One of many joys of getting a journey weblog that folks aside from your mom learn, and that pops up fairly excessive on Google for searches on specific journey adventures, is that quickly sufficient your inbox might be inundated with all kinds of vaguely travel-related emails. I really like that weblog readers e-mail me nearly every day concerning the Laugevegur Trek; that random PR individuals ship me press releases about mens outerwear and transportable wine pouches, not a lot.
Final month, although, I acquired an e-mail that fell into a distinct class (let’s name it *Fascinating Proposals*). It was from the PR Lead at Ventoura, reaching out to see if I’d be all for reviewing their new telephone app. In her phrases:
Being profitable by sharing off the overwhelmed path journey experiences? I used to be instantly intrigued. As soon as I discovered that the app entailed the identical left/proper swipe motion as my beloved Tinder, I used to be bought.
Permit me to introduce you to a incredible new journey app: Ventoura!
Whenever you open the Ventoura app in your telephone for the primary time, you’re requested to log in to your Fb account. Then you definately’re requested whether or not you’re a Traveller or a Native. Since I’m at present touring round Australia on the Work & Vacation visa, I selected Traveller.
The method is fairly easy in the event you’re a Traveller:
Add your journeys: Choose which cities you’ll be in on which dates. One helpful characteristic right here is that it’ll say ‘Native’ subsequent to any metropolis that at present has Locals providing excursions (be aware: As of June 2015, Locals are solely accessible in Europe). If you happen to’ll be travelling in a metropolis that isn’t marked Native, it means you’ll be able to solely be matched with fellow Travellers who’re in that metropolis when you find yourself.
Fill in your profile: Make sure you fill out your profile right away. I didn’t discover till a number of weeks later that I’d been showing as a clean face after I popped up on the app for different Travellers.
Swipe: That is the enjoyable half! Whenever you’re ‘Ventouring’, you get to swipe left (no) or proper (sure) on every person who pops up. In the event that they’re an area, you’ll be able to take a look at what excursions they’re providing and say sure in the event you’re all for signing up. In the event that they’re a traveller, then I’m not completely certain what you base this off of (clearly it shouldn’t be appears, else why not simply stick with Tinder?), however no matter your standards: you say sure to individuals you’d wish to hang around with throughout your journey. If you happen to each swipe proper, you’ll be capable of message one another on the platform: you’ll be able to ask Locals about their excursions earlier than reserving, or chat with fellow Travellers
E book a tour: If you happen to match with a Native and also you dig a tour they’re providing, go on and guide it! You pay for it upfront by way of PayPal.
The factor about Ventoura is that, because it’s solely been dwell since March, it’s nonetheless fairly a small community – and proper now solely a subset of main European cities can be found to hitch as a Native (43 cities in complete). Ventoura is quickly increasing and plans so as to add masses extra cities, however within the meantime it implies that solely a). Travellers, and b). Locals providing excursions in choose cities can use the app.
Utilizing the app is a bit much less free-form in the event you’re becoming a member of as a Native. You’ll be guided by way of the method of itemizing your tour step-by-step, which mainly boils right down to the next:
Listing your tour: Choose your metropolis, sort and size of tour; then carry your tour to life by including an outline of what Travellers can count on after they guide it. Straightforward! I actually dig their prolonged record of tour varieties (chillout, hidden gems, music, thriller, images… to call a number of), however I want there was the choice of marking a tour with multiple sort. What if I wished to supply a biking images tour – would I name it a biking tour, or a images tour?
Arrange fee: Whenever you add your tour to Ventoura, you’ll set a value to cost for it (anyplace from 5 EUR and up), and a fee methodology (both PayPal or money). Word that there’s an 18% transaction price per tour reserving to be used of the Ventoura platform, and that you simply’ll obtain fee after the tour has taken place.
Swipe: You already know the drill by now: swipe proper in the event you just like the individual, or left in the event you don’t. Within the title of maximizing your tour bookings, I’d assume that you simply’d swipe proper to each single Traveller that pops up. Turning on the auto-matching perform accomplishes this as nicely.
Handle tour bookings: You possibly can simply entry all of your present and previous tour bookings proper within the Ventoura app. There’s even an possibility within the settings to activate an alert to remind you about upcoming excursions.
