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.