Welcome to Travel Massive.
This is a blind-friendly version of the Travel Massive homepage.
This page contains 5 sections: developer log, member activity, latest posts, upcoming meetups, and classified ads.
Here's 10 things that happened most recently:
Here are the 10 most recent posts:
At the [Extraordinary Travel Festival](www.extraordinarytravelfestival.com) in Bangkok, our Travel Tech Panel skipped the trend predictions and focused on what travelers can actually use. In the room were some of the most traveled people in the world, including many who have been to all 193 UN countries. So this wasn't your typical panel at a travel tech conference, but rather a conversation about what digital tools we're all using on our adventures around the planet.
The big themes: personal AI agents are now planning and booking real trips, flexibility is the best money-saver, local recommendations come from local platforms and communities, and in places like China you need the local app stack before you land.
Article image #s5zxo41i56m12qmubfbq
*Rachel Weiss of Lost Plate speaking about how AI is changing the way travelers discover tours.*
The panel was moderated by [Ian Cumming](www.travelmassive.com/@ian), founder of Travel Massive. He was joined by [Joel Oleson](www.linkedin.com/in/joeloleson/), an enterprise architect in big tech (Sony, previously Microsoft); [Keith Van](www.travelmassive.com/@keith-van), Head of Community & Partnerships at [seats.aero](seats.aero); [Matt Gray](www.travelmassive.com/@matt-gray), founder of [Pangea](www.thepangea.app), a social travel app that has acquired several travel apps over the last 18 months; and [Rachel Weiss](www.travelmassive.com/@rachel-weiss), Digital Marketing Manager at [Lost Plate](lostplate.com) food tours and creator of [Rachel Meets China](rachelmeetschina.com), who has lived in China for 11 years. Between them, they brought a wide mix of perspectives, from big tech and award travel to social apps, food tours and life in China.
On stage, we followed the journey of a trip in three stages, planning, booking and experiencing, with each panelist sharing the tools and tips they rely on at every step.
Key Takeaways
1. Personal agents are booking real trips. Joel had his agent research and book a balloon flight in Myanmar, filling in the forms in its own browser. Nearly everyone in the room uses AI to plan; far fewer use agents yet.
2. Always check what the AI books. Joel's agent booked a flight that left him stuck in Ottawa for two days with too much buffer. Review dates and connections before you approve.
3. Go local for local recommendations. In China, use RedNote (now with translation) and Dianping. Google and Tripadvisor results there can be years out of date.
4. Flexibility is the best money-saver. Search wide on Kayak, Google Flights, Kiwi or seats.aero, don't fix your airports or dates, and price the whole trip, not just the flight.
5. Set up the local stack before you land. Alipay with a foreign card, WeChat, Amap (now in English) and a VPN or eSIM in China; LINE in Thailand and Japan; Grab or Uber on arrival.
6. A global eSIM changes arrivals. Keith lands with data on a flat monthly plan that still receives SMS for two-factor codes from home banks.
7. Community still beats algorithms. For remote places and deeper experiences, the panel leans on fellow travelers, local fixers and trusted networks.
Plan: let AI agents do the legwork, then ask the locals
Article image #uyvu5dvll5wseeuzgafi
*The Travel Tech Panel on stage at the Extraordinary Travel Festival.*
Personal agents. Joel has used personal agents for about a year, starting with OpenClaw and now mostly Muse, Meta's agent available in the US, Canada and Japan, plus Grok. For this trip he gave his agent his constraints and let it find which balloon companies flew over Bagan on which days, then fill in the forms and book. He paired that with asking his travel community who had been to Mandalay. For a week in Pond Inlet in Canada's high Arctic, where hotels cost over US$500 a night, agents helped him dig through obscure blogs and forums to plan a camping trip, and he saw narwhals.
When it goes wrong. Using Gemini, Joel asked an agent to book the missing San Diego to Ottawa leg around his existing flights. It looked right, he booked it, then realized it left him two days in Ottawa. He had to change the flight manually.
AI is already changing discovery. Rachel said Lost Plate kept hearing "I used AI" when asking customers how they found them, so they added it to their post-booking survey. A show of hands confirmed it: almost everyone in the room uses AI to plan or book, fewer use agents, and a handful have tried Muse (which is currently only available in the US and Canada).
Trusted local recommendations. Matt, a self-described lazy planner, asks people who have been there, through Pangea, forums and Facebook groups, and uses AI to surface niche forums. Rachel's advice for China is to use the native platforms. RedNote now has translation and is the best place to search for local spots, and Dianping works like a local Tripadvisor. Google and Tripadvisor results in China are often stale, some still from 2019.
Book: search wide and stay flexible
Article image #qainqmeiho9ovgm0xc6p
*Keith Van of seats.aero speaking about finding premium seats with points.*
Search wide, then narrow. Keith said everyone travels differently, so the tech should fit your schedule, budget and flexibility. Frequent travelers often prioritize business class and lounge access for quality of life, which is the niche seats.aero serves by helping people find premium seats with points.
Tips for the best price. Cast your search broad on Kayak, Google Flights and Kiwi, and don't lock in one departure or arrival airport. Price the whole trip too: a cheap flight to Switzerland can be undone by one night in Geneva costing as much as the fare. Flexible search works for stays as well; an Airbnb search for "anywhere in southern Africa, any time, 16+ guests" turned up a Botswana safari lodge with Starlink Wi-Fi that now hosts group trips.
On loyalty, the panel was skeptical. One panelist called themselves "very anti-loyalty" unless a company pays for your flights, since paying more just for status rarely adds up. Joel suggested anchoring to the three big alliances, Oneworld, Star Alliance and SkyTeam, rather than one airline. All agreed it's worth collecting points, especially ones that don't expire.
