Charging DUES, Making DO

Phil and Erin Lockwood never imagined their family would be traveling more during the coronavirus pandemic. But since joining the vacation club Inspirato last September, the parents of three have swapped one annual trip to a Disney theme park for villa rentals in Cabo San Lucas and Costa Rica.

- Jen Murphy and Kate Krader

Inspirato LLC’s new subscription model, starting at $2,500 a month, made it an easy decision for the Lockwoods, who split time between Denver and Coronado, Calif. “Booking a trip usually came with an overwhelming feeling of ‘Where do I start?’ but now it’s like a shopping spree,” says Phil, a 47-year-old marketing agency owner.

While the rest of the tourism industry hangs on for dear life, private travel clubs are on the rise. Booking activity at Inspirato is 30% higher year over year. Its competitors, Exclusive Resorts LLC and the Essentialist, reported record-breaking membership sales in 2020.