CASE STUDIES • Blue Lagoon
Mastering cross-channel guest journeys at scale with Planet and LS Retail
The Blue Lagoon is an iconic geothermal spa destination in Iceland that has attracted visitors from around the world since its founding in 1992. Beyond its restorative waters, the Blue Lagoon offers Michelin-star dining, luxurious spa treatments, aspirational accommodations, and a unique line of skincare products. It is more than just a tourist attraction – it is a sanctuary that promises an incomparable experience.
Challenge
The Blue Lagoon has undergone a transformative journey in recent years, particularly in the wake of the COVID-19 pandemic. The IT and Digital team had a strategic "grand vision" - to enhance the guest experience by enabling a frictionless, "no physical checkout" experience, and modernise their technology foundations. Operationally, the team needed one centralised, modern payment system that seamlessly integrated with its existing LS Retail point-of-sale and enterprise resource planning systems (ERP) - at the Blue Lagoon and other facilities. With international clientele hailing from the US, China, the UK, and elsewhere, the Blue Lagoon wanted to go the extra mile for global guests. This included localising pricing in guests' local currencies from browsing and booking to checkout, as well as offering Tax Free shopping at the resort's gift shops. Since the Blue Lagoon team acknowledged that "everything you do always ended in payments," they sought the latest payment technology that wouldn’t “block [them] in that vision”.
Solution
Seeking a payment partner aligned with their vision, Blue Lagoon selected Planet for its seamless integration with their existing LS Retail systems - noting it was "everything they wanted." With Planet and LS Retail, global guests now benefit from a choice of local payment methods, support for multiple currencies, and the convenience of an express checkout, where guests can be charged directly to their card without having to physically present it. For the Blue Lagoon, the partnership with Planet has also opened new revenue opportunities through Dynamic Currency Conversion and Tax Free shopping in store, while providing a single, modernised payment experience across the resort's various facilities in Iceland.
Blue Lagoon
Blue Lagoon
“Planet is a strategic payment partner. It’s enabling us to do the grand vision. With Planet, a guest can walk around the lagoon, and go to the restaurant, spa, cafe and purchase skincare and never have to (physically) checkout, as we charge the card with everything they purchase, using the secure token. I’ve been working with several payment partners, and Planet is number one."
Sigurður Long
Chief Information Officer & Chief Digital Officer at Blue Lagoon Iceland
Results
Since implementing Planet's solutions, Blue Lagoon has seen significant improvements across the entire guest journey. Online, the introduction of Dynamic 3D Secure resulted in a 65% decline reduction by applying authentication only for EEA-issued cards. In-stay, wherever the guest checks in, Blue Lagoon enable hassle-free additional spending at the resort's various outlets. Blue Lagoon is now exploring further enhancements, like Multi-Currency Pricing on their Booking Engine, and ecommerce payment plugins on Shopify, to further elevate the guest experience. With Planet as their one partner “with everything they need," Blue Lagoon has aligned the guest journey from booking to checkout with their “grand vision”, as planned.
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