Audience question: where do you find immersive local experiences? Matt pointed to Viator and GetYourGuide as starting points, but noted they skew touristy; for depth, the MTP and NomadMania communities keep directories of local fixers. Joel searches personal blogs. Keith noted these platforms take a significant commission from operators, so contacting operators directly can get a better rate. Matt expects peer-to-peer recommendation apps like Corner, Flaire and Beli to expand from restaurants into experiences.
Experience: go hyper-local and land connected
Article image #vtob3bkpf3u8osasxd9x
*Joel Oleson speaking about using AI glasses for translation.*
Hyper-local apps. Every region runs on its own apps. In Thailand and Japan, LINE is the main chat app, so local merchants often won't be on WhatsApp. Rachel's China essentials: Alipay linked to a foreign card (cash is barely used), WeChat for messaging, a VPN or eSIM to reach blocked apps like WhatsApp, and Amap for maps. Amap is now available in English and is far more accurate in China than Google Maps.
Staying connected. Keith uses Popcorn, a global eSIM plan (about US$59 a month for new subscribers), so he has data as soon as he lands and can head straight out and call an Uber or Grab. His must-have is a plan that still receives SMS, so two-factor codes from home banks get through. He called it revolutionary compared with hunting for Wi-Fi and local SIM cards ten years ago.
AI glasses for translation. Joel uses Meta's Ray-Ban glasses, which are handy at markets where vendors are shy of a phone camera. Live translation fell flat in the last generation because of background noise, but the latest update can focus on the person speaking to you. His verdict: not perfect yet, but close.
Article image #poeprnjavjl1p0aap0kk
*Matt Gray of Pangea on trusting travel communities for remote trips.*
Remote places run on community. Matt called himself old school: for the most obscure trips he leans on expert travelers in his network. Next year he's joining an MTP trip to Libya without reading the itinerary, trusting the community that planned it.
Travel Tech Toolkit: 80+ apps recommended by the world's most traveled people
Article image #jo9kqj81bmrj6kb2ikii
*A logo wall of over 80 travel apps crowdsourced by the ETF community.*
Before the session, we polled festival attendees and panelists for their top travel apps, and crowdsourced about 85 different apps and websites, which we published and made available as a [Travel Tech Toolkit](tmsv.co/etf_tt_panel_app_list).
Think of it as the collective home screen of some of the world's most traveled people. The toolkit brings every recommendation together on one page, each with its logo and a link, covering everything from AI trip planners and flight search to award travel, eSIMs, payments, local maps and community apps. It's free to browse and share, so bookmark it before your next trip.
Thanks to Joel, Keith, Matt and Rachel for sharing their tips, to everyone who answered our pre-panel app poll, and to Ric and the Extraordinary Travel Festival team for having us.
Thanks again to our panel and the whole ETF community for being a part of the conversation. It was a really fun conversation and I'm looking forward to doing it again. I hope you enjoy this recap and the travel tech toolkit we put together.
Really enjoyed being part of this panel and hearing everyone's different perspectives on how technology is changing travel. So many interesting takeaways, especially around AI and local apps. That logo wall of 80 travel apps also reminded me how many more I need to check out!! Thanks again for inviting me to join the conversation.
The panel delivered an informative session at the ETF. Thank you for sharing.
Hi Travel Massive! 👋
We’re part of the team behind this project at Arirang TV, Korea’s international broadcasting network.
The video above is the first episode of [K-FOOD: Gyeongbuk Edition], a travel content series exploring Gyeongsangbuk-do (Gyeongbuk) through its regional food and local experiences.🧳
EP.1 takes us to Mungyeong, a city in Gyeongbuk, the same province where Gyeongju is located. The episode introduces Mungyeong through its local scenery, cultural experiences, and regional food, offering a glimpse of Korea beyond the destinations international travelers may already be familiar with.
Through this series, we hope to explore how food and local storytelling can help introduce lesser-known regional destinations to international travelers.
I’d love to hear your thoughts on what makes regional travel content engaging for a global audience.
Hi everyone, we’ve been working on travel alerts - notifications about things that can disrupt a trip, such as severe weather, airport closures, strikes, or health outbreaks. Each alert is tied to the specific destination it affects, so a traveller only hears about what matters for where they’re going.
We’ve started using this in our own trip planner Tripomatic. Along the way we’ve wondered whether it could also be useful to other travel businesses and apps. Would this be interesting for you? Would you use it? Any feedback is welcomed, even if negative.
hi, I'm interested to discuss this further :-) Will send you a connect
Hi, great to hear that. I am out of the office today, but I will get in touch later today or tomorrow. You can find more details at this webpage: tripomatic.com/en/b2b/travel-alerts - there is also a contact email.
I’d want to see the source and when the alert was last updated before passing it on to a partner. Do you also let people know when a disruption has ended?
Thanks for your answer. The source is always included in the alert. Each alert has validity for a time period that is active. If the source cancels the alert, we update it as well, but they usually do not do that and the alert expires at the end of the timeframe.
Thank you to everyone who joined our [Bangkok Travel Massive's ETF Opening Night](www.travelmassive.com/events/opening-night-in-bangkok-travel-massive-welcomes-etf-pangea-9761068741) as we welcomed the Extraordinary Travel Festival (ETF) to the city. More than 130 of the world's most travelled people came together on the rooftop of the [Paradox Bangkok Sukhumvit](www.paradoxhotels.com/bangkok/meetings-and-events/garden-terrace), connecting the ETF community with our local Bangkok Travel Massive members on the eve of the festival.
Now in its 3rd edition, the [Extraordinary Travel Festival](extraordinarytravelfest.com) brings together four days of keynotes, panels, workshops and networking focused on extraordinary travel and adventure, running 22–25 October 2026.
