Redefining Travel: From Clicks to Bricks with Brice Bay

Today we sit down with Brice Bay, the visionary entrepreneur who took us from the digital pages of 10best.com to the cozy corners of boutique hotels. We explore the seismic shifts in the travel industry, from the early challenges of monetizing a digital platform to the future role of Artificial Intelligence in curating personalized travel experiences.

Switching lanes, we also dive into the art of authentic travel, contrasting the cookie-cutter stays at big-box hotels with the soulful experiences that await the modern traveler. Plus, don't miss out on our insider scoop on upcoming Labor Day deals and discounts tailored for first responders and military personnel.

Introduction to No Tourists Allowed

Welcome to No Tourists Allowed, a podcast where two recognized travel industry executives with a combined 71 years on the inside of travel and technology give up their secrets to the thing everyone wants to do: travel better, pay less, and see more of the world. Here are your hosts, Mike Putman and James Ferrara.

Mike Putman: Well, hello everyone. I'm Mike Putman.

James Ferrara: And I'm James Ferrara and welcome to No Tourists Allowed. Mike, I've had one of those weeks. I had six flights this week and called three different hotels home, but I'm actually back to my real home and I enjoyed a night's rest in my own bed.

Mike Putman: And how was your experience on Spirit Airlines?

James Ferrara: I'm gonna say this—and we don't get any money from the airlines, guys, let me be clear. I've been very critical of the airline experience. But I had the pleasure of flying Delta most of the week.

James Ferrara: Delta is not my go-to airline because I'm not in a Delta hub, but I just happened to be on Delta most of the week and I have to say they did a fine job. Despite some heavy traffic heading into a holiday and some threats of weather, I had a really good experience. I'm appreciative of that.

Introducing Guest Brice Bay

Mike Putman: Well good. It's good to hear you with some positive airline news. Not our normal session that we have. But today we've got a very special guest, a longtime friend of mine and travel entrepreneur from Greenville, South Carolina, Mr. Brice Bay. Welcome to the pod, Brice.

Brice Bay: Thank you. Mike, James, delighted to be here. Thanks very much.

Mike Putman: I've known Brice for 20-plus years for sure. We've had the chance to work together on some projects. Brice has a varied background in the travel business and I thought it would be really interesting for our listeners to learn about the businesses he's built and the value he’s brought to the travel business on a global basis.

James Ferrara: Great to have you, Brice. I think your background brings a whole new direction and perspective for us on the travel industry. Some things we haven't talked about before.

Mike Putman: Exactly. So Brice, take us back to your first entrance into the travel industry and let our listeners know a little bit more about what you built.

The History of 10Best.com

Brice Bay: I was a founder of a company called 10Best.com back in 1999. What 10Best was at the time, and largely still is today in its other iterations, is an online publication.

Brice Bay: We began publishing content on the best things to do and see and places to eat in cities around the world. We eventually covered more than 500 cities with dozens of categories of information in popular destinations. We developed that content as original, unbiased content with the goal of informing the world's travelers and helping them make better decisions on where to eat, sleep, and play.

Brice Bay: We were early. If you were around the internet in those days, there was nothing called Google. There was no organized search engine. There was a directory or two. The primary one was Yahoo, which was a pay-to-play directory.

Brice Bay: It was the Wild West. Most content that you stumbled upon was either just random content or paid placement. We quickly found that really good content drives a lot of traffic. Then we had to figure out how to monetize traffic, which became a challenge in those early days.

Brice Bay: We wondered, what do you do with these customers consuming your content? Do you charge them to access it? We tried that, but few people were ready to pay in those days. We pivoted to an open model and began to do lead generation.

Brice Bay: We were connecting with hotels, concert tickets, airlines, and rental cars—any way we could get someone to pay us to hand them qualified traffic. The market for content has changed dramatically. We actually ended up selling that business in 2010.

Brice Bay: It's now part of Gannett and USA Today. It's very prominent within USA Today. They've pivoted more to a user-generated consumer review type of model.

Brice Bay: They monetize that content extremely well by selling both lead gen and badges for making their "best of" lists. That's an enormous business for Gannett. My former company manages all of the licensing of that content and those badges as well.

Mike Putman: Set the stage of what type of traffic or views you had. How many people were actually accessing the content?

Brice Bay: When we sold 10Best.com, we were generating well over a million unique users per month and generating somewhere north of 20 million page views on a monthly basis.

Brice Bay: By today's standards, it was still a pretty small property. But thinking about a million unique people coming to your front door felt good. It still takes a lot of traffic to generate significant revenue in that world.

Navigating Modern Travel Content and AI

James Ferrara: This is so interesting. We have spoken about how travelers find unbiased, reliable content about restaurants or destinations.

James Ferrara: Since we're getting a behind-the-scenes peek into how this content has been generated, do you have any advice for regular travelers who are going to the internet looking for information? Where do you go to find useful, reliable information?

