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Here's 10 things that happened most recently:
Here are the 10 most recent posts:
Members of the Public Councils and the [Almaty Tourism Industry Council](www.gov.kz/memleket/entities/almaty-tourism?lang=en) discussed destination management quality and the digital transformation of tourism at the ["Almaty Future Tourism Dialog"](www.travelmassive.com/events/almaty-future-tourism-panel-discussion-quality-vs-quantity-3885443047), held at [Almaty Management University](almau.edu.kz/en/) (AlmaU).
*Almaty, 25 September 2026 - Representatives of the Almaty Tourism Industry Council took part in the "Almaty Future Tourism Dialog" expert roundtable at AlmaU, which focused on the key challenges and development prospects for the tourism sector. The event centred on destination management, digital transformation, and the introduction of quality standards and certification for tourism businesses.*
#Opening and presentations
The event began with a minute of silence in memory of the [tragic events](www.aljazeera.com/news/2026/9/24/nine-kazakh-soldiers-die-in-caspian-sea-training-incident) in Mangystau. Welcoming remarks were delivered by Azamat Aueskhanuly, Dean of the AlmaU School of Management, and by representatives of JSC NC "Kazakh Tourism", the Almaty Chamber of Entrepreneurs, the City Public Council, and the Creative Industries Alliance of Qazaqstan.
The business program opened with a presentation by [Yerkin Tikenov](www.travelmassive.com/@yerkintikenov) - Chairman of the Almaty Tourism Industry Council, Coordinator of the Tourism Committee of the Creative Industries Alliance of Qazaqstan, Director of Incide Travel, and Professor of Practice at AlmaU - who shared findings from the "Taldau Almaty" School of Analytics. His presentation covered the digital transformation of tourism within the Almaty agglomeration, mechanisms for the smart specialization of districts, and the development of a distributed experience economy, and proposed recommendations for tourism-related territorial management.
Akbota Kairkhanova of the national company "Kazakh Tourism" continued the official program, discussing how the "Very Nice" Quality Mark program can help raise service quality.
#Panel discussion (watch the video recording below)
www.youtube.com/watch?v=NuXLRYuw7Ds
The highlight of the day was the expert panel "Quality as a Driving Force for Tourism Destination Development", moderated by Yerkin Tikenov. Experts from government bodies, public councils, the banking sector and non-profit organizations examined the barriers to and incentives for voluntary certification, the balance between regulating and supporting business, and safety standards in active tourism.
[Maksat Bakytovich Tabylganov](www.linkedin.com/in/tabylganov/), a member of the Almaty Tourism Industry Council and Head of Travel at Halyk Bank, took an active part in the panel. Online participants included Yerbol Zhanybekovich Zhanybekov, Director of Sabre Travel Network (Central Asia), and Askhat Onalbayevich Zhanbosynov, a partner at AlfaMedGroup.
In his address, Yerkin Tikenov emphasized the importance of advanced analytical tools - such as analysis of short-term rental market data and travel technologies - for accurately forecasting tourism flows and reducing the strain on the region's ecosystems.
As moderator, he highlighted that effective destination management requires a synergy of efforts among the academic community, the business sector, and civil society bodies - specifically the Public Councils of the national company "Kazakh Tourism" and the City of Almaty. He also noted the pivotal role of market participants' willingness to engage in open dialogue through Almaty's sectoral tourism council.
#Travel Massive Almaty and networking
The program concluded with presentations on Travel Massive Almaty's travel-tech projects, followed by networking and a coffee break. The event proved an effective platform for sharing expertise, strengthening partnerships, and developing practical solutions for tourism growth in the region.
#What participants said
Akbota Zhubanyshkyzy Kairkhanova (Chief Manager, Tourism Product Development Department, JSC NC "Kazakh Tourism"):
"The 'Quality Mark' program has proven its relevance as a tool for enhancing competitiveness. Dialogue with the business community demonstrates that certification is becoming not merely a badge of distinction, but a genuine market standard for customer-centricity and safety."
Gulnara Nurganatovna Katibayeva (Chair of the Public Council of JSC NC "Kazakh Tourism"; Association "Club of Restaurateurs of Kazakhstan"):
"Today, the HoReCa sector directly influences the overall impression of a destination. It is crucial for us that any quality standards are implemented with market realities in mind and help businesses overcome staffing and operational challenges."