Guests included Beijing-based [Rachel Weiss](www.travelmassive.com/@rachel-weiss), Digital Marketing Manager at [Lost Plate Food Tours](lostplate.com) and creator of [Rachel Meets China](www.instagram.com/rachelmeetschina/). We also welcomed [Keith Van](www.travelmassive.com/@keith-van), Community Manager at seats.aero, from Vancouver, and YouTuber [Jason Rupp](www.travelmassive.com/@jason-rupp-9803034039) from Pattaya.
Also joining us was [Jaime Alemán](www.instagram.com/jaimealemanpma/), a Panamanian entrepreneur and diplomat, the first person in the world to visit all 193 countries, both Poles and space, and a keynote speaker at ETF. Jaime is now making a documentary film about his adventures.
We were also joined by Travel Massive chapter leaders [Casey Mead](www.travelmassive.com/@kckiwigirl) from Melbourne, [Tiago Relvao](www.travelmassive.com/@tiagorelvao) from Lisbon, along with [Anne Somanas](www.travelmassive.com/@anne-somanas) from Bangkok.
We finished the night with a lucky draw and gave away two [Hanoi Secret Coffee tours](atasteofhanoi.com/hanoi-tours/day-tours/hanoi-secret-coffee-tour/) from A Taste of Hanoi, a ticket to [NomadWeek Cape Town](nomadweek.co) thanks to Pangea, and a number of other prizes.
A big thank you to [Paradox Bangkok](www.paradoxhotels.com/bangkok) and to Daniel, Khwan, Jeab and their amazing team for hosting, and to Erika, Azia (ETF) and Faith and Caroline (Pangea) for all their help. Photos by [Peng](pengmemo.synology.me).
— See you next time in Bangkok!
#Thanks to Pangea for supporting
[Pangea](www.thepangea.app) is a social travel app that helps you see where and when your friends are travelling, coordinate plans, get recommendations and meet other travellers. It also runs [social group trips](www.pangeatrips.com) to off-the-beaten-path destinations. Connect with Pangea's founder [Matt Gray](www.travelmassive.com/@matt-gray) on Travel Massive.
*Based in Bangkok or passing through? Join [Bangkok Travel Massive](www.travelmassive.com/posts/bangkok-travel-massive-309854891) to hear about our next event. Interested in sponsoring a future event? Get in touch with [Anne Somanas](www.travelmassive.com/@anne-somanas).*
What a great turnout to the event on Thursday! We were so lucky to have so many incredibly talented travelers from around the world join us from the Extraordinary Travel Festival. Thanks to Matt from Pangea and the ETF team for supporting the evening.
A highlight for me was meeting Jaime Alemán who has been to space. We connected over his stories about visiting Tasmania and the East Coast (where I live) which I discovered is one of his favourite places in the world!
An awesome night out with the EFT crew! Great to meet so many passionate fellow travellers! Hope to see you all again soon and thanks to our friend Ric for putting on an excellent conference.
Such a fun way to start ETF!! It was wonderful meeting so many travelers from around the world and connecting with the Bangkok Travel Massive community. Thanks again to Ian and the team for bringing everyone together, and for the lovely shoutout!
Great event and turn out!!!
I'm Mary, a heritage travel storyteller exploring the world one surprising backstory at a time. As a Filipino-American documentary travel filmmaker, I create cinematic stories about culture, identity and place on my YouTube channel "Mary-Goes-Round the World", always centered on the people who live there.
I visited Versailles expecting grandeur and royal history, but what surprised me most was how the palace was designed to project power at every turn. This vlog explores the details that stood out most during my visit and how they changed my understanding of the place.
Learn more about my travels at marygoesroundtheworld.com
Fellow heritage travel storyteller here! I love how you framed Versailles around how the palace was designed to project power — the "why" behind a place is always what stays with me too. Question from someone who writes for older travelers: how did you find the walking and stairs? Versailles is huge, and I'm always looking for tips on seeing it at a gentler pace.
Versailles is definitely huge but the stairs were minimal compared to the vastness of the property. The height of each step is nice and shallow so they weren't bad at all. They run something called the "little train" that can help traverse longer distances but we just like to walk around and enjoy the views. I would recommend getting an early time for the palace. The later you go, the more crowded and it was the standing around that got tiring, not the walking. There aren't a lot of places inside to sit and rest. Enjoy your visit! I love connecting with fellow history and culture travelers because the stories behind a place are what make travel meaningful. That's the angle I try to explore in my videos as well.
I visited Versialles years ago when I lived in Paris. Thanks for the Accessibilty tips. I enjoyed your storytelling. I have studied French Language and Litearture for a decade. I don't recall learning the history that you shared in your video. The stories behind the place are insightful and bring new meaning to travel.
Mary, your point about standing in crowds is useful. I share tour programmes with partners at Rosotravel, and it’s a good reminder to look at where people can pause, as well as how far they’ll walk.
Coming from a tour professional like yourself, your comment means a great deal. Thanks! I wish I could say one can bring a stool to sit on, but I'm not sure of the palace rules and if you're surrounded by wall to wall people, it might be hard to find a spot big enough to sit without being bumped around by people anyway. Newer museums are getting better about seating areas, but places as old as this palace, there's not much that can be done to retrofit for that.
Thanks to everyone who joined our [Travel Massive Singapore Industry Social](www.travelmassive.com/events/singapore-travel-massive-industry-social-2530425630) during ITB Asia at the iconic [Harry’s on the Marina Bay](www.instagram.com/harryssingapore/) waterfront. It was a relaxed evening of networking that brought together travel brands, creators and startups from across the industry for introductions and conversations.
The social event welcomed executives, tour operators, travel creators, and founders from Singaporean and international travel and technology companies including *Arawana Group, Destination Capacity, Furama Resort & Villas Danang, Gullies Tours, Headout, Ilex Luxury Travel, Indulge Me, Journey Stack, LeapAway, Lost Plate, MakeYourAsia, MM Communications, Nomae Golf, Pear Anderson, ATTA, Platform 195, Revinate, SABA Hospitality, Secret Experiences, Seek Sophie, Springtide Strategy, Stripe, TPConnects, Transio, Travel Token Marketplace, Ulavi*, and [many more](www.travelmassive.com/events/singapore-travel-massive-industry-social-2530425630).
