Smarter Travel Media launches private sale website

TripAdvisor Media Group's Smarter Travel Media recently unveiled SniqueAway, a members-only site for the private sale of high-end hotel deals.

All hotels on SniqueAway are highly regarded by public reviewers on TripAdvisor. The featured hotels boast a minimum four-star rating and have earned at least four out of five stars from TripAdvisor reviewers.

"We've watched and learned and now we're ready to party with the players who have proven the private sale model is a winner", said Massimo De Nadai, general manager for Smarter Travel Media.

The lure of SniqueAway is the feeling of receiving exclusive deals at high-end hotels, said Mary Forgione, a travel blogger for the Los Angeles Times. Membership to the site is free, though prospective travelers must first be invited by an existing member.

Many in the travel industry are turning to the internet and social media tools to reach consumers, according to a report in USA Today. Tickets for Delta can be purchased on the company's Facebook page, while Hyatt launched a Twitter feed last year to work as a virtual concierge, responding to questions from guests.