Nariman Baktybayevich Abilshayikov (Chair of the Commission on Entrepreneurship and Tourism, Public Council of Almaty):
"The quality of destination management is a multifaceted indicator that affects the comfort of both tourists and local residents. Public oversight and open dialogue help us quickly identify areas for growth in Almaty."
Diana Frolova (Executive Secretary of [KazAlpineClub](alpineclub.kz); Member of the Tourism Committee, Creative Industries Alliance of Qazaqstan):
"Developing active tourism requires an uncompromising approach to safety and the authenticity of experiences. The synergy between the creative sector and professional associations enables the creation of unique and reliable tourism products."
Yerkin Tikenov (Chair of the Almaty Tourism Industry Council; Coordinator of the CIAQ Tourism Committee; Director of Incide Travel):
"Digital transformation and smart specialization are not merely technological trends but a vital necessity for the polycentric destination of Almaty. Success in tourism development today depends on our ability to utilize precise analytics, build effective cross-sector cooperation, and create a distributed experience economy that delivers real benefits to both the regional economy and local communities."
Thanks to everyone who joined us at AlmaU for the Almaty Future Tourism Dialog, and to our speakers, panelists and partners for sharing their insights.
👋 *Stay connected with Travel Massive Almaty. Join the [Almaty Travel Massive](www.travelmassive.com/posts/almaty-travel-massive-876365886) community and our [Telegram group](t.me/travelmassive_kz) to connect with other tourism professionals in Kazakhstan and be the first to hear about upcoming events. See you at our next event!*
A very relevant discussion. Destination quality today goes far beyond promotion — it depends on how well data, local communities, tourism businesses and technology work together. The focus on creating real benefits for both visitors and residents is especially important for sustainable destination development.
Morocco's travel community came together at Art House Marrakech in Sidi Abbad for [Connect, Create & Explore](www.travelmassive.com/events/morocco-travel-massive-connect-create-explore-5279378741), our September meetup and an extra special one: it marked a full year since [Morocco Travel Massive](www.travelmassive.com/posts/morocco-travel-massive-444528319) first came together back in August last year. Thirty of us joined, with familiar faces from past meetups mixing right in with a wave of new ones.
The event brought together tour operators, travel designers and DMC founders, tour guides, camp and cultural space owners, digital marketers and creatives from across Morocco's travel industry.
#Meet our host: Art House Marrakech
Seleena and her team at [Art House Marrakech](arthousemarrakech.com) set out to make this a night to remember, and they delivered. The space is warm, creative and beautifully designed, and it connects visitors and locals alike to real artisans and real skills. Whether you're passing through or live in Marrakech, it's a place worth knowing about, and you can follow Art House on [Instagram](www.instagram.com/arthousemarrakech/).
#Travel bingo, then Zwaq painting
A game of travel bingo had everyone circulating the room, trading facts and stories. No hovering in corners here! As always, conversations moved effortlessly between Darija, French, English, Spanish and more, with a huge thank you to Chaima from Art House for translating throughout the night so no one was left out.
Brahim then led us through a workshop in Zwaq, the traditional Moroccan art of hand-painting intricate patterns on wood, the kind you'll see on the doors and ceilings of riads and palaces. It's a craft most of us had never tried before, and it pushed many of us outside our comfort zone, but that's exactly what brought us together: helping each other, laughing through the mistakes, and connecting through the experience itself.
#Behind the camera
Local photographer and videographer [Mehdi Ait Brahim](www.instagram.com/mehdyart_/) and his team volunteered to capture the workshop, the room and the people all night. I loved being able to see the whole event, not just from my own perspective, especially as I often get so wrapped up in talking that I forget all about photos!
Here's a short video from the night, filmed by Mehdi and his team:
www.youtube.com/watch?v=8gqBFb10Los
#Food and conversations that wouldn't end
The food, catered by Paola and Fatima, was a highlight in its own right, and the tableside conversations just would not end. We had planned to wrap up by 8:30pm. It was 10pm before anyone made a move to leave.
Thank you to everyone who came out to celebrate a year of Morocco Travel Massive with us, to Seleena and her team for an event that ran so smoothly it barely felt organized at all, and to Mehdi and his team for making sure none of it was lost to memory alone. The next one is already in the works for November, with Seleena joining me once again, so prepare yourself for our next adventure!