A number of creators attending [TravMedia’s IMM Asia](travmedia.com/immasia/) conference also came along, including Beijing-based influencer [Shen Wei](www.travelmassive.com/@shenwei007), one of China’s top travel KOLs on Sina Weibo, who has visited more than 90 countries.
We were also joined by Travel Massive chapter leaders from Lisbon ([Tiago Relvao](www.travelmassive.com/@tiagorelvao)), Melbourne ([Casey Mead](www.travelmassive.com/@kckiwigirl)), and Ho Chi Minh City / Saigon ([Natalya Wissink](www.travelmassive.com/@natalya)). Also making an appearance was [Kei Shibata](www.travelmassive.com/@keishibata), a long-time supporter of Travel Massive and OG Tokyo chapter leader.
A big thank you to everyone who joined us for the evening, and to [Natalya Wissink](www.travelmassive.com/@natalya) for organizing the event.
— See you next time in Singapore!
#Supported by Travel Trends Podcast
Shout-out to Travel Trends Podcast for sponsoring welcome drinks for our early arrivals. Their free, virtual-first [Travel Trends Summit](www.traveltrendspodcast.com/travel-trends-summit-2026?utm_source=travelmassive&utm_medium=web&utm_campaign=travelmassive) runs on 28–29 October, with more than 60 speakers from TourRadar, Fora, Brand USA, Amex GBT, Lonely Planet, and Travel Massive.
*Want to be part of events like this? Join the [Singapore Travel Massive](www.travelmassive.com/posts/singapore-travel-massive-891019239) community to stay updated on upcoming events, and contact [Natalya Wissink](www.travelmassive.com/@natalya) if you’d like to sponsor an event.*
It was a great evening connecting with present and new members. After the event we headed to rooftop bar Level33 which has incredible views of MBS.. well worth the visit!
Thanks Natalya for organising and everyone who attended!
What a great night - awesome to see / meet everyone! Thanks for coming out.
Thanks, Travel Massive!
Such a nice evening, thank you for organising Natalya!
I'm Jozef, a European living in South America. On a three-person road trip to Bolivia, only two of us installed the expense app. We had to manage spending in Paraguayan guaraní, Bolivian bolivianos and US dollars.
On a later trip to Buenos Aires there were four of us, more currencies and again someone who didn't want to install an app. I sent the final balances through WhatsApp and Signal because everyone wanted to see the result.
Afterwards, friends also asked what the Bolivia trip had cost, how much a restaurant meal cost and which places were worth visiting.
That's why I built Trek: to keep track of the trip's costs, work out who owes whom and share a link that friends can open without installing the app.
What Trek does
• Log stops with photos, expenses and notes
• Multiple currencies with automatic exchange rates
• Works out who owes whom
• Friends can join by link, no account needed
• Share the whole trip as a read-only link
• Free for one trip, with more in Trek Plus
Try Trek at 1tnt.link/trek and let me know what you think. I'd love your feedback in the comments!
I’d find the costs alongside each stop useful when planning a similar trip, Jozef. Especially if I wanted to follow only part of the route rather than repeat the whole trip.
Thanks, Agnieszka! That’s exactly why Trek keeps expenses alongside individual stops - so someone planning a similar trip can look at the places they’re interested in, not just the total. It’s great to hear that this would be useful to you!
Hello everyone,
My name is Lewis. I love technology, and I’m usually building or tinkering with something when I notice a problem I cannot quite solve.
When my wife and I planned an Alaska cruise, we wanted our teenagers at home to be prepared for the “just in case.” We had an itinerary, hotel and cruise contacts, people to call, instructions for home, and directions to important documents, but nothing that put everything into a clear order for them.
So I built Vocevia, an installable travel handoff web app for the people staying home.
It organized where we expected to be, when we planned to check in, who they should call first, and what they should do if plans changed. It also let us leave calming voice instructions and keep the serious guidance we hoped they would never need behind separate access steps.
I chose the name Vocevia to express the idea that your voice shows the way. A familiar voice can make instructions feel more personal and reassuring than a document or checklist.
We used Vocevia during the trip. It gave our teenagers one place to look and gave us peace of mind that they knew what to do. That trip became the first real test of the app.
Friends, family, and other travel advisors have encouraged me to make it available more broadly, so here I am.
Vocevia is still in its pilot stage, and I know there is more to refine. I believe it could become a useful final step in the pre-departure process for travelers, travel advisors, and group organizers.
I would really value feedback from this community:
• Is the purpose immediately clear?
• Where would this fit naturally into the pre-departure process?
• What would you add, remove, or make easier?
You can explore the app and its sample guide at vocevia.com.
Hi Lewis,
Thanks for sharing Vocevia with the Travel Massive community.
My feedback is that it's a different USP to communicate. I haven't come across any products like this before, so that makes it harder to explain to people. The product name should ideally convey what it is, imo.
I guess you could call it a vault for emergency contacts and instructions. That's my simplest explanation so far!
I would also refine the website as it looks quite AI generated and seems to have quite a lot of messaging - see if you can narrow the scope a bit and give it more of a classic SaaS vibe so it's much easier to understand the features, pricing, and now to trial it or get started.
Hope this feedback is helpful!
The example with your teenagers made the purpose clear to me. I’d lead with that story when explaining Vocevia, especially the idea of hearing a familiar voice when you’re unsure what to do next.
Hey folks please upgrade your PHP versions as a new vulnerability called php2shell was published only hours ago that effects millions of blogs and websites.
If you run a travel website, WordPress, Drupal or Joomla blog... this means you. Check with your hosting provider and if you've self installed PHP ensure that you're upgraded.