I feel Ventoura has the potential to develop into one thing actually rad within the digital journey world. The app is making it simpler to attach with individuals from one other tradition and share a enjoyable native expertise collectively – and that’s what journey’s all about.
To its credit score, Ventoura has cleverly taken benefit of the left/proper hot-or-not swipe phenomenon that’s made Tinder such a success previously 12 months, and I can undoubtedly see journey fans embracing the app as soon as it catches on. Due to this familiarity, Locals and Travellers all intuitively know that swiping proper means they’re – although it’s not clear precisely *what* they’re indicating curiosity in. Assembly up? Hooking up? Travelling collectively? Reserving or promoting a tour? It might imply any variety of issues. I’m unsure if that is good or dangerous, however I’m desperate to experiment with it as soon as I’m in a metropolis with Ventoura Locals.
That stated, I’ve not been capable of absolutely make the most of the Ventoura platform as a result of geography limitations. I attempted it out final month after I was touring in Perth, hoping to seek out some like-minded Travellers to go on highway journeys with or meet up with for espresso within the metropolis, however discovered the person base on this distant, Native-less metropolis was very small.
If I had been nonetheless residing in New York, I’d be ALL over this app – hell, I wouldn’t need to depend on Tinder to tame my Wanderlust! And even higher, I’d be making slightly more money simply by exhibiting foreigners a superb time in my metropolis. BUT… New York isn’t an possibility on Ventoura but, so I wouldn’t be capable of be part of as a Native. Main bummer.
Which leads me to reiterate a severe and apparent limitation of the app: You possibly can solely be part of Ventoura as a Native in case you are providing a tour in a specific metropolis. I do know Ventoura has plans to develop within the close to future, and after they do I’d find it irresistible if they might:
With these three issues taken care of, I feel Ventoura might be a success. I’ll undoubtedly be giving it one other go after I’m in a metropolis with a bigger person base.
So do you have to use Ventoura? If you happen to’re not in Europe, I say maintain tight – there’s not a lot occurring in different cities simply but. However in case you are in Europe, YES – take a tour, give a tour, make some buddies… then report again, as a result of I’m to listen to about your expertise!
You possibly can obtain Ventoura for iOS and Android.
Final month, although, I acquired an e-mail that fell into a distinct class (let’s name it *Fascinating Proposals*). It was from the PR Lead at Ventoura, reaching out to see if I’d be all for reviewing their new telephone app. In her phrases:
Being profitable by sharing off the overwhelmed path journey experiences? I used to be instantly intrigued. As soon as I discovered that the app entailed the identical left/proper swipe motion as my beloved Tinder, I used to be bought.
Permit me to introduce you to a incredible new journey app: Ventoura!
Ventoura as a Traveller
Whenever you open the Ventoura app in your telephone for the primary time, you’re requested to log in to your Fb account. Then you definately’re requested whether or not you’re a Traveller or a Native. Since I’m at present touring round Australia on the Work & Vacation visa, I selected Traveller.
The method is fairly easy in the event you’re a Traveller:
Add your journeys: Choose which cities you’ll be in on which dates. One helpful characteristic right here is that it’ll say ‘Native’ subsequent to any metropolis that at present has Locals providing excursions (be aware: As of June 2015, Locals are solely accessible in Europe). If you happen to’ll be travelling in a metropolis that isn’t marked Native, it means you’ll be able to solely be matched with fellow Travellers who’re in that metropolis when you find yourself.
Fill in your profile: Make sure you fill out your profile right away. I didn’t discover till a number of weeks later that I’d been showing as a clean face after I popped up on the app for different Travellers.
Swipe: That is the enjoyable half! Whenever you’re ‘Ventouring’, you get to swipe left (no) or proper (sure) on every person who pops up. In the event that they’re an area, you’ll be able to take a look at what excursions they’re providing and say sure in the event you’re all for signing up. In the event that they’re a traveller, then I’m not completely certain what you base this off of (clearly it shouldn’t be appears, else why not simply stick with Tinder?), however no matter your standards: you say sure to individuals you’d wish to hang around with throughout your journey. If you happen to each swipe proper, you’ll be capable of message one another on the platform: you’ll be able to ask Locals about their excursions earlier than reserving, or chat with fellow Travellers
E book a tour: If you happen to match with a Native and also you dig a tour they’re providing, go on and guide it! You pay for it upfront by way of PayPal.
