WALTHAM, Mass.--(BUSINESS WIRE)--StudentUniverse, the world’s leading travel booking site for students and youth, today announced the details of its multi-million dollar makeover.
With mobile growth outpacing the company’s overall growth by 10x, the company has invested heavily in developing a service that can keep pace with the demands of its young, tech-savvy user base. Updates include a fully responsive and redesigned website experience, an updated version of the world’s first mobile application with student airfares and updated branding (including a new logo). The announcement comes 16 months after its acquisition of mobile experts WeHostels.
“Our success over the years has come in part from understanding what young travelers need and expect from us,” said Chad Mooney, chief operating officer. “They lead the trends in the travel industry and are always only a few years away from becoming the next generation of business travelers. We’ve doubled down on technology and laid a foundation to continue our growth.”
New Website:
StudentUniverse is rolling out a responsive
website optimized for all devices through the entire purchase path.
This will ensure continuity in experience for students across desktops,
laptops, tablets and smartphones.
The new site offers tools that provide travelers with more information during the booking process. This includes curated results prominently displaying the cheapest and fastest itineraries alongside the recommended itinerary, which considers price and travel time, among other factors. When an itinerary is chosen, baggage fees, change and cancellation fees and eligibility requirements specific to that itinerary are displayed. Flight and hotel results include a wider selection of filtering capabilities, available on all devices.
Mobile Application:
In keeping with its mobile focus,
StudentUniverse is launching a new version of the world’s first
flight-booking app with student and youth airfares. Users can find and
purchase flights on the app and easily access their itineraries on the
go.
“Flights” by StudentUniverse will be available soon for free download for iOS and Android.
“Mobile is one of the fastest-growing channels in travel. Our audience is doing everything from their phones, and yet when it comes to booking a flight, it can still be a painful process,” said Lucas Lain, director of mobile development, StudentUniverse. “This application makes booking a cheap flight on a mobile phone as seamless as ordering food or requesting a cab. It is a must-have for student travelers looking to find cheap flights.”
New Logo + Branding:
StudentUniverse is upgrading its image
along with its technology. The new site features an image-heavy, modern
design and a new logo. The new icon is a reflection of the company’s
mission to make global experiences possible for young travelers. Dubbed
the “crossroads,” it represents freedom and choices, movement and
travel. It signifies possibilities, beginning journeys and learning from
them.
“This is more than a coat of paint for us. It’s a reflection of users, who inspire us with their stories every day,” said Paul Jacobs, vice president of marketing. “They are engaging in meaningful travel experiences, going abroad to immerse themselves in other cultures for higher education, work experiences, volunteer programs, and to learn things that they cannot find in a classroom. We believe that travel is an essential component of a modern education and we advocate to make more of those experiences possible.”
About StudentUniverse
StudentUniverse is the world’s leading
travel booking site for students and youth. Through negotiations with a
network of global partners, StudentUniverse offers exclusive pricing and
terms on flights, hotels and tours. Its Travel Services division handles
client requests for groups and custom itineraries.
StudentUniverse launched in 2000 and is headquartered in Boston with offices in London, Toronto, New York and the Philippines. StudentUniverse believes that travel is essential to a modern education. Millions of students use the service every year. For updates on StudentUniverse, follow our corporate Twitter and blog.