Thanks to @nathan-james for sharing this news.
Updating PHP only helps if your hosting provider has installed the latest security patches. These have been available since 16:00 Amsterdam/Vienna time, and a good hosting provider should already have applied them.
Ask your host to confirm. If they have no idea what you’re talking about, find another hosting provider today.
A few articles in mainstream news since this happened:
PHP Armageddon: OpenAI, Google’s Wiz find ancient holes, panicking the internet
techcrunch.com/2026/10/21/php-armageddon-openai-googles-wiz-find-ancient-holes-panicking-the-internet/
The biggest-ever internet security threat has been known for 22 years. AI made it a crisis in 2 days
edition.cnn.com/2026/10/23/tech/ai-cybersecurity-php2shell-explained
AI just discovered a bug putting 70pc of world’s websites at risk
www.afr.com/world/north-america/websites-go-dark-as-ai-discovered-bug-sparks-global-security-scramble-20261022-p617nf
Remember to upgrade!
I built Localtime because I wanted a simple, no-frills site that keeps up with new restaurant openings in major cities and tells people what's new.
I've been experimenting with local recommendations for a long time. Localtime is a side project and an experiment in crawling local data (restaurants, events and other local happenings) and presenting it in a way that's useful to locals and tourists alike.
What it is
Localtime is a live calendar of new restaurants, cafés and bars worth leaving home for. Each city has its own feed with the newest openings at the top. Istanbul, Paris, Athens, London and Bangkok are live now, and Barcelona is coming next.
Human-eyed, AI-assisted
AI helps gather the data, but people check every place. Editors read local pages, kitchens' own channels and the first photos of each new place, then confirm it before it's listed. Photos come from those sources, are never AI-generated and are credited on the image. Each listing has a short note with a little-known fact about the chef, the building or the place, and a researched address that links to Google Maps.
Business model and what's next
The plan is to support Localtime with advertising in its magazine-style content. Next steps are launching Barcelona, adding new places continuously and updating every city daily at local midnight.
Try it out at localtime.ai and let me know your feedback in the comments, thanks!
Really love the concept and the 'zine style concept. Can see this being a source for folks as they travel around and hope you get to New York / LA / SF in the states! One quick feedback though, maybe find an AI skill to help with the writing a bit as some of the restaurant review descriptions don't make a ton of sense to the English reader. A short snippet from an Istanbul restaurant (btw—really not trying to knock on you as I got pretty excited wanting to plan a trip to Istanbul the moment I saw your page):
"Go for the Relish Burger. Bosna Bulvarı is why it feels like this side of the Bosphorus villages rather than a Kadıköy burger counter. The Edremit kitchen is the argument; the numbered door is why it is here."
I'd also recommend making the `save` CTA on the top right of the restaurant page more obvious and visible to the user. Just my 2 cents! Love what you're building
Thanks Daniel. I need to work on it.
The short notes about the chef or building give people a reason to choose a place beyond the menu. How do you decide which new openings to include?
I really like the idea. A few things I thought when using: 1) I would like to filter by certain types of restaurants (wine bars, for example) and 2) I wanted a map view of a city.
I love the concept of this Emrah, well done! I would love to see an interactive map if at all possible. I think that would be great especially if visiting a location you are not familiar with.
HERE'S THE NEXT 5 UPCOMING EVENTS:
👉 Important Housekeeping: The RSVP guest list will be managed via a waitlist. 👈
Who is this event for: Active travel media and creators (journalists, reporters, bloggers, creators, influencers, YouTubers, podcasters). Bonus if you write or create content about food and beverage!
📝 Your Travel Massive Profile goes a long way: Make sure you have added:
• A profile picture
• Your title and company name (ie. blog name, or "freelance" if applicable)
• Social media links and a website link (if you don’t have a website, add your MuckRack link, creator portfolio, or other relevant web page)
• In your bio, elaborate on your expertise or speciality, so that by reading it we can quickly tell which travel industry niche you fall into
⏰ Schedule of activities:
10:30 AM: Depart Toronto, private transportation to Guelph provided.
12:00 PM: Tour of John Sleeman & Sons Spring Mill Distillery
1:15 PM: Tomme Cheese Shop visit and Acqua Salon spa experience
2:15 PM: Explore Downtown Guelph
3:00 PM: Late lunch at Buon Gusto Restaurant
4:30 PM: Depart Guelph
6:00 PM: Arrive in Toronto
FAM Partners:
Buon Gusto Restaurant
buongusto.ca
IG: @buongustoguelph
Nestled in the heart of St. George's Square, Buon Gusto has been a downtown Guelph favourite for over a decade, known for heartfelt Italian hospitality. Following an extensive summer renovation, the restaurant has entered a new chapter with a redesigned dining room, expanded kitchen and refreshed bar. Guests can enjoy an expanded menu alongside the wood-fired pizza, pasta, wine and cocktails Buon Gusto is known for, with almost everything made in-house from scratch, including the pizza dough. With more room for private dining, celebrations and group events, plus expanded takeout and catering, it's the perfect spot for everything from date night to larger gatherings.
John Sleeman & Sons
johnsleemanandsons.com
IG: @johnsleemanandsons
Sitting on the banks of the Speed River in Guelph, Ontario, Spring Mill Distillery is draped in history and rooted in tradition. Rooted in Guelph and inspired by generations of craftsmanship, we create spirits that balance tradition, innovation, and a genuine sense of place. Since the Distillery’s conception over a decade ago, our mission has always been to deliver the highest quality Canadian spirits. A tour at Spring Mill Distillery blends heritage with hands-on craft. Explore the restored mill, see our copper stills up close, and learn how Canadian wood and grain shape every spirit we make.
Tomme Cheese Shop
tomme.ca
IG: @tommecheeseshop
🎟️ Event registration: there is a maximum capacity, so make sure to register. If there is a waitlist still sign-up in case someone is no longer able to come we will add people from the waitlist. In the meantime, please have a look at your Travel Massive profile and take a moment to make sure it is up to date.
