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Frequently Asked Questions
What is Smart Destinations?
What is the Go Card?
Who comprises the Smart Destinations management team?
Has Smart Destinations received any funding?
When was the company founded?
In which markets does Smart Destinations have a presence?
Describe the Go Card.
Is the Go Card a discount card?
What sets the Go Card apart?
What are some of the Go Cards’ unique features?
How much do the Go Cards cost?
How are the Go Cards sold?
Why is Smart Destinations’ product attractive to
the travel industry?
How will Smart Destinations’ business continue to
grow and evolve?
What is Smart Destinations?
Smart Destinations is the premier provider of fixed-price, unlimited
admission attraction passes in the United States. Launched two years
ago by a travel professional and an entrepreneur to meet a clear need
in the U.S. travel industry, its co-founders created a product –
the Go Card – that delivers exceptional value to customers and
gives visitors the “ultimate destination experience.” For
a low, fixed price per day, visitors have the flexibility to move freely
from attraction to attraction with one pre-paid ticket.
The Go Cards are based on a smart card ticketing system, allowing ease
of use for visitors and a simple and reliable support for partners and
destinations. The company launched the Go Boston Card in 2003, the Go
San Francisco Card in 2004, and launched Chicago, Orlando, Miami, San
Diego, Los Angeles, Seattle and Hawaii in 2005 thanks to significant venture investment.
What is the Go Card?
Smart Destinations’ Go Cards are smart cards offering one fixed
price per day and unlimited access to dozens of attractions. The free
Go Visitor Card guidebook is ready-to-travel and includes fun facts
about a city, access details, and important local numbers. Distributed
through major travel services in 25 countries as well as on the Web,
Smart Destinations’ Go Card is the industry’s “trusted
companion” for the best a city has to offer at an unbeatable price
point.
Who comprises the Smart
Destinations management team?
Smart Destinations is led by a talented team of senior-level travel
and technology professionals who bring solid experience in applying
technology solutions to the travel industry. They have been instrumental
to the success of several start-up ventures as founders or members of
senior management teams, and are positioned to manage and grow Smart
Destinations from a domestic leader to an international powerhouse in
the travel industry. The management team includes Kevin McLaughlin,
CEO, Founder; Cecilia Dahl, President, Founder; Tyler Brooks, Director
of Technology; Ed Kim, Director of Design; and Kevin Brett, Director
of Sales & Marketing, International, Steve Boulanger, Chief Financial Officer, and Paul Fraser, Senior Vice President of Business Development.
Has Smart Destinations
received any funding?
Yes, the company receives funding from North Hill Ventures, the investment
arm of Capital One Bank, and Zon Capital Partners.
When was the company founded?
Smart Destinations was founded in 2003 and launched its first product,
the Go Boston Card, that same year.
In which markets does Smart
Destinations have a presence?
Smart Destinations currently offers products in Boston,
San
Francisco, Seattle,
Chicago,
Orlando,
San
Diego, Miami, Los Angeles and Hawaii and continues to expand into new markets.
Describe the Go Card.
The Go Card is a single, easy to carry card that is purchased for a
low, fixed “per day” price that gives visitors unlimited
access to dozens of attractions. With no limit to the number of attractions
visited each day, the Go Card eliminates paperwork and coupons. And
with the Go Card, visitors realize significant savings after just one
or two attractions visits.
Along with the Go Card, Smart Destinations offers an accompanying guidebook
that lists the included free attractions, shops, and restaurants that
offer exclusive value savings, as well as fun tips and detailed maps.
The Go Cards allow for unlimited free admission to 30–60 attractions
in each destination city from as little as $17 per day, as well as exclusive
discounts at restaurants and shopping destinations. To create the most
flexible experience for travelers, most Go Cards can be purchased in
1, 2, 3, 5 or 7-day increments.
Is the Go Card a discount
card?
No, it is somewhat like a theme park ticket, where visitors have unlimited
access to all the rides for one price per day. The Go Card gives visitors
unlimited access to dozens of local attractions for one low price per
day. When visitors use the Go Card, no additional money is exchanged
at the attraction. The full admission is covered.
What sets the Go Card apart?
Value, convenience, ease of use, choice, and flexibility
are just a few of the adjectives to describe Smart Destinations’
Go Card.
-
Value: Dollar for dollar, the Go
Card makes a difference. Just visiting a few of the dozens of sites
possible in each city makes the value and simplicity of the Go Card
clear. Most visitors experience a savings after just 1 or 2 attraction
visits.
-
Smart Card Convenience: Unlike paper-based
products, Smart Destinations’ Go card is a single, easy to
carry and use “credit card”–style pass to local
attractions, with additional values on dining and shopping.
-
Ease of Use: Consumers pay under
$50 per adult per day for unlimited free admission at some 30 to
60 participating sites per city and save time by receiving VIP preference
at some of the more popular city attractions.
-
Choice: The Go Card offers the broadest
and most comprehensive selection of attractions in the market, perfect
for tailoring the destination experience no matter what interests
or ages of the visitors.
-
Flexibility: The Go Card enables
visitors to create their own agendas on their own timetables. Since
the card includes a broad array of attractions, consumers can combine
a city’s most popular attractions with hidden gems over the
course of each day.
What are some of the
Go Cards’ unique features?
Unlike awkward to use, paper-based coupons, Smart Destinations’
Go Cards are built on a unique, patent-pending technology. Consumers
simply swipe the credit card-sized Go Card at each destination and they’re
off and running. The technology-based Go Cards enable Smart Destinations
to provide detailed user reports to attraction partners on an ongoing
basis so these attractions can understand usage data and return on investment
at a glance.
How much do the Go Cards
cost?
The Go Cards range in price depending on the number of days desired
from $49 to $279, with introductory prices starting at $39. Specific
current pricing for each destination is available at www.GoCardUSA.com.
How are the Go Cards
sold?
Go Cards are sold through Smart Destinations’ more than 1,000
distribution partners and affiliates in over 25 countries, including
Virgin Holidays, American Airlines Vacations, Southwest Vacations, the
Mark Travel Corporation, National Leisure group, and major online tour
operators such as Expedia, Travelocity, Orbitz and more. Consumers can
also purchase the Go Card online at www.GoCardUSA.com or through local
hotel packages and convention and visitors bureaus.
Why is Smart Destinations’
product attractive to the travel industry?
Margins in the travel industry are increasingly being squeezed and the
industry has been seeking new, value-added products it can offer to
generate a new revenue stream. Smart Destinations’ Go Card offers
tour operators and travel managers an attractive product to generate
consistent, additional revenues at a higher-than-industry-standard margin
level.
How will Smart Destinations’
business continue to grow and evolve?
Smart Destinations plans to continue its aggressive expansion both domestically
and internationally, and will roll out new markets and products that
meet the needs of both consumers and distribution partners over time.
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©2008 Smart Destinations,
Inc.
800-887-9103,
email Smart Destinations
85 Merrimac Street, Suite 300, Boston, MA 02114
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