Introduction
Blink Booking Limited is a mobile reservation platform that allows customers to book hotels in various locations worldwide. It partners with premium hotels and encourages them to compete for the best price for same-day stays. Since its launch in 2012, Blink has successfully operated in the UK and seven European countries, attracting $2.5m from prominent US and European investors. With the participation of over 500 of Europe’s top hotels, Blink Booking aims to revolutionize the way people book and pay for their accommodations.
Co-founded by Rebeca Minguela and Miguel Ortega, the company saw a unique opportunity to offer a mobile-centric service to the London hotel booking market. This strategic move was made in hopes of benefiting from the large number of visitors expected to stay in London during the summer months. Currently, the app serves several locations in the UK including London, Manchester, Liverpool, Edinburgh, and Cardiff.
Additionally, there are more than 700 hotels in 39 cities worldwide available to choose from on the platform, including popular destinations like Marbella, Paris,and Rome. Since September 9th ,2013,Blink Booking Limited has been operating as a subsidiary of Groupon Getaway.
Blink Booking provides same-day hotel bookings directly from your mobile device. The concept is straightforward: every day at 11am, Blink selects the top four hotels in each city based on price and location. These hotels are then made available on the app, with hotels competing to offer the best rates to be featured. Travelers can book a room instantly, securing incredibly low rates by booking at the last minute. These discounted rates are unmatched by other online travel agents. Blink only partners with hotels that have either four or five stars, excellent locations, and outstanding customer ratings, ensuring that customers receive top-quality accommodations. Currently, new customers are offered a discount on their first stay and an additional reward for referring friends who subsequently make a booking. By using Blink, people can save time by avoiding the need to compare multiple websites and read numerous reviews. The app personally visits the best hotels in each city to curate the top four picks of the day. Additionally, Blink constantly adds new hotels to its inventory, so users should check the app every morning at 11am to stay updated.
Value Propositions of The Company
According to Rebeca Minguela, co-founder and CMO of a mobile-centric service catering to the European hotel booking market, current online booking services on mobile devices are primarily search-oriented. However, with the increasing trend of last-minute travel, people are no longer interested in sifting through hundreds of options. Instead, they prefer a curated selection.
Blink delivers a curated selection of premium accommodations at the best prices for easy, immediate booking. Travel is now so last second that people don’t want hundreds of options. Blink Booking is able to provide a simple and fast way for hotels and travelers to stay in the best accommodations for the best price. Sean Seton-Rogers, an investor, believes that consumer buying behavior is driving exciting changes in the holiday market as mobile commerce and same day hotel bookings become increasingly interlinked. The idea behind Blink is simple but effective because it meets the needs of consumers.
Standing out from other competitors
Blink Booking is a revolutionary hotel booking application that offers a solution for hotel mishaps or last-minute room bookings. It is fast, convenient, and can be done in just four clicks. Whether you prefer luxury, boutique, or quirky hotels, Blink has options to suit all traveler needs. Unlike other methods, Blink is exclusively available as a mobile app for iPhone and Android users. The simplicity of the system allows for quick confirmation with just four taps. The app features hand-picked, trusted hotels that guarantee high quality. By using Blink, users can access exclusive discounts not found on online hotel booking websites.
The Groupon Company has acquired Blink Booking, a last-minute travel app founded by Rebeca Minguela. Minguela had originally wanted to create an arbitrage platform similar to Rocket Internet, bringing start-up ideas and opportunities to Spain. However, her first venture, Blink Booking, experienced a setback when a co-founder breached confidence and left the company. Now, Minguela is focused on repairing the damage to Blink’s management team, restoring investor confidence, and continuing the rapid growth of the venture. She is also questioning the feasibility of her long-term goal of an incubator-like platform for Spain. Nevertheless, as of September 9, 2013, Groupon has announced the acquisition of Blink Booking and renamed it “Blink by Groupon”. Groupon is well-known for its global leadership in local commerce, offering unbeatable prices on great businesses. Aaron Cooper, senior vice-president of Groupon Getaways, expressed excitement about the acquisition, stating that the combination of Blink’s fantastic mobile app, same-day inventory management for properties, and its dedicated team will help Groupon further expand its travel business and become the go-to destination for deals on great places to stay.
Conclusion
Despite numerous challenges faced by entrepreneurs, Blink Booking remains a must-have same-day travel app for people on-the-go, be it business travellers, leisure vacationers, or weekend escapers. This app not only saves money but also allows users to have more to spend during their trip. Blink Booking continues to operate with its unique, innovative, and user-friendly features.