👉 Cancellations: If you are no longer able to attend, please try to release your ticket 48 hrs (2 days) before the event so others can attend. Thank you for understanding.
🚨As these events are limited capacity we have a 3-strike no show policy. Given the nature of this event, FAM no-shows count as 2 strikes.
📸 This event will be photographed by a member of a Travel Massive team or/and our event partner.
Land acknowledgment: We wish to acknowledge the Ancestral Traditional Territories of the Ojibway, the Anishnabe and, in particular, the Mississauga’s of the New Credit whose territories we gather on. This territory is covered by the Upper Canada Treaties.
Link to event pageTravel Massive, Stripe and Magpie Travel Inc. AI Workshop: Building The Agentic Travel Journey Live.
Watch and collaborate in an AI-native travel booking experience being planned, built and connected live.
What happens when you bring together travel leaders, AI practitioners and builders and give them an afternoon to actually build the future of travel?
Join Travel Massive, Stripe and Magpie Travel Inc. for a hands-on, live build session exploring what an AI-native travel booking experience could look like, from the first product idea through to discovery, hotel or experience inventory, booking and payment.
We’ll start with a blank sheet of paper and work towards a functioning hotel booking experience, showing how AI can help shape the proposition, create the product, connect inventory, make the experience discoverable and ultimately enable a secure payment.
But this is more conversation than coding demo. As the product takes shape, a panel of industry experts will unpack each stage of the build, debating the big questions along the way, from discoverability and connectivity to integrating third-party partners and payments. Expect plenty of back-and-forth, differing perspectives and room for the audience to jump in.
As part of the afternoon, you'll also hear from Alex Farmer, General Manager EMEA, of Mindtrip.
You can build alongside us with your laptop, or simply come ready to watch, question and challenge the people doing the building.
What we'll explore
✔ How an AI-generated experience can connect to real travel inventory and other data sources, and what structured information agents need to search, compare and act.
✔ What it means to become agent-ready as AI changes how travellers discover hotels and travel products, and the practical steps brands can take now.
✔ How secure payments, customer consent, authentication and fraud controls fit into an agent-led booking journey.
✔ Once building and connecting travel experiences becomes dramatically easier, where does differentiation come from? And what could this mean for OTAs, hotels and travel platforms?
A live build, not a conference
This isn't a general introduction to generative AI, a hardcore coding workshop or a series of disconnected panels.
Instead, we'll follow one challenge from company context → product → build → inventory → discovery → booking → payment, making the connections between each part visible.
Some things will work. Some things will break. Some will be experimental.
The afternoon is designed for travel leaders and practitioners who want to understand what is possible now, not simply hear about what might be possible in the future.
Who should join?
Travel and hospitality leaders, marketers, product teams, digital and ecommerce specialists, distribution professionals, technologists, founders and anyone thinking about how AI will change the way travel is discovered and booked.
You'll already be confident with AI tools and prompts, and maybe have build your first agent.
If you're building, bring a laptop. If you're leading, bring your questions.
The afternoon
13:30: Arrival and a light lunch
Meet fellow attendees, grab some lunch and get set up.
14:00: Welcome from James Lemon, Global Lead - Hospitality, Travel & High Growth Industries, Stripe and an introduction from Christian Watts, Founder of Magpie Travel Inc., revealing the end-to-end experience we're going to build.
14:15: Chapter 1: From company context to product
Define the traveller, proposition and booking journey, then use AI to turn the thinking into a structured product brief and build plan.
14:50: Chapter 2: Build & connect
Move into the build environment, create the first experience and connect it to hotel inventory and complementary travel data.
15:30: Mid-build checkpoint
15:40: Chapter 3: Make it discoverable
Test how AI understands the product and explore what hotels, OTAs and travel brands need to do to become genuinely agent-ready.
16:10: Chapter 4: Get paid safely
Take the journey from recommendation to confirmed booking, exploring payment, consent, authentication and fraud in an agent-led world.
16:35: The reveal and follow up discussion
See the completed experience and step back from the build to ask the bigger question: if AI makes creating and connecting travel products dramatically easier, how will travel businesses differentiate?
Come curious. Leave with something useful.
Whether you're responsible for a travel brand, building the next generation of travel technology or simply trying to work out what all this means for your business, you'll leave with practical workflows, a clearer understanding of the AI-native booking journey and ideas you can take back to your own organisation - And, hopefully, in Travel Massive fashion, a few new people to build the future of travel with.
Important details
📍 Address: Stripe's London HQ, 5th Floor, 201 Bishopsgate, EC2M 3UN
Map link: maps.app.goo.gl/KobbJHGLd838Nvei9
🗓️ Date: Monday 2nd November 2026
🕕 Time: 13:30 - 17:00 (registration 13:30 - 13:55).
✅ RSVP essential
Questions about this event? Please email your event host Matthew Gardiner, Director of Travel Massive London: matthew@travelmassive.com.
Please note: when you register for this event (which must be done in advance) we will also be sharing your details with Stripe and Magpie Inc to allow us to process your registration and facilitate your access to the venue. Please also expect there to be photography at the event.
👉 Want to join us for the evening too? The Travel Massive, Stripe & Travel Trends Podcast event starts at 17:30 and requires separate registration. Workshop attendance does not guarantee entry, so please register separately for the evening event: www.travelmassive.com/events/3976790834
💬 Going to WTM? Introduce yourself on our discussion thread below.
www.travelmassive.com/posts/are-you-attending-wtm-london-2026-433214822
Be in the room on the eve of World Travel Market (WTM) as Travel Massive, Stripe and the Travel Trends Podcast record a live episode.
