The first version of Solikend

Initiated by Yoann Magnin, this new "solidarity nights" platform has been up and running since 24 January. On it you can book hotel stays that help to fund voluntary bodies and charities.

In development at the ESTIA Entreprendre incubator on the Izarbel Technology Park since spring 2017, the Solikend project is now fully functional.  What is the principle behind it? Hotels offer nights to charities and when customers book them, the payment is transferred to the Solikend partner charities.

This original concept, which combines solidarity and tourism, is the brainchild of Yoann Magnin and provides a way for hoteliers to contribute something whilst enhancing their image and making themselves known to a new type of clientele. The platform has been developed at the Izarbel Technology Park and a first operation started on 24 January and is running until 15 May.

"The idea was to launch a first version before the summer season got underway on the Atlantic coast," explains Yoann Magnin. Seven hotels situated from Arcachon to Biarritz have been convinced of the benefits of the operation. "If all the rooms offered were booked, the amount paid to the charities would be €50,000. The charities that will benefit are the Red Cross, Life is Rose and Du Flocon à la Vague," he adds.

A second version of the web platform should be operational for next September.  "We want to develop a platform that is technically on a par with the hotel booking platforms so that we can develop the project in Nouvelle-Aquitaine with the aim in the end of creating a new solidarity scheme that is both useful to the charities, good publicity for the regional hotel sector and a positive boost for tourism in the low and shoulder seasons. Once Solikend has shown itself to be viable at regional level, we will gradually aim to develop it nationally," concludes Yoann Magnin.

Website: www.solikend.com