching the best in local attractions – the team has insight into every local area. As a result, the company is able to create memorable trip experiences in every location.

LivingSocial Escapes packages are available for one week – not just for 24 hours – and are accessible to anyone who clicks on them. To enhance the social experience, LivingSocial's unique referral model allows users to get their experience for free if they refer three friends who also participate in the deal.  

Now serving more than 10 million subscribers across the US, Canada, UK, and Ireland in more than 100 markets, this is LivingSocial's third vertical market launch. The company already operates deals for families with its LivingSocial Family Edition in select locations, and offers deals to college students through a partnership with Koofers.

For a full list of markets where LivingSocial is live or to sign up your location, go to http://www.livingsocial.com.

About LivingSocial

LivingSocial is the online source for people to find handpicked experiences at a great value, inviting anyone to save up to 50% to 70% each day on their favorite restaurants, spas, sporting events, hotels and other local attractions in major markets. LivingSocial has an extensive subscriber base of 10 million, and is headquartered in Washington, D.C. To sign up for Deals in your market, or to find out more information about LivingSocial, visit www.livingsocial.com. You can also follow LivingSocial on Twitter at www.twitter.com/livingsocial.

SOURCE LivingSocial