This annual gathering of industry pioneers, leading travel brands, investors and disruptive startups reshaping the future of travel and hospitality has become a must-attend date in the travel industry calendar. Join us for an evening of great content, compelling conversations and food and drink.
And this year, we're going live. For the first time ever at a Travel Massive London event, Dan Christian and the Travel Trends Podcast will be recording an episode live on the night, capturing the conversations, big ideas and predictions shaping the year ahead, right from the room. Be part of the audience, hear it unfold in real time, and maybe even find your own voice in the episode.
Why Attend?
Tickets always go quickly for this event. It's the one, more than any other, that brings our international membership together - a celebration of connections that transcend borders and a shared love of travel. This curated evening is a great opportunity to reconnect with old friends and make some new ones. Whether you're attending WTM or not, come and meet like-minded professionals from across the travel, hospitality and leisure sectors, and gain exposure to emerging travel technologies and ideas.
Two Exciting Panel Conversations:
Panel 1: The Leaders Debate: Where Travel Stands Now, and Where It's Heading
• Dan Christian, Founder and Host, Travel Trends Podcast
• James Lemon, Global Lead - Hospitality, Travel & High Growth Industries, Stripe
• Lena Arbery, Director of Destinations, Travel and Growth, EMEA at Tripadvisor
Panel 2: How AI will continue Reshaping the Industry in 2027
• James Lemon, Global Lead - Hospitality, Travel & High Growth Industries, Stripe
• Christian Watts, Founder and CEO Magpie Travel Inc
• Carlo Del Mistro, Founder, Stiplo
• Jule Owen, Group Chief Product Officer at Forge Holiday Group
• Kate Cox, Chief Marketing Officer, Guesty
How the evening unfolds:
17:30 - 18:00: Arrival, welcome drinks & networking
18:00 - 18:05: Opening remarks from Stripe's James Lemon & Travel Massive's Matthew Gardiner
18:05 - 18:10: Welcome from Ian Cumming, Founder and CEO of Travel Massive
18:10 - 18:35: Panel 1: "The Leaders Debate: Where Travel Stands Now, and Where It's Heading" hosted by Dan Christian.
18:35 - 18:45: Networking break
18:45 - 19:15: Panel 2: "How AI will continue Reshaping the Industry in 2027"
19:15 - 20:30: Networking reception & close (and probably on to drinks elsewhere)
The evening is also an opportunity to connect with Stripe's Travel, Transport and Leisure Lead James Lemon. Stripe is a financial infrastructure platform for businesses. Millions of companies, from the world's largest enterprises to the most ambitious start-ups, use Stripe to accept payments, grow revenue and accelerate new business opportunities.
Travel Massive first timer or long-standing regular, we're looking forward to welcoming you.
Important Details
📍 Address: Stripe's London HQ, 5th Floor, 201 Bishopsgate, EC2M 3UN
Map link: maps.app.goo.gl/KobbJHGLd838Nvei9
🗓️ Date: Monday 2nd November 2026
🕕 Time: 17:30 – 20:30 (registration 17:30 – 17:55, content starting at 18:00)
✅ RSVP essential
Questions about this event? Please email your event host Matthew Gardiner, Director of Travel Massive London: matthew@travelmassive.com.
Please note: when you register for this event (which must be done in advance) we will also be sharing your details with Stripe to allow us to process your registration and facilitate your access to the venue. Please also expect there to be photography at the event.
About Travel Trends Podcast: Hosted by Dan Christian, the Travel Trends podcast delivers insider insights from top executives and entrepreneurs shaping the future of travel. With three new episodes weekly, the show covers technology, marketing, customer engagement, and emerging trends.
Make a day of it. Before the evening kicks off, join us for our AI Workshop: Building The Agentic Travel Journey Live, from 13:30 to 17:00. It's a hands-on afternoon exploring how AI agents are reshaping the way travellers plan and book. Check out the event listing to grab your spot.
💬 Going to WTM? Introduce yourself on our discussion thread below.
www.travelmassive.com/posts/are-you-attending-wtm-london-2026-433214822
The world’s most influential travel and tourism event
For decades, World Travel Market London has been at the heart of global travel and tourism.
It’s where leaders, ministers, and industry professionals come together to set the agenda and drive meaningful change.
Be part of an event has led the way in connecting the global travel community, fostering innovation, and creating opportunities. Together, we’ll continue to redefine the future of travel, one powerful connection at a time.
Turn conversations into commercial success
With over 4,000 exhibitors and 46,000 attendees, it’s your opportunity to meet business partners, source new ideas, and grow your global network — all in one place.
www.youtube.com/watch?v=ydnHBDFFRiY
Whether you're looking for new destinations, adopting travel tech, or staying ahead of trends, this is where fresh thinking becomes real-world impact.
Everything you need to grow, in one place
Exclusive insights. Unlock exclusive strategic insights by hearing from leading voices across four stages, including the WTM Wanderlust Headliner Stage, and access the WTM Global Travel Report to make confident decisions backed by real data
Get inspired by what’s next. Experience WTM TrendFest, where global cultures, new ideas and emerging travel trends come together so you can discover fresh inspiration and create experiences your customers will love
Stronger community connections. Meet 4,000+ global exhibitors, use the WTM Connect Me meetings platform and join networking sessions designed to help you build relationships that lead to real business
The largest Travel Tech lineup yet. Explore 135+ global tech providers at WTM Travel Tech - find the tools that improve performance, save time and support your growth
Join the world’s most influential travel and tourism event to build real connections, spark fresh ideas and discover new opportunities.
Learn more at www.wtm.com/london/en-gb.html
💬 Going to WTM? Introduce yourself on our discussion thread below.
www.travelmassive.com/posts/are-you-attending-wtm-london-2026-433214822
Travel Massive and Stay22 are taking over the Museum of Illusions for the opening night of World Travel Market 2026.