— Christine and the Morocco Travel Massive team
*Want to be part of events like this? Join [Morocco Travel Massive](www.travelmassive.com/posts/morocco-travel-massive-444528319) to stay in the loop for the next event. Contact [Christine DePalo](www.travelmassive.com/@christine-depalo) to host or sponsor an event.*
One year of Morocco Travel Massive! Thank you to everyone who came out to Art House Marrakech, and to Seleena and her team for such a special night. See you in November!
Hi, I’m Kenny — though most people in China know me as A Cai.
Travel has shaped almost every important turn in my life. In 2012 I left my job, packed a camera and a backpack, and spent 18 months traveling through more than 20 countries. I wasn’t trying to collect countries. I wanted to meet young people who were building social enterprises, community projects, and practical answers to the problems around them.
I often stayed with local people, carried my own gear, and learned something fairly obvious the hard way: you understand a place very differently when you have time to listen.
That journey shaped BottleDream, the social innovation platform I’ve been building since 2011. Over the years we’ve told stories, built communities, worked with brands on sustainability, and created travel experiences that connect people from Chinese cities with villages, landscapes, and local communities.
Paralight grew from the same curiosity, but for a different audience. When people outside China plan a trip here, they usually find one of two things: a checklist of famous sights, or hundreds of scattered forum threads. Both can be useful. Neither helps enough with the more personal questions. What kind of place will fit my pace? What will daily life feel like? Is this route realistic? How do I handle payments, trains, connectivity, and arrival rules without opening twenty tabs?
So we built Paralight as an English-first decision platform for China travel. It brings together more than 100 place profiles, themed routes, and practical arrival guides. We try to make the trade-offs visible and tie factual claims to sources and freshness checks. We would rather say, “this place may not suit you,” than turn every destination into a recommendation.
The site is live now, and I’m still learning where it really helps and where it feels like one more travel guide. If you work in travel, live in China, or have planned a first trip here, I’d really value your honest reaction: what information would have reduced the most uncertainty for you?
And yes, I still love getting lost in a new place — just with better notes these days.
Hi Kenny, thanks for sharing you project. Me and @kckiwigirl are heading to Shanghai in October for a day (tranist) so I purchased a guide to get some details. It's been more than 10 years since I was in Shanghai so I'm looking forward to visiting again.
More and more travellers are starting with an AI assistant instead of a search engine or booking site. For decades, the distribution model has been pretty well understood: travellers search, large platforms aggregate demand, and operators pay commission for access to that demand. AI changes that.
For travel industries, that raises a really important question: do we just accept whatever the next distribution model looks like, or try to shape some of it ourselves?
My family owns and operates two holiday parks in Australia. We know OTAs provide value, and we use them. But we also know the trade-offs all too well. So if travel distribution is going through another major shift, it’s worth asking whether industries like ours have an opportunity to do things a little differently this time.
Article image #2
*My wife and brother-in-law, at our park in Launceston*
Commission for reach: the deal we accepted
OTAs became dominant for good reasons. They made fragmented accommodation easier to find, compare and book. They also gave operators access to travellers they might never have reached themselves. The bargain was simple: give up a percentage of the booking in exchange for distribution.
Over time though, that relationship has become... complicated 💔 Brand bidding is an obvious (and somewhat damning) example. A traveller searches Google for a business _by name_. The business may have spent years building their brand and attracting that customer, but an OTA can advertise against the search and potentially turn that demand back into a commissioned booking, effectively hijacking customers and selling them back to the businesses that built the product.
For holiday and caravan parks, there’s another issue too: most large accommodation platforms were fundamentally designed around _hotels_. A powered site for a 9-metre caravan, a pet-friendly cabin, or an ensuite site is not another hotel room.
The platforms work, and we use them because that is what's available. But they weren’t built for our industry, and the deal could be better. So why not make a new one?
Many industries have their own 9-metre caravan
Holiday parks make this pretty easy to illustrate. A traveller might ask:
I’ve got a 9-metre caravan and a dog. Where can I stay near Byron Bay?
It sounds simple, but answering it correctly requires quite a bit of information. You need site dimensions, pet rules, availability, minimum stays, access restrictions and seasonal rules. Sometimes you also need to know the traveller’s actual setup - tow vehicle, awning, slide-outs, whether the dog is allowed on that particular site, and so on.
Other travel sectors have their own version of this problem: tours, cruises, activities, regional transport, specialist accommodation. There are always details that matter a lot to the customer that might not fit particularly well into the dominant booking schema. The more specialised the product, the harder it is to squeeze it into someone else’s model without losing useful information.
