The Oxford Ski Company spent years running several of the Alps' first luxury catered chalets and have since devoted the last decade to acting purely as an expert agent, establishing themselves as an unrivalled authority on the best, luxury skiing holidays available.
Following the successful launch of the OS Private Travel website, Gibe were invited back by the Oxford Ski Company to redesign and redevelop their new premium travel website. The new site needed to showcase the brand’s positioning as a premium travel expert and increase number of booking enquiries generated from the website.
OUR APPROACH
Within our approach we wanted to enrich the browsing experience by maximising the use of the client’s library of evocative imagery. It was important to cater for both types of travel shoppers; those who have a specific country or region in mind and those who need a little more inspiration. It’s not all about self-serve holidays, The Oxford Ski Company’s first class concierge organise holidays that are extra special, from the preference of bubbly to the best time to ski. It was important to weave this personal touch into the online experience.
"We have worked with Gibe since 2011 and have always found the agency to deliver work of the highest standard. Their strategic insight and creativity are matched with excellent technical delivery and bespoke development to create us a fantastic website that makes a huge difference to our business."
The outcome was a stylish interface showcasing the stunning collection. The site is built using HTML5 and Umbraco CMS. It is integrated with the Oxford Ski Company back office systems to dynamically pull in property and resort information. Users can search for chalets by location using the drop down navigation or go to the ‘Inspire Me’ section for an editorial-style page of useful travel ideas. Of the 450+ rental properties and 80+ hotels listed on the site, the optimised search and navigation ensures it only takes a couple of clicks to locate your dream property.
The website has gone from strength to strength, it now handles video that captures the sensational scenery to immerse users and encourage them to enquire. Exploring features of a property in Val Thorens is now an engaging experience with insightful quotes from members of staff. Simple navigation and well executed cross-linking allows users to explore a variety of properties and save them to a wishlist to return to, review and send multiple enquiries in one go.
