News Corp Australia has officially launched Skye, its consumer-facing online bookable itineraries integrated across escape.com.au.
Skye offers personalised itineraries complete with real-time recommendations, live flight fares, accommodation options, activities and must-see sites as compiled through its site content.
While the option has been live for a week, Skye asks users for suggestions before consolidating answers, offering curated content, insights from Escape’s travel writers and bookable options.
Consumers can book online directly or share their plans with a travel agent to complete the booking. The product has been developed in partnership with Ask Layla, an established US-operating AI travel tech company. Skye has launched in beta phase, an early-access release to enable users to trial the experience and help Escape shape ongoing improvements ahead of the full launch in February.
“Ask Skye turns inspiration into action by pairing Escape’s trusted expertise with live, bookable options, transforming endless scrolling into a confident, streamlined plan,” News Corp Australia’s Head of Travel Kerrie McCallum said.
“It strengthens Escape’s end-to-end travel offering with tailored, real-time recommendations grounded in credible content and seamless booking, while giving clients a direct way to reach travellers, maximise engagement and conversions, and move consumers straight to partners’ booking platforms.”
News Corp Australia’s The Growth Distillery’s Technographics said travel research shows one in three travellers not using and advisor and searching online give up before booking, overwhelmed by the volume of content and complexity.
Skye actively prompts users for the right information up front, enabling it to deliver tailored, relevant and higher-quality travel recommendations.
A marketing campaign will introduce consumers to the new tool with promotion on digital, print, and social channels across Escape and the wider News network.
Escape has a monthly cross-platform audience of more than 3.1 million consumers, consisting of the weekly print insert in News Corp Australia’s Sunday state mastheads, weekly sections in the Tuesday state mastheads and Saturday Weekend magazines, website, video content, eDM and social channels.