Discovery no longer has to start in a marketplace
One of the interesting things about AI is that discovery doesn’t necessarily have to start inside a marketplace. A traveller can describe the trip they’re trying to take and an assistant can potentially pull information from several different sources before recommending where to stay or what to book. That means competing for distribution doesn’t necessarily mean building another Booking.com.
For some industries, it may be more useful to become the best source of information about their category - then make that information available to AI assistants, search engines, publishers, industry websites, and other partners. And that requires owning some of the underlying pieces: structured data, availability, rules and booking pathways.
Selling shovels in the AI gold rush
This is one part of the current AI shift that is easy to overlook. When a major technology change happens, the opportunity isn’t always the obvious product sitting directly in front of it.
AI is producing new travel assistants and new booking interfaces almost every day now. But there are also real opportunities underneath the hood. Who has the best data? Who describes the product properly? Who provides live availability? Who becomes the source that all of these new interfaces rely on? This is the particularly interesting bit.
A shared distribution layer, without the commission
With [Total Parks](totalparks.com.au), we’re building a shared distribution layer for the Australian and New Zealand holiday park industry. In practice, that means taking data from different park management systems, normalising it, adding the park-specific information travellers actually need, and making live availability and booking available through different channels. Those channels can be Total Parks itself, an industry or tourism website, or an AI assistant.
The aim isn’t to replace every existing distribution channel. We want to give the industry another one - and importantly, one where parks don’t have to give up a percentage of every booking. For us, AI isn’t just another marketing channel. It changes what is technically and commercially possible.
Article image #large-4
*How Total Parks distributes park availability and bookings through different channels, without taking a commission on every booking.*
Making industry websites bookable
This is where industry and tourism bodies become interesting. Australian state caravan and holiday park bodies already run consumer websites, maintain park directories and spend money attracting travellers. Those channels already exist. They’re already industry-owned.
So rather than sending that demand somewhere else to transact, why not make the industry website bookable? That’s something we’ve started doing. The first Total Parks integrations are already live with industry bodies in Victoria and Tasmania.
Article image #large-3
*The Total Parks booking engine (in the red box) built into the Caravan & Residential Parks Victoria website.*
An individual operator can improve its own website and booking funnel. But an industry working together can potentially own more of the infrastructure sitting underneath discovery and booking.
Holiday parks are our example, but plenty of other travel sectors could make the same argument.
A window before the new model settles
I’m not suggesting the major OTAs are about to disappear. They have enormous advantages: brand, demand, capital, technology and consumer trust. AI may strengthen some of those businesses just as easily as it creates opportunities for new ones.
Article image #large-1
*AI distribution yields mixed results*
But the next version of travel distribution isn’t settled yet. Travellers are changing how they search. AI platforms are still working out how travel discovery and booking should work. The interfaces and commercial models underneath all of this are still moving. That gives industries a window to get their own data in order, build useful infrastructure and make sure they’re part of what comes next.
What should your industry own?
For me, this is the more interesting question. As AI changes travel distribution, what should an industry actually own? The data? The customer relationship? Its own distribution infrastructure? The machine-readable rules and information that describe what makes its products different?
Holiday parks are our test case. If the distribution model is changing anyway, industries shouldn’t automatically assume somebody else is going to build the next one for them.
In short: AI is changing how travellers find and book, the next distribution model isn't settled, and industries that get their data and infrastructure in order now have a chance to shape it. Holiday parks are doing that with Total Parks.
*[Dan Wild](www.travelmassive.com/@dan-wild-2617791319) is the Director of Total Parks, based in Launceston, Tasmania. He's a software engineer who has lived and worked in holiday parks for over a decade. To learn more about Total Parks, visit [totalparks.com.au](totalparks.com.au).*
Hi everyone, I'm Dan from Total Parks. Thanks for reading!
If you work in another part of travel, I'd like to hear what your industry would need to own to do the same, and what's getting in the way.
📚 We've published a book!
After years of travelling, living abroad and collecting more stories than luggage, we've finally put what we've learned on paper. I'm still a little shocked I can say that. (My high school English teacher would be too 😂)
Moving to Portugal: A Practical Guide is for anyone thinking about making the move, whether you're retiring, working remotely, starting a business or just after a fresh start.
It's not a legal handbook. It's a practical companion full of real-world advice to help you avoid common mistakes, save money and settle into life in Portugal with a lot less stress.