Brice Bay: I think it varies. The big thing out there is what's possible and what's coming. From my own standpoint, I use a lot of popular search tools. Google's a big source for me.

Brice Bay: I like to use the Google Maps interface because it naturally orients content generally like I'm looking for—a place to eat or some specific place to go in relation to your proximity. I find that as the ideal interface for whatever it is I'm going to do.

Brice Bay: I leverage those reviews. I have my own system for restaurant reviews. If it's below a 4.5 on Google, it's not worth it. If I can find any place that's a 4.8 or higher, then I'm likely to trust that place. It's just hard to game the system up that high on the scale.

Brice Bay: Content in general becomes a little bit more biased every day. But what's coming is really the most exciting thing. I think AI and its various iterations is really going to blow it wide open. It will be able to take that content, scrub out what's likely biased, and find things that are unique and interesting.

Brice Bay: I really think the touchpoints for that content will become more and more personal. It won't be just going to my phone or selecting a map application. I think we'll find that content reaches us at the point of decision almost magically. That's coming faster than we probably appreciate.

Perks and Recognition in the Travel Industry

Mike Putman: I had the opportunity to travel with you in the height of 10Best.com’s success. For listeners, you have to put this in perspective. This was pre-TripAdvisor. 10Best was widely known in the hundreds of cities that the content had been written for.

Mike Putman: We would happen to go into a restaurant that just happened to be on the 10Best list—and you couldn't buy your way onto the list, by the way. We would walk in and Brice would share that he was the CEO of 10Best.com, and some of the service we got became pretty amazing. Are there any over-the-top experiences that you remember?

Brice Bay: I've had so many crazy experiences, both good and bad. Sometimes you think you’ll be able to play this card really well and sometimes the card is useless. Those are the funniest times.

Brice Bay: You think you're going to walk in and be a big shot, but they're like, "Who are you and why are you here?" That reality check happened more than I would like to admit.

Brice Bay: From an over-the-top standpoint, particularly in major cities like San Francisco and Manhattan, we would walk in and they would bring a table from magic. It would appear, be carried out, tables were spread apart, and we would be seated in a place of great honor.

Brice Bay: Servers would be coming from all directions with wine and delicacies. We had many hotel upgrades, which I always felt a little bit guilty about, but at the same time, you don't want to waste a night not in the best room in the house if you can find a way. We had some really good perks.

The Evolution of EnVeritas Group

Mike Putman: Take us forward then, Brice. You sold that company and moved into some other areas of business.

Brice Bay: We sold 10Best.com in 2010 and rebranded the remaining company as EnVeritas Group. It was a content agency that previously operated under the 10Best moniker as 10Best Solutions.

Brice Bay: In 2010, it was a travel-related marketing and content agency. We licensed content to hotel brands around the world. Our customers were mid-scale and up, most heavily weighted toward the luxury category.

Brice Bay: We had brands like Ritz-Carlton, Four Seasons, Fairmont, Sofitel, Swissôtel, and many others that we created content for. In some cases, we managed their social media. We created video, audio, and infographics.

Brice Bay: Then we moved into various B2B and industrial areas. For a period of time, we were Google's largest outside content creator in the hospitality space.

Brice Bay: It was pretty exciting to be creating tens of millions of pieces of content around the world for Google with huge teams. We were managing teams of hundreds and hundreds of travel writers and contributors.

Brice Bay: These projects would ramp up to three or four hundred people. We'd have to train remotely and deal with tight deadlines. We learned a lot and created a ton of content. Of course, since they are Google, they learned how to live without us. It was a good ride.

Transitioning to Physical Hospitality Projects

Mike Putman: What are you doing today?

Brice Bay: I've taken a fork in the road. I was in the content business for more than 20 years and I think I got to a point where I was a bit complacent and needed a change. I've decided to get into the physical product side as opposed to the virtual side.

Brice Bay: I'm focusing on green space, serenity, and connecting people with adventure and opportunities to be closer to nature. We've got a brand that we'll launch in the next year or so with a project in western North Carolina.

Brice Bay: We've been hard at work doing branding, feasibility studies, and acquiring land. We've applied for construction permits and are out in the market raising capital. The response has been really positive.

Brice Bay: Before that, we built what I call our "test kitchen." It’s in Travelers Rest, South Carolina. We have eight cottages branded as The Station. They are right on the Swamp Rabbit Trail, which is an active trail for cycling and running. We built eight luxury cottages there. James, I think you've stayed there.

James Ferrara: I did actually stay there and I had a great time. I absolutely love them. They're innovative in design and right on this trail, which makes for some very interesting social interaction.