Ventoura as a Native
The factor about Ventoura is that, because it’s solely been dwell since March, it’s nonetheless fairly a small community – and proper now solely a subset of main European cities can be found to hitch as a Native (43 cities in complete). Ventoura is quickly increasing and plans so as to add masses extra cities, however within the meantime it implies that solely a). Travellers, and b). Locals providing excursions in choose cities can use the app.
Utilizing the app is a bit much less free-form in the event you’re becoming a member of as a Native. You’ll be guided by way of the method of itemizing your tour step-by-step, which mainly boils right down to the next:
Listing your tour: Choose your metropolis, sort and size of tour; then carry your tour to life by including an outline of what Travellers can count on after they guide it. Straightforward! I actually dig their prolonged record of tour varieties (chillout, hidden gems, music, thriller, images… to call a number of), however I want there was the choice of marking a tour with multiple sort. What if I wished to supply a biking images tour – would I name it a biking tour, or a images tour?
Arrange fee: Whenever you add your tour to Ventoura, you’ll set a value to cost for it (anyplace from 5 EUR and up), and a fee methodology (both PayPal or money). Word that there’s an 18% transaction price per tour reserving to be used of the Ventoura platform, and that you simply’ll obtain fee after the tour has taken place.
Swipe: You already know the drill by now: swipe proper in the event you just like the individual, or left in the event you don’t. Within the title of maximizing your tour bookings, I’d assume that you simply’d swipe proper to each single Traveller that pops up. Turning on the auto-matching perform accomplishes this as nicely.
Handle tour bookings: You possibly can simply entry all of your present and previous tour bookings proper within the Ventoura app. There’s even an possibility within the settings to activate an alert to remind you about upcoming excursions.
Ought to You Use Ventoura?
I feel Ventoura has the potential to develop into one thing actually rad within the digital journey world. The app is making it simpler to attach with individuals from one other tradition and share a enjoyable native expertise collectively – and that’s what journey’s all about.
To its credit score, Ventoura has cleverly taken benefit of the left/proper hot-or-not swipe phenomenon that’s made Tinder such a success previously 12 months, and I can undoubtedly see journey fans embracing the app as soon as it catches on. Due to this familiarity, Locals and Travellers all intuitively know that swiping proper means they’re – although it’s not clear precisely *what* they’re indicating curiosity in. Assembly up? Hooking up? Travelling collectively? Reserving or promoting a tour? It might imply any variety of issues. I’m unsure if that is good or dangerous, however I’m desperate to experiment with it as soon as I’m in a metropolis with Ventoura Locals.
That stated, I’ve not been capable of absolutely make the most of the Ventoura platform as a result of geography limitations. I attempted it out final month after I was touring in Perth, hoping to seek out some like-minded Travellers to go on highway journeys with or meet up with for espresso within the metropolis, however discovered the person base on this distant, Native-less metropolis was very small.
If I had been nonetheless residing in New York, I’d be ALL over this app – hell, I wouldn’t need to depend on Tinder to tame my Wanderlust! And even higher, I’d be making slightly more money simply by exhibiting foreigners a superb time in my metropolis. BUT… New York isn’t an possibility on Ventoura but, so I wouldn’t be capable of be part of as a Native. Main bummer.
Which leads me to reiterate a severe and apparent limitation of the app: You possibly can solely be part of Ventoura as a Native in case you are providing a tour in a specific metropolis. I do know Ventoura has plans to develop within the close to future, and after they do I’d find it irresistible if they might:
- Open the app as much as Locals worldwide, not simply in Europe
- Open the app as much as Locals even when they aren’t providing a tour
- Permit Locals to supply multiple tour at a time
With these three issues taken care of, I feel Ventoura might be a success. I’ll undoubtedly be giving it one other go after I’m in a metropolis with a bigger person base.
So do you have to use Ventoura? If you happen to’re not in Europe, I say maintain tight – there’s not a lot occurring in different cities simply but. However in case you are in Europe, YES – take a tour, give a tour, make some buddies… then report again, as a result of I’m to listen to about your expertise!
You possibly can obtain Ventoura for iOS and Android.