👉 Get your copy on Amazon: www.amazon.com/dp/B0HGGN432Q
If you read it, please leave us a review. For a self-published author, those little stars make a HUGE difference. ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐
Thank you for the support ❤️
congratulations!
One of my favourite countries! I spent six week at Nazaré with my dear friend Amylee (also on TM) back in 2023, and seriously considered moving there haha :)
I built Portpass after getting frustrated with how difficult it was to work out where you can travel when you hold multiple passports, residence permits or visas.
Portpass is a free, private multi-passport travel and residence map for people who hold more than one passport, citizenship, residence permit or visa.
Portpass checks passports, residence permits and visas together, then turns the result into a private, browser-local travel and residence map. Profiles can be saved for later, but only locally on your own device.
Try it out at portpass.world
This is a useful approach to a problem that can make travel planning surprisingly complicated. Bringing citizenship, residence permits and travel documents together in one place could make it much easier for travelers to understand their options before they start planning a trip.
Thanks for featuring the project :)
My pleasure, Erik! I found the concept genuinely interesting, especially the idea of making travel requirements easier to understand. Looking forward to seeing how Portpass develops.
Excellent idea. Always a struggle to find out what you can or cannot do when planning a visit in countries outside of UE. Please mention also Digital Nomad Visa if you can as more and more countries created this kind of tailor-made Visa.
Great idea! Works well and solves my problem.
Hi Erik,
Great piece of work. I did, however, find some links that were broken, particularly in Germany, under an Australian Passport. If you have any time, I'd love you to see my solution. I track in bound and out bound passports and thus depending on the passport used will depend on whether a visa is required. I use a free API for this to happen.
But i love the layout and love how i dont have to subscribe or login for it to store my details. You have my upvote.
Please check out my listing. www.travelmassive.com/posts/plan-organise-and-manage-every-trip-in-one-place-961615507
Regards
Larry
Interesting tool! I noticed that Kyrgyzstan is listed as 60-day visa free but it's actually 30-day since January 2026 (for Bulgarian and probably other EU passport holders) – learned it the hard way while I was in the country during the change. The best source is still my country's Foreign ministry.
I wonder where do you get the data from and how accurate you guarantee it is? If there are any updates in visa-free regime, how do you update that in your tool?
Thats an excellent idea. How do you track changing government rules?
Hi Travel Massive community,
After months of discussing the idea with travelers, friends and potential users, I’ve just launched the first version of Street Whisperer, a new mobile app designed to make exploring a city more spontaneous and immersive.
The idea is simple:
📍 Walk freely through a city or neighborhood
🏛️ Street Whisperer identifies interesting places around you
🎧 It tells you the stories behind them, primarily through audio
🚶 You keep walking and exploring instead of constantly looking at your phone
The inspiration came from something I often experience while traveling.
I’ll be walking through an unfamiliar neighborhood and wonder:
What happened here?
Why is this building important?
Who lived here?
Is there a story behind this street that I would otherwise completely miss?
Most travel guides work by asking you to decide where you want to go first.
With Street Whisperer, I wanted to explore the opposite approach:
You don’t follow the tour. The tour follows you.
The goal is not to replace traditional guides or curated experiences, but to create another way of discovering a destination — more spontaneous, contextual and compatible with simply wandering around.
AI tools and agents played an important role in building the product, but one thing was particularly important to me: I didn’t want Street Whisperer to become another generic, fully automated “AI travel app”.
The product, UX, positioning and overall experience have been shaped through months of conversations with real people and continuous iteration.
Street Whisperer is now live on the iOS App Store and Android:
Now that the first version is out, I’d especially value feedback from people working in travel, tourism, destination experiences and travel tech.
I’d love to hear your thoughts:
Does this solve a real problem in the traveler experience?
Would you use it while exploring a city independently?
Where do you see the most value: spontaneous discovery, cultural storytelling, local exploration, or something else?
What would make the experience compelling enough to use repeatedly during a trip?
And from an industry perspective, where could you see this concept going?
If you’re willing to test Street Whisperer during your next walk, I’d genuinely love to hear about your experience.
At this stage, feedback and conversations are far more valuable to me than downloads alone.
Thanks to anyone who gives it a try — and I’d be very happy to connect with others working on the future of urban exploration and travel experiences. 🙏
This is a great approach to city discovery. The best travel experiences often happen when you stop following a checklist and start connecting with the stories, people, and culture around you.
thanks a lot Ihsan for your comment :)
Happy to have your feefbacks on my app !
