Forbes Travel Guide Debuts Startle, An Online Planning Site For Luxury Travel

Leena Rao

Leena Rao is currently a Senior Editor for TechCrunch. She recently finished graduate school at the Medill School of Journalism at Northwestern University, where she studied business journalism and videography. From 2004 to 2007, she helped lead Congresswoman Carloyn Maloney’s community outreach and relations efforts in New York City. She graduated from Columbia University in 2003, where she was... → Learn More

Tuesday, November 15th, 2011
Startle

Forbes Travel Guide is debuting Startle.com, a new online travel planning site for luxury travel. Launching in 72 U.S. markets and 5 international markets (Hong Kong, Macau, Beijing, Singapore, and the Dominican Republic), Startle uniquely combines content from Forbes Travel Guide inspectors, tastemakers and hotel, restaurant and spa experts.

The sites includes reviews of Forbes Travel Guide hotels, restaurants and spas, which are based on a 500-criteria service evaluation conducted by professional inspectors who visit each location anonymously. User can access insider deals on hotels, activities, and even transportation.

Startle offers a Q&A platform where consumers can follow questions and get access to curated answers to key travel planning questions by experts and renowned
tastemakers, sommeliers, concierges, and General Managers from luxury hotels.

Startle faces competition from the plethora of travel planning sites available to consumers including Oyster and Jetsetter.

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