James Ferrara: I love the interior design and the whole feel. There's a beautiful porch area, and each element has a full kitchen. Mike and I actually held a retreat and did a business meeting there. I was thoroughly impressed. It's very interesting to me that you took this deep knowledge in the travel industry and focused it on this hospitality idea.

Defining "Unreasonable Hospitality"

Brice Bay: It's an evolution in my thinking. Building and opening a building to guests is a huge journey. It started with ideas from my background in the marketing side of travel, seeing what people did well and seeing how brands are challenged to adapt to what the consumer really wants today.

Brice Bay: It’s about some simple things. If you are a hotelier and you have a front desk, hallways, and keys, you have a certain model. But if I want to go to completely frictionless entry with a key code, are the buildings designed correctly for security and the way people want to stay?

Brice Bay: A segment of the traveling public, particularly on the higher end, is looking for more than a big box with a boring generic hallway and identical rooms. We're creating something completely bespoke and high-end, but designed for a frictionless guest experience.

Brice Bay: If they never want to see us, we can facilitate check-in and check-out and customize their stay. We're experimenting right now. I read this book recently called Unreasonable Hospitality by Will Guidara. It's a must-read.

Brice Bay: It’s the idea of taking a guest and customizing an experience to make the interaction the most important thing they might ever experience. It follows the journey of Eleven Madison Park, a restaurant in Manhattan that went from an ordinary bistro to the number one restaurant in the world.

Brice Bay: They unpack this idea of really getting to know your customer and finding innovative ways to understand them without being intrusive. We're trying to learn a little bit about our guests. That could mean customizing the snacks, beverages, flowers, or recognizing the reason why they're traveling.

Brice Bay: Maybe it's an anniversary or they're coming to see a newborn grandchild. My favorite one happened at the beginning of last week. A local person was going to rent with us for six nights.

Brice Bay: This young lady was actually studying for her medical boards. She has a husband and children and needed to get out of the house for six nights to prepare. My daughter, who runs the operations, and I collaborated on this.

Brice Bay: I said, "Let's figure out something really interesting for someone studying while they're there." She put together a basket of "brain food"—healthy things like dark chocolate, blueberries, and a handwritten note that said, "You've got this."

Brice Bay: It’s those unexpected things that take an experience for a guest to the next level. We're trying to take best practices and find ways to make the guest's life interesting and create unique memories.

Expert Travel Tips and Airport Experiences

Mike Putman: I won't let you off the hook without asking our usual rapid-fire question. Do you have some practical tips that make your personal travel experience better? Is there a quicker way of getting through the airport, or something you always put in your carry-on?

Brice Bay: What has changed with me personally from five years ago is that I am much more about the journey than I am the destination. There are some pretty cool places to hang out in the Atlanta Airport.

Brice Bay: I really like to go to One Flew South and sit at the bar, have some sushi and a glass of wine, and talk with people. I've met so many interesting people sitting in that place.

Brice Bay: In the past, my goal would be to move from A to B as quickly as possible. What I've found is a lot of joy in between A and B. I think that dovetails with this blended business-leisure travel world where people can stay someplace longer and work remotely. I recommend making it fun.

James Ferrara: I am a history buff and a naturally curious person. I find that some airports have amazing little museums or history displays. The throngs of people just walk right by them. I tend to seek them out and I'm always rewarded with wonderful aviation stories.

James Ferrara: Another good one is food. When I'm flying through Alabama, there are Bojangles places, which I don't have up north. I love Bojangles. Really good biscuits.

Mike Putman: These airports love for Brice and James to come because James comes two hours early for every flight and Brice extends his layovers as long as possible! Brice, I really do appreciate your time. If people want more information about your project, do you have a website?

Brice Bay: If you go to compohotels.com, you'll see what we currently have. That will eventually link to our future brand, but that's C-O-M-P-O-Hotels.com.

The Importance of "Sense of Place" in Hotels

Mike Putman: Smart guy with a very interesting background. James, you mentioned you had done some traveling this past week. Have anything to report back on that?

James Ferrara: I do, and in a sense it's a little disappointing. I'm becoming like the grumpy old man. I was traveling for business and had to be in certain hotels where the events I was speaking at were hosted.

James Ferrara: The last one was the Orlando World Center Marriott. This is a famous convention hotel. It has a water park for the kids, which is great, but otherwise, it's a tremendous hotel where everything is beige.

James Ferrara: Once you get inside, you could be anywhere. It has good Marriott service, but there's just no sense of place. No personality. When you're taking your kids on vacation, you could do a lot better. You could stay at a much more interesting place.

James Ferrara: One of the things I noticed in the headlines is people talking about why the crowds are not as big in Florida this summer. I've heard lots of theories—the fight between the Governor and Disney, or the pricing at Disney.

James Ferrara: I won't discount the pricing. It’s gotten out of hand. It’s hundreds of dollars per person for a ticket. If you have a family of four, you could be spending a thousand dollars a day just on park tickets without even park hopping.

