In this episode of Disruption/Interruption, host KJ sits down with John Choate, co-founder of Apogee Travel, to discuss how the travel industry hides value, the illusion of price comparison, and how Apogee is disrupting the online travel agency model by turning every hotel booking into a charitable donation. Discover the truth behind loyalty programs, the commoditization of hotels, and how transparency and social good can reshape an entire industry.

Four Key Takeaways:

1. The Illusion of Comparison Shopping [00:41]
   John explains how consumers believe they are comparison shopping for hotels, but in reality, prices are controlled and nearly identical across platforms.
2. The Birth of Apogee’s Value Model [06:55]
   The story of how a charity hotel stay and a conversation with Steve Wynn inspired the idea of using hotel profits for social good.
3. Exposing Loyalty Program Devaluation [24:15]
   John breaks down how hotel loyalty programs manipulate point values, creating “value blindness” for consumers.
4. How Apogee Travel Disrupts the Industry [32:05]
   Apogee’s unique model: every booking generates a donation to a charity of the traveler’s choice, at no extra cost, while still earning brand rewards points.

Quote of the Show (34:20):
"Most people think charity is emotional. In our model, it's structural. Travel's the largest overlooked fundraising engine in the world. We just plugged it in." – John Choate

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Ways to connect with John Choate:

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/johnchoate/

Company Website:  https://apogeetravel.com

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