Aimed at providing safe travel experiences for women, Golightly – an invitation-only club for women that offers home-sharing and vacation rentals – was launched this week.
All the properties listed on the website (wegolightly.com), which primarily includes locations throughout the United States and Europe, are owned or managed by women.
The Golightly site touts: “As a private club, Golightly carefully vets each member and property listing. Our goal is to provide a safer and more secure travel experience.”
Each member will be provided with five invitations they can offer to other women. Pointing to this invite-only format, Golightly says members will be able to see how they are connected to their host or guest and any common friends in the network. While bookings only can be made by women, there are no restrictions on who they travel with.
Victoria O’Connell, co-founder and CEO of Golightly, says the impetus for a women-only travel network came from her own frightening experience. O’Connell says in 2017 her London apartment was burglarized and destroyed by a group of men who had rented it through a major home-sharing site.
O’Connell, whose previous experience includes work in international e-commerce and real estate, is backed by seven female advisors, whose expertise spans finance, technology, legal, marketing and more.
Golightly will have a $100 new member fee – that results in a lifetime membership – but as the network launches that has been waived until the end of February. The website indicates that membership will grant access to social events and provide other perks, including networking, partnerships and discounts.
Headquartered in Austin, Texas, Golightly is the first invitation-only rental and home-sharing network for women. As its website states: “Golightly is focused on providing a safer and better travel experience for women.”
“Golightly is the latest in a new generation of apps and websites improving customer experience by making it easier for users who are traveling for work or leisure to do so safely and in a cost-effective manner,” said Loyalty360 CEO and CMO Mark Johnson. “Mobile devices have become a key part of the booking process as customers become more comfortable researching, booking, and planning an entire trip on a mobile device.”
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