James Ferrara: But I really think the main reason is the weather. It's been very hot through the South.

Mike Putman: Dallas had over a hundred days of hundred-degree weather. If I'm traveling somewhere for fun right now, I'm going somewhere where it's cold. I am over the summer. Our friend Dana chose an Alaska cruise, and I think that was a good choice.

James Ferrara: People want some relief. That has hurt Florida this summer. I noticed it even at the Orlando World Center Marriott, which is usually a chaotic property with millions of people, and it didn't feel like that at all.

James Ferrara: Earlier in the week, I stayed in a big box hotel in Manhattan with limited service and small rooms. Then I stayed in Fort Lauderdale on the Intracoastal. That was a little better, but it was also a big brand name and a bland hotel with poor service.

James Ferrara: My point is that I had a week of staying in the kinds of hotels that we advise our listeners not to stay in. Make the extra effort. Talk to a professional travel advisor. Find hotels with personality and a sense of place. Don't stay in the three hotels that I stayed in.

Exclusive Travel Deals for Heroes

Mike Putman: I hear you. Unfortunately, our Deals guru—or Deals Diva, excuse me—is not with us this week. But Jessica Griscavage was kind enough to supply us with some fantastic offers.

James Ferrara: Jessica sent along research appropriate to this time of year. First, she has deals for heroes—first responders, police, firefighters, EMTs, and military. There are often special offers as a thank you for their service.

James Ferrara: Norwegian Cruise Line has a military appreciation program. AmaWaterways honors frontline and military service members with a special discount. You save $100 per person, and you have to go through a travel advisor to do that.

James Ferrara: Princess Cruises salutes your service with a military benefit. Anyone who served in the U.S. or Canadian militaries gets up to $250 in free onboard spending money. They deposit it in your onboard account for the spa, specialty dining, or shops.

James Ferrara: Celebrity Cruises does the same thing. All military, active, retired, and veterans qualify for these savings. It goes on and on: Cunard, Holland America Line, even Amtrak. Amtrak Vacations salutes active duty military, veterans, and their families with a 10% discount on the rail portion of a trip.

Mike Putman: I'm really happy to see all these global brands acknowledging the service that our first responders and military do. It’s a great message to share this upcoming Labor Day.

Labor Day Holiday Promotions

James Ferrara: Speaking of Labor Day, Jessica found some Labor Day hot deals. These don't have to be travel over the Labor Day weekend; they just have to be booked during the Labor Day weekend.

James Ferrara: There are offers from American Queen Voyages. You get a free stateroom or suite upgrade and up to $4,000 in savings, plus $200 onboard credit. You have to book this by August 31st.

James Ferrara: MSC, the largest cruise company in the world, has a limited-time offer: drinks and Wi-Fi included, plus up to $400 onboard credit. That offer expires September 4th.

James Ferrara: Princess has received up to 50% off cruise fares and a best-price guarantee during their Labor Day sale. This is for 2024 or 2025 cruises and you have to book by September 5th.

Mike Putman: Princess has probably the most loyal following in the industry. Those cruisers are die-hard and will not switch brands. If there are Princess past guests out there, now's a time to buy.

James Ferrara: In addition, Princess will allow the third and fourth guests to sail free in your cabin on select voyages. You have until September 5th, so talk to your travel advisor.

James Ferrara: Oceania Cruises, which is an upper-premium product, has free shore excursions valued up to $1,600 per stateroom, free champagne and wine, free gourmet specialty dining, and free unlimited Wi-Fi. That's for booking anytime in September.

Mike Putman: That's like they're paying you to take a cruise.

James Ferrara: There are lots of other offers out there just for the Labor Day weekend. Holiday weekends are a good excuse to run a sale. But to find your way through all of this, you need a professional travel advisor.

Mike Putman: Absolutely. I'll have friends call me and say, "I booked directly with supplier XYZ and this went wrong," and I'm like, "You should have booked it through your travel agent." They could have helped you out.

Closing Segment and Upcoming Travel Plans

Mike Putman: Well, I think we're at a closing point. Mike, where's your next trip?

Mike Putman: I'm going to New York to play in a golf tournament.

James Ferrara: And I'm going to Santa Fe in a week or two, which I'm really excited about. I love Santa Fe. Great Native American culture and great food.

Mike Putman: I knew you would ferret that out. We're out of time, but thanks for listening. We're gonna skip next week, but we'll be back the week after. I hope you all have a wonderful Labor Day.

James Ferrara: Everybody remember to travel authentically, with great interest and passion. Look for the less-traveled places, do a little research, and talk to a travel advisor so that you're creating beautiful memories. No Tourists Allowed.

Thank you for listening to another episode of No Tourists Allowed. We'll see you next week for another episode. No Tourists Allowed is produced by Podcast Studio X.