DayAway launches Genesis Founder’s Key NFT Enabled Membership

Singapore, Singapore Jul 25, 2022 (Issuewire.com) – DayAway launches Genesis Founder’s Key, the first phase of a global lifestyle NFT project with immediate real-life utility

DayAway, the world’s leading platform to discover and book luxury daytime experiences, is taking the experience economy into the metaverse by launching the first NFT-enabled membership of its kind.

DayAway’s Genesis is the world’s first NFT-enabled membership that comes with immediate in-real-life (IRL) utility, bridging the gap between the real and virtual worlds of luxury experiences. Unlike other existing NFT projects, the Genesis NFT membership provides immediate valuable benefits including exclusive access to luxury daytime experiences on DayAway’s platform, priority to subsequent NFT drops, VIP access to closed events and early entry to virtual experiences in the metaverse designed in collaboration with both Web2 and Web3 partners.

The first phase of DayAway’s Genesis NFT membership will be an invite-only private sale of 500 highly exclusive Founder’s Keys. The limited-edition Founder’s Keys will be the highest tier of Genesis, offering Lifetime Premium Membership to DayAway, complimentary DayAway Diamond Concierge Membership, and priority access to subsequent NFT collections from DayAway and its partners, and more.

The Founder’s Keys will be followed by a public Genesis NFT Membership drop at the end of 2022 as well as a special initiative called “The Bucket List”–a limited series of once-in-a-lifetime, money-can’t-buy experiences at the world’s most iconic hotels that are auctioned off as 1:1 NFTs.

The Rise of Metaverse Hospitality

DayAway was established in Singapore in 2021 as an engaging platform to help hotels optimise and monetise their underutilised ancillary spaces thus heralding a new market category for travellers seeking exclusive, curated daytime experiences in luxury hotels. Currently operating in five markets–Singapore, Hong Kong, Thailand, Australia and the United Arab Emirates–DayAway is revolutionising the discovery and booking of luxury experiences and how guests engage with hotels by placing a premium on experiences instead of focusing purely on accommodation.

“We believe DayAway will fundamentally change the way guests book hotels by maximising awareness around unique and engaging experiences each hotel has to offer. This means guests are ultimately booking hotels based on experience first and rooms second–a complete shift to the way it is done today,” notes Founder & CEO Martha Waslen.

DayAway’s renewed mission is to transition its Web2 business to the open and decentralised Web3, providing hospitality, travel, retail and experiential industries with a timely opportunity to extend their brand marketing and customer engagement initiatives by leveraging innovative tech solutions through NFTs and virtual experiences.

The rise of the metaverse has been pegged as the largest industry disruption since the dawn of the internet. Valued at US$13T, the metaverse market is an untapped opportunity that helps incentivise physical travel by assisting travellers to make decisions before they travel as well as complementing real-life experiences. This advanced form of marketing and advertising offers immeasurable business opportunities in a hybrid physical and digital world.

With brands progressively using NFTs to strengthen their customer relationship, NFT initiatives will soon replace traditional loyalty programmes with blockchain-enabled loyalty programmes that allow for secure and transparent transactions enabling participants to track how points are earned, spent and transferred across the network while encouraging community engagement.

“Metaverse technology, if utilised correctly, should enhance and complement the IRL hospitality and travel experience, not try to replace it. It’s important to understand that the “metaverse” isn’t just about virtual reality and gamification–it includes NFT and blockchain technology that provide meaningful utility to hospitality, travel and adjacent industries to grow their communities, revolutionise customer experience and break barriers between fragmented loyalty programmes and inefficient legacy systems,” notes Waslen.

A New Era of Experiences and Loyalty

Branded, immersive virtual experiences are the future for all brands–not just for those in the hospitality industry. For hotels specifically, metaverse technology will dramatically change every step of the guest journey. Instead of reading reviews before one book a hotel, a guest’s discovery process would be through virtual experiences where they can engage with a hotel brand and its offerings before they even step onto the property. Upon arrival, guests can then unlock exclusive experiences at the hotel through NFT-enabled memberships.

“The entire experience doesn’t end there. When guests leave the hotel, imagine them taking a memento from the hotel stay in the form of a digital collectable NFT. They could also redeem loyalty points and incentives through an NFT-enabled marketplace after their stay,” shares Waslen.

Extending the brand immersion even further, the same guest can access virtual wellness, culinary or art experiences post their stay–leaving a lasting impact and impression. NFTs will also be used to build more transparent, flexible and lifestyle-driven loyalty programmes that, for the first time ever, will be transferable and scalable through blockchain technology.

“Essentially, we see a lot of meaningful collaborations with other hospitality adjacent businesses and brands on NFT-enabled memberships that expand the hotel experience from just being a place where someone spends the night to a part of their everyday way of life,” stresses Waslen.

Register your interest in DayAway’s Genesis NFT here: https://mydayaway.com/nftsignup

For additional information, imagery and interview requests, please contact Tania Joslin, Head of PR, at tania@mydayaway.com

ABOUT DAYAWAY

DayAway is the world’s leading online destination for guests to discover and book curated daytime experiences at their favourite hotels. An innovative and intuitive platform, DayAway has created a new market category for travellers searching for unique, engaging and restorative daytime experiences. Whether it is a spa and swim wellness experience, a special afternoon tea or a chance to work from a beautiful hotel suite, DayAway connects people with accessible, enjoyable experiences that allow them to relax, recharge and reconnect. From celebrations with family to meetings with valued colleagues, these can all be booked at the touch of a button with immediate confirmation and service.

DayAway’s journey began in Singapore in May 2021 and in just a year operates in a total of five markets including Hong Kong, Thailand, Australia and the United Arab Emirates. Its ground-breaking offering was awarded the Skift IDEA Award Winner 2021 for Tech & Innovation.

For more information on DayAway, visit https://mydayaway.com. Follow @dayawayofficial on Instagram, Linked In, and Twitter.

ABOUT MARTHA WASLEN

Martha Waslen is the Founder and CEO of DayAway, a B2B2C digital platform revolutionising hospitality by creating new market categories around daytime experiences powered by seamless technology. A torchbearer for a digitally empowered future, Waslen is also taking DayAway into the Metaverse-NFT space with targeted and relevant Web3 activations and partnerships including the recently announced DayAway Genesis NFT. She is at the forefront of advocating for new economies that an open and transparent internet will ensure, positioning DayAway as a bridge for Web2 businesses to transition into this space.

Before shaking up the hotel industry, Waslen’s expertise has been building luxury brands in the digital sphere. She was instrumental in the success of the beauty platform Luxola, acquired by LVMH-owned Sephora. She started her career at Ralph Lauren’s New York headquarters, focusing on marketing and branding.