The travel-booking website Kayak has rolled out a new service entitled Desktop Escape, that's hoping to provide people with new ideas and inspiration for future travel destinations.
With this new desktop application, individuals can browse images from a database of travel photos, and use the images as their computer backgrounds. Each image features a clickable link, that informs the viewer of the costs associated with traveling to that location. The brand launched this application after noticing an influx of website activity between the hours of 11am and 12pm. Working off of the assumption that individuals are researching potential vacations on their lunch break at work, this new service offers a streamlined means of quickly discovering a potential vacation spot.
Searchable Vacation Computer Backgrounds
Desktop Escape Uses Desktop Backgrounds to Inspire Travel
Trend Themes
1. Virtual Travel Inspiration - Expanding on the concept of Desktop Escape with augmented reality or virtual reality tech could offer more immersive travel inspiration experiences.
2. Personalizing Travel Recommendations - By using browsing history and social media activity, travel-booking sites could offer more personalized vacation suggestions through tools like Desktop Escape.
3. Integrated Booking and Planning Platforms - Platforms like Desktop Escape could integrate with booking and planning tools to offer a seamless travel planning and booking experience.
Industry Implications
1. Travel Booking - Travel-booking companies could leverage the popularity of Desktop Escape and other virtual travel inspiration tools to expand their customer base and improve brand loyalty.
2. Digital Advertising - The clickable links on Desktop Escape backgrounds present a new advertising opportunity for businesses in the travel and hospitality industries.
3. Computer Software - Software companies could create similar applications to Desktop Escape for other niches, such as food or entertainment, to tap into consumers' desire for quick and easy discovery.