Happy to, Niels! I really like the idea behind it. I’ll take a closer look at the app and would be glad to share some feedback.
Hi, I have downloaded the app and wanted to listen one audio but it said that i have used all my credits for the day, but never able to listen anything.
I was trying to understand what exactly the app proposes but a bit blurry for me. Does it proposes the stories of individual places or does it create a tour with several stops?
Do you have audio being triggered when close to a POI?
I only see 2 places near me, but is it possible to see other places elsewhere? How many cities do you have covered?
Thanks.
Hi Johny, thanks for your message
Create an account and share me your mail I will add you new credits for some days. You'll be able to retry for the audio. Each time you click on guided tour for a place it consume 1 credit and you have 7 credits for the free tier.
It covers all the city around the globe. I added a new version of the tool which enables you to choose any city if you want to try :)
Kind regards
I love the idea!! Clearly would be something I could use, Im the one reading all the street signs to learn about what happened in this area.
Thanks for your comment! I'm also the kind of person that always said we can discover the overall history of a city only by analyzing its streets as streets reflects importants moments that happened here :)
This is a great concept! I love the idea of exploring a city naturally and discovering its stories along the way.
Thanks Suresh :) I would love to have your feelings about the app
I run Echolution, a travel-retail media and data agency, and we've just launched a live Duty-Free Price Index comparing spirits prices across 15 major hub airports (the world's 10 busiest plus key European travel-retail hubs) normalised into USD/EUR/GBP so the prices are genuinely comparable.
First thing that jumped out: the exact same 1L bottle of Smirnoff Vodka costs $10.10 at Dallas/Fort Worth and $22.07 at Lisbon. That's a 119% difference for an identical product. Across the spirits with enough like-for-like coverage, the average cheapest-to-priciest gap between airports is still 58%.
It's a live, filterable directory. Browse by airport, switch currency, or find the cheapest airport for a specific bottle. We're tracking 20 spirits SKUs right now (whisky, vodka, gin, rum, cognac, Irish cream) and plan to expand into other duty-free categories over time.
Take a look at: www.echolution.com/duty-free-price-index/
We would love to get feedback. Is an index like this needed? Useful? If useful what other areas could be added? Features? We plan to cover beauty, fragrance in the coming months.
I would be interested in the price differential between the duty-free price and what the product is available for in the same city at a regular store.
e.g. I'm unlikely to make a purchasing decision based on if the product is cheaper in a city on the other side of the world, as I usually purchase on the arrival side of the trip. So knowing if the product is cheaper at the supermarket would be of more interest to me.
Hope that feedback helps!
Thanks for the feedback Ian. I think once we add more categories against this pilot in airports. comparing Is Duty Free still good value against the Supermarkets / liquor stores would be good insight.
Really interesting data. Duty-free is often automatically associated with “better value,” but comparisons like this show why travelers should still check prices before buying. It would also be interesting to see how these differences change across product categories, not just airports.
Traditionally Duty free would be 1litre and downtown, supermarkets etc would be 70cl but its not always the case any more. Plus then the local complexity. UK out of the EU for example is cheaper. UK price EU price.
That’s a very good point. Once pack sizes, local taxes and different market rules come into play, “duty-free” becomes much harder to compare at face value. A true like-for-like comparison would make this kind of data even more useful for travellers.
Eamonn! What a no-brainer of an idea. Brilliant. I can tell you how many times I have travelled and though of buying duty free and then wondering if I'm getting a good price or not.
Gee, I hope you do very well out of this.
Please check out my posts.
Regards
Larry
The Travel Planner
Thanks Larry! Really appreciate the encouragement. I’ve had exactly the same thought while travelling — duty free doesn’t always mean the best price. I’ll definitely check out your posts too.
Thanks Larry and Ihsan,
It would be great to see if we could evolve it to inflight. Some of my recent flights onboard pricing was considerably cheaper than in the airport. The issue with inflight in my experience is stock not always being available so if you are flying out and back with the same airline thinking that is a great price I will get it on my return flight and it is not available you run the risk of missing out. Air Asia offer pre ordering inflight which is great.
👋🏻 Hi Travel Massive! I’m Elly, the creator of Odys-say.
