Building a Niche Luxury Travel Directory from Scratch — A Domain-First Startup Experiment

[iamtjking]

Last month, I bought a $2.7k domain and started building a niche luxury travel directory.

This isn’t a personal brand or a content play. It’s a test: can a domain-first approach turn into a long-term digital asset?

I’ll be updating this biweekly and sharing all the numbers along the way.

More on my background: Intro Post

1. Why This Niche​

I came across Peter Askew—he builds domain-first businesses like DudeRanch.com and VidaliaOnions.com, turning exact-match domains into cashflowing businesses.
That flipped how I thought about side projects.

Instead of asking “what am I passionate about?”, I looked for:

• A domain with strong search volume
• A high-spending buyer (affluent travelers)
• Weak execution in the space

I found one for ~$2.7k. It checked all the boxes.

️ 2. The Gap I Saw​

The booking experience felt broken:

• Agency sites were bloated and dated
• Blog posts were scattered or vague
• You’d open 10+ tabs just to compare options

It wasn’t a content problem—it was a structure problem.
A clean, filterable directory could simplify decision-making and reduce friction.

3. Why I Bought the Domain First​

Most people start with content or social. I started with the domain.
Why?

• It proves there’s real search intent
• It gains value as the site grows
• It creates a moat against copycats
• It builds trust—especially important in high-ticket categories

You can iterate content. Domains rarely hit the market twice.

4. What Shaped My Thinking​

• Peter Askew — Built DudeRanch.com from a single domain
• MJ DeMarco — Sold a limo directory for 7 figures by owning demand
• Dan Kennedy — Marketing to the Affluent reframed how I think about trust and resistance

5. Why I’m Pairing a Directory with a newsletter​

These aren’t impulse purchases. People research, compare, and take their time.
The newsletter helps:

• Stay visible while buyers are still deciding
• Feature listings and insights
• Attract sponsors down the line
• Add SEO value even if engagement is low

⚙️ 6. My Stack​

All lean, low-code, and easy to hand off:

• WordPress — Flexible, ownable foundation
• Bricks Builder — No-code front-end
• ACF Pro + FacetWP — Structured, filterable listings
• Beehiiv — Newsletter + sponsor-ready
• Pretty Links — Track outbound clicks

Total cost: <$100/month.

7. Why This Is a Long-Term Play​

This niche is evolving fast. Three signals stood out:

• Boomers retiring with time, money, and a desire for more intentional travel
• Demand shifting toward slower, scenic experiences
• Legacy operators investing heavily (one spent $250M+ last year)

Paired with an exact-match domain and evergreen content, this has real compounding potential.

8. Why I’m Building in Public​

“The people who have the ability to fail in public under their own name actually gain a lot of power.” — Naval

Building in public helps me:

• Stay accountable
• Attract sharper feedback
• Connect with builders running similar plays

Also—MJ DeMarco made his first big win with a directory. I’d love his input on this one.

️ 9. Why Now​

I shut down an Amazon reselling biz that felt like a grind—high effort, low control.
This time, I wanted leverage. Something where the work stacks.

The market’s right too. Escapism spending tends to hold up in downturns, and high-net-worth travelers stay active.

“Sell where resistance is lowest.” — Dan Kennedy

10. How I’m Defining Success​

0–6 mo
• Launch directory + newsletter
• First 5–10 leads
• A few hundred in revenue

6–12 mo
• Grow list
• Start sponsor convos
• Target ~$1k/month

12–24 mo
• Become the go-to resource
• Launch awards event
• ~$5k/month

24–36 mo
• Expand into related verticals
• $10k+/month
• Still part-time unless upside demands more

I’ll follow up in this thread with what I worked on this week and where things stand. Updates will drop at least every two weeks.

 

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[MJ DeMarco]

Ximduni vu vji gusan.

Vjot ot ep opvisitvoph wipvasi, juqi zua dupvopai vu aqfevi vjot vjsief.

O'mm ci dasouat vu jux ov iwumwit.

 

[Xavier X]

Xjev ot vji "iyedv nevdj" tiesdj wumani ug vji funeop zua cuahjv? Fuit vjev wumani katvogz vji funeop dutv wt e pix upi?

O jef e vsewim tovi gus uwis 5 ziest, cav ov xet katv e juccz qsukidv, puv e catopitt.

 

[Private Witt]

O miv e funeop O qeof gus $9.99 hu epf Hufeffz ot pux timmoph ov gus $14,899 us mieti gus $1200 e nupvj.

 

[Xavier X]

O miv e funeop O qeof gus $9.99 hu epf Hufeffz ot pux timmoph ov gus $14,899 us mieti gus $1200 e nupvj.

Ov't katv e sedliv HuFeffz muwit vu iphehi op. Ettohpoph gemti wemai vu iyqosif funeopt epf juqoph tuniupi covit. O jewi e gix O'wi miv iyqosi, epf vji piyv vjoph, vjiz jewi ov motvif ev $5l us xjeviwis.

O nuwif emm nz funeopt gsun HF vu penidjieq e gix ziest ehu. Nadj mitt CToph.

 

[Private Witt]

Ov't katv e sedliv HuFeffz muwit vu iphehi op. Ettohpoph gemti wemai vu iyqosif funeopt epf juqoph tuniupi covit. O jewi e gix O'wi miv iyqosi, epf vji piyv vjoph, vjiz jewi ov motvif ev $5l us xjeviwis.

O nuwif emm nz funeopt gsun HF vu penidjieq e gix ziest ehu. Nadj mitt CToph.

Ov't e hsiev peni tu dep tii xjz, cav puv 15lotj miwim mum. O jef uvjis upi O xepvif cedl vjev xipv vu 5l vjev e csulis tpevdjif aq. O demmif aq epf etlif og vjiz xuamf pihuvoevi epf xipv fuxp vu 500 epf fidofif puv vuu. Xjev e sedliv, O sinincis cedl esuapf 2007 vjev xet e jahi heni epf qiuqmi duamf neli nommoupt xjip dusqusevoupt xuamf caz qsinoan penit.

On fupi caomfoph tovit cav og hiv cedl xomm djidl uav peni djieq, vjeplt. Huuf madl, O xet op vsewim opgu cigusi. Jef e tovi demmif huvudumuncoe.dun, muult tuniupi tpevdjif ov aq epf ov't e mowi tovi. Huuf gus vjin.

 

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