London Travel Massive and Stay22, are gathering travel creators and influencers from around the world for one unmissable evening to mark the opening night of World Travel Market 2026. With the industry descending on London for WTM, there's no better moment to connect with creators from across the globe and to meet the team building smarter ways for creators to monetise their travel content.
On the night, we’re also giving away two incredible trips thanks to our partners VOTSALAKIA SEASIDE ESCAPE, Aegean Airlines and Live Breathe Hike.
You'll have the chance to meet a number of the Stay22 team in person, get the inside track on how creators are turning travel content into revenue, and – with WTM bringing the global travel community to the city – build connections with fellow creators from around the world.
And the setting? The recently opened Museum of Illusions! One of London's most playful and photogenic attractions. Expect gravity-defying rooms, head-spinning optical tricks, and plenty of content moments to capture along the way.
📍 Location: Museum of Illusions London, 6-17 Tottenham Court Rd, W1T 1BF
🗓️ Date: Tuesday, 3rd November 2026
⏰ Time: 19:00 – 22:30 close
✅ Spots are strictly limited – Apply to attend by joining the waitlist.
Be sure to have a completed Travel Massive profile (photo, bio, links).
What's waiting for you:
• A venue that makes reality optional.
• A custom gift shop. Yes, you get to take something home.
• Food, drinks, and music that match the energy of the room.
• On the night, we’re giving away two incredible trips.
• And something else. Something we're not announcing yet. Show up early if you want to be part of it first.
Questions about this event? Please email your event host: Matthew Gardiner, Director of Travel Massive London: matthew@travelmassive.com
Please note: when you register for this event (which must be done in advance) we will be sharing your details with Stay22. There will also be photography and a videographer at the event.
We look forward to seeing you!
Oh, and one more super exciting thing.
On the night, we’re giving away two incredible trips. To win, you need to be in the room.
Prize ONE: Five nights in Greece for two - with VOTSALAKIA SEASIDE ESCAPE and Aegean Airlines
You and a plus one will stay at VOTSALAKIA SEASIDE ESCAPE, a collection of private luxury villas in Paros built for slow, sun-soaked island days. Your home for the week is a two-bedroom villa with private pool and sea views, where the hardest decision is which terrace to have breakfast on. You’ll be there 16 - 21 May 2027, with return flights into Athens on Aegean Airlines, included, from anywhere on the Aegean flight network.
Prize TWO: A week in Croatia - with Live Breathe Hike
Join Live Breathe Hike, who run small-group active trips in some of the world’s most beautiful corners, for seven days along Croatia’s Dalmatian coast from 14th - 20th June 2027. You’ll explore the wild, moon-like landscapes of Pag Island, walk the trails of the Velebit mountains, wander through national parks and historic stone towns. The pace is relaxed and there’s no rushing from place to place, with accommodation, meals and guides all taken care of. It’s a solo trip, so come alone and leave with a group of new friends. Flights aren’t included.
Terms and conditions:
- Eligibility: Open to registered attendees aged 18+ only who attend the Travel Massive and Stay22 event: WTM Creators Social at the Museum of Illusions on Tuesday 3 November 7:00-10.30 PM
- Fixed dates: Prize ONE is valid for 16-21th May 2027, Prize TWO for 14th - 20th June 2027 only. Dates cannot be changed modified, and prizes not taken on these dates will be forfeited.
- No alternatives: Prizes are non-transferable and there is no cash alternative.
- Partner terms: Prizes are provided by VOTSALAKIA SEASIDE ESCAPE, Aegean Airlines and Live Breathe Hike, are subject to their own terms, availability and booking conditions, and may be changed or withdrawn by them in circumstances beyond the organiser’s control.
- Publicity: Winners agree to their names being shared publicly in all communications announcing the results.
- Travel documents: Winners are responsible for holding and sharing on time with partners, valid passports, visas and any other documents required to travel to their prize destination.
🚀 About Stay22
Stay22 gives creators a smarter way to monetise travel content across blogs, websites, and YouTube. It offers quick setup, clear performance tracking, and a way to start earning without rebuilding the content you already have. Learn more at tmsv.co/stay22
🌍 About London Travel Massive
Lead by Matthew Gardiner, Travel Massive London is the largest community within the Travel Massive network, uniting creators, startups, brands, and innovators in Europe's travel capital.
💬 Going to WTM? Introduce yourself on our discussion thread below.
www.travelmassive.com/posts/are-you-attending-wtm-london-2026-433214822
Join Portland Travel Massive on Wednesday, November 4th for networking, culture and a little whimsy at Nordic Northwest.
Originally founded to support the Nordic language programs at Portland State University in 1986, Nordic Northwest has become a cultural hub for Nordic culture throughout Oregon and Southwest Washington. Members and non-members alike can visit for a wide range of events, from concerts and film screenings to lectures and classes, as well as the annual Midsummer festival in June and a Christmas market in December. You may have also seen Nordic Northwest’s resident troll, Ole Bolle, acting mischievously in the “village” grounds.
This evening you will mix and mingle with fellow Portland Travel Massive members and enjoy a no host bar while learning about Nordic Northwest’s mission of celebrating all things nordic. Enjoy our exclusive after-hours access to the property and stroll through the ethnic lodges from Denmark, Iceland, Finland, Norway and Sweden, or pay a visit to Olle Bolle’s house. We are also invited to view the center’s current exhibit, A Long Line: Nordic Fishing Culture Then & Now, which explores the history of fishing in both the Nordic countries and as well as the Pacific Northwest.
We can’t wait to kick off hygge season with you and look forward to seeing you at Nordic Northwest!
Nordic Northwest
www.nordicnorthwest.org
@NordicNorthwest
503.977.0275
info@nordicnorthwest.org
Please RSVP no later than Wednesday, October 28th. DM Kylie Curtis for questions.
Link to event pageHere's the 10 latest classified ads:
This is the end of the page. Thanks for being a part of our community!