A platform for “charitable hotel stays”

Solikend is a web platform project, which offers to book nights in hotels in aid of associations and charitable works.

Since April, Yoann Magnin has been based at the ESTIA Entreprendre incubator at the Izarbel Technology Park. The project under development is entitled “Solikend” in reference to the words “solidaires” (united) and “weekend”. The idea is to create an internet platform offering hotel rooms, payment for which will be made to around fifteen charities selected by Solikend. The “charitable hotels” will therefore be offering hotel nights without charge - when they have vacancies in unoccupied rooms - and the customers will pay a beneficiary association for these nights, which they will choose from amongst Solikend’s partners.

The project originated on the Basque Coast and will be initially launched in the Nouvelle-Aquitaine area, where already around fifty hotels have displayed an interest or in some cases have even made a commitment. For hoteliers, the operation, which takes place in the low season, will allow them to participate in charitable activity, promote their image and make themselves known to a new clientele.

Solikend’s economic model is based on taking “service charges” from users during online bookings and from the annual subscription fees of partner associations. If Solikend makes convincing progress in Nouvelle-Aquitaine, the platform’s services will be extended nationally.

The platform for this unprecedented concept combining philanthropy and tourism is under technical development. As well as the booking system for “charitable hotel stays”, it will also offer a range of functions designed to monitor and optimise the promotional spinoffs of the operation. Alongside the developments underway, the Solikend team is seeking additional funding with the aim of being operational at the beginning of 2018. 

Contact: Yoann Magnin - solikendgmail.com

Facebook Page: www.facebook.com/Solikend/