When going on a trip, we must take with us modern gadgets. Indeed, few people can do without a smartphone or tablet on a journey, but it’s possible to extract much more benefit from these devices. For example, you can reserve a car at San Diego airport with Budget, or find a suitable room in a hotel. Plus, if you install specialized applications on your smartphone, it will create a good mood for you on a journey, introduce you to interesting people, and also help you save on the services of guides when viewing sights. Here are some very useful applications for your mobile device…
FlipTheTrip
FlipTheTrip is a practical application for meeting local people or potential travel companions while traveling abroad.
In order to decide who is planning a trip, you need to select the appropriate locality from the list, specify the date of the trip and your spoken language. After that, the whole set of fellow travelers will be displayed on the screen as a list.
In FlipTheTrip, you can write to all potential companions, which rarely happens in such programs. You can talk with absolutely all users without restrictions. Locals will also write to you if you mark this opportunity in advance. Also, there’s a filter by age and sex.
Pros: a simple interface, no paid content
Cons: No version for Android-powered devices, a small database of travelers
Tripr
Tripr is not an ordinary application – this is rather a social network for travelers. To get started, you need to log in through Facebook and fill out the internal profile. The app has a perfect selection of functions that facilitate communication with other travelers.
In order to search for the right people, you must also select a city and specify the date. Unfortunately, colloquial speech can’t be selected there, which can interfere with communication. Since Tripr is a social network, developers have relied on dating services. That is, you will be able to rate the questionnaires only separately. They will also evaluate you. If you like each other, you can chat.
Also, Tripr has a built-in rating system. All entries are sorted by popularity by default. The more likes they gain, the higher they are in the news feed.
Pros: No paid content
Cons: there’s no choice of the interlocutor’s language, communication is possible only after mutual likes
Backpacktr
Backpacktr is an application that allows you to search for travel companions, and also communicate with locals. You need to act as follows: set the city, date, and click the ‘Search’ button. Unfortunately, you cannot choose the language of the interlocutor there – there’s simply no such function.
However, for each visit to countries and cities you will receive an impromptu stamp in your internal passport – this looks like an interesting game. There is no paid content in Backpacktr.
The application’s database is not very big. The product has only been translated into English, but is available in all major markets of the App Store and Google Play.
Pros: No paid content, the elements of the game are used
Cons: small base of travelers, lack of choice of the interlocutor’s language
TourRadar
TourRadar was created by travelers and for travelers. This is not just an application, but a hybrid represented by the web version, iOS– and Android-based services. They all have a lot in common, so it won’t be very difficult to understand.
You’ll have to act by analogy: enter city, date, and press ‘Search’. However, here you need to pay for the tours. This is similar to the acquisition of a voucher through a travel agency, but here everything is more interactive. For example, the route map, accommodation, breakfast, lunch, dinner – all this is completely transparent.
If you wish, you can refuse something in favor of another activity. In addition, you can find last-minute tours with discounts of 70-90%. The main thing is more often to look at the site or in the application to follow new routes and discounts.
Also, in TourRadar you can share photos, write messages and engage in the usual activity for social networks. There’s a referral system, so by bringing friends into the app, you will receive a 5% discount on each tour that they book.
Pros: a new approach to booking tours, discounts, referral system
Cons: lack of some languages
Ventoura
Ventoura is another interesting application to search for travel companions and locals. However, writing to everyone here is also impossible. Coincidence of sympathies is necessary, as many favorite dating apps are taken as a basis.
Many locals act as tour guides, which can have a positive impact on your budget. The price for viewing the sights and places of interest is set by each user individually, but 18% of their income they deduct the creators of Ventoura.
Unfortunately, there is no choice of interface language.
Pros: an unusual approach to guided tours
Cons: lack of choice of the interlocutor’s language, fee for excursions