I built Odys-say because I wanted ⭐️a tool to help me experience the places I visited more deeply, find inspiration, and discover what they meant to me.⭐️
For me, that begins with hearing about the people whose lives are woven into a place.
What they hoped for, the conflicts they faced, and the choices they made. Understanding their lives opens up a way to connect with the place, and to think about my own life through it.
That’s the experience I wanted to create with Odys-say.
It’s a travel docent (Korean for "guide") for your smartphone, available on iOS and Android.
🔔 Walk near a featured place, and you’ll receive a notification. Tap it, put in your earbuds, and listen to its story while you’re right there.
Each place takes you through three things:
1️⃣ Hear the drama behind the place.
Meet the people whose ambitions, struggles and choices shaped it.
2️⃣ Learn the ideas inside the story.
Understand the beliefs, history and ways of thinking behind what happened.
3️⃣ Keep an insight that’s only yours.
The story ends with a reflection connected to what’s on your mind, whether that’s career and direction, relationships or your sense of self.
My hope is that these encounters with other people’s lives help you find something meaningful in the places you visit, something you can carry into your own life.
👉🏻 You can try your first story free: odyssay.app/store
I’d love to hear how this feels when you try it, especially whether the reflection helps you connect with the place in a more personal way.
I think this is an amazing idea and I really wish you well with it. I love traveling and the stories behind the places is always something that is of interest to me and no doubt most people who travel. I am from Ireland and starting my own business as a private Irish tour guide and host. I love the fact that you have taken the time to understand the stories of each place.. I really love the idea and I will look at the app. Is it available in every country as I am actually traveling to Spain tomorrow. Really well done and I will you every success, very well thought out. Lisa
Thank you so much, Lisa! This really means a lot, especially coming from a fellow storyteller and tour guide. We’re not available everywhere yet, and Spain isn’t covered just yet, but we’re working on expanding to more cities very soon. Wishing you the very best with your own tours in Ireland too!
This looks so cool and such a creative idea! It’s also something I wonder about as I visit a new place—what it’s like for the locals who live there, not just the tourist perspective.
Thank you, Avery! That curiosity is a big part of why I built it. I wanted to go beyond the usual tourist-facing facts and bring in the people and human stories that shaped each place.
Not to speak for the locals, of course, but to help travelers see a place as somewhere people actually lived, struggled, created, and made choices, not just somewhere to visit.
This is a really interesting approach to travel storytelling. Connecting a place with the human stories, history and culture behind it can completely change how travelers experience a destination. Would love to see how this develops!
Thank you, Ihsan! That’s exactly what I’m hoping to do, help people experience a place differently once they know the human stories behind it. Really appreciate the encouragement!
Great idea to add this additional layer to someones travel experience! Am traveling with my kids to India soon so will try it our there :-)
Thank you, Nynke! 😊 We have several destinations in India, so I’d absolutely love for you to try it while you’re there. Hope it adds something special to the trip with your kids!
Such a great idea. I'm sure it will connect well with travelers because it aligns with what moves and inspires them!
Just curious, how did you build it and find these stories?
Also, how many regions it currently serves?
Wishing you great luck!
Thank you so much!
I research each place from multiple sources, looking especially for the people, choices, conflicts, and stories behind it, then shape those into something you can listen to while actually standing there.
The history and culture come in through those human stories rather than as a list of facts.
Right now, Odys-say covers 11 cities across Europe and Asia, including several in India, and Jaipur is actually coming soon too! I’m gradually expanding from here.
And thank you for the kind words, especially coming from someone creating stories around Jaipur too!
Good to know, Elly. Interesting.
Since I have been part of developing audio route, I think your app functions slightly different - it nudges on proximity. Let me know if I read that right.
Good to see people like you adding more value and offering something new.
Yes, you read that right! 😊 Odys-say works a little differently from a fixed audio route. It uses proximity to nudge you when you’re near a place, and then you can tap to hear its story.
I wanted it to fit naturally into however someone chooses to explore, rather than asking them to follow a set route. Really appreciate your kind words, especially with your experience building audio routes yourself!
I’ve been spending more time looking at Ninh Binh (a province in northern Vietnam) from a tour operator’s perspective, and I’m curious what other travel professionals think.
Trang An, Tam Coc, Mua Cave… the scenery is incredible. But with visitor numbers growing, I wonder:
Are we promoting Ninh Binh in the right way, or are we creating another “must-see” destination where everyone follows the same route, takes the same photos, and leaves?
For me, the