We’re going to switch gears a little bit for this week’s post. Normally we try to answer the common questions you have about running your small business and particularly your travel business or local business.
Today we’re going to look at the world of travel apps. There are tons of apps doing really cool things in the travel industry. We’re going to take a quick look at a few. The goal is to hopefully see what these apps are doing that is connecting with travelers and use it as inspiration.
I hope you enjoy!
1. Hersheypark: Custom GPS Mapping
This is pretty cool. You probably use GPS and maps on your smartphone to get places while in a car or while walking around the city, but what about while you’re on a tour of an amusement park or similar attraction?
Hersheypark made this possible with their app and its custom GPS mapping. You can create a map based on the items you want to see and the ones you want to pass over. Very cool!
Get: Hersheypark
2. Oh, Ranger ParkFinder: Simple, User Friendly Design
This app has been getting a lot of praise and for good reason. The app has tons of information about the best parks and activities to do in those parks throughout the US. We’re talking national, state and local parks.
But the park that I think is great is that you can find what you want easily. You’re not overloaded with too many options when starting. You pick a location. And if there are a lot of options it’s in an order that makes sense so you can quickly find an activity you’re interested in.
Keeping it simple is important even if it’s not always easy.
3. SpeakEasy: Excellent Navigation
First off, SpeakEasy is a great name for a language app. It’s designed for those traveling to countries where they don’t speak the local language or speak the local language well.
What I love about the app is you can search by phrase and the phrases are ones you would use as a traveler like, “I don’t speak Spanish.” But even better than that is the fact that you can navigate based on the phrase you need to say like greetings, getting around, transporation, etc.
Get: SpeakEasy
4. TRVL: Enticing Content To Potential Travelers
TRVL is one of the most popular travel apps on the App Store and for good reason. They offer tons of amazing content including stories, photos and much more for would-be travelers. It’s incredibly good and shows how content can entice people to travel throughout the world. No matter what your travel business is you can always use content to entice people to visit your specific store, tour, hotel, restaurant or even your area, city, state, etc.
Get: TRVL
5. HomeAway: Browse Large Photos
HomeAway has a huge list of different places you can stay while visiting a city or location. You can find hotels, inns, B&Bs, bungalows and all kinds of places to stay while you’re traveling. But what I like about the app is that you can look at the places by photos.
In general, it’s good to have professional photography for your travel website or app. It’s a great value for customers to be able to see what they would be getting when they travel rather than just reading about it especially on their phone.
Get: HomeAway
6. Agoda: No Information Overload
When you’re looking for a hotel there is a lot of information you can browse. And while Agoda does have a lot of information they still limit it on important pages within the app. When comparing a shortlist of options you see name, price and rating. That’s a great start and really all you need to begin figuring out where you would like to stay.
Get: Agoda
7. Wi-Fi Finder: The Name Says It All
When you’re on the move it helps to have access to Wi-Fi. The telecoms are getting really good at providing service in most places and most are upgrading customers to high-level data plans, but sometimes you just want a fast Wi-Fi.
Wi-Fi Finder works with providers to allow you to find Wi-Fi based on your GPS location. You can find free and paid Wi-Fi and you can even search by Wi-Fi provider.
Get: Wi-Fi Finder
8. RoadNinja: Visual Cues
We mentioned visual cues for some of the apps in this list. Images are important. Photos are important. RoadNinja is a great service. You can see what’s coming up ahead if you’re on a road: restaurants, gas stations, etc.
But a simple thing I like is that with the list of upcoming stops you see the logos. So you see the golden arches or the Chevron logo. That’s an instant visual cue that allows you to easily comprehend what’s up ahead.
Get: RoadNinja
9. Sit Or Squat: By Charmin
Okay, this is a great idea. Have you ever been walking around a city and not known where the nearest bathroom is? Sometimes after a couple cups of a coffee and a few waters you need to find one. That’s the app Charmin created and that’s also what I love about this app. Charmin found a great way to build awareness and community tied to their brand. It’s based on a real customer need. Great idea.
Get: Sit Or Squat
10. San Diego Zoo: Digital Information Guide
I don’t think we’ll ever replace human interaction, but if you’re on a tour you can sometimes get lost in a big group when you’re with a guide. That’s why I like the San Diego Zoo app. Sarah and I went there a few years ago and the information in the park was great, but they’ve put all that information on their app. You can browse while seeing the exhibits or you can learn before and after you visit the park.
Get: San Diego Zoo
Hopefully these have been helpful. If you enjoyed the post I would love to hear your thoughts here in the comments or on Twitter. You can find me @DayneShuda and you can find Sarah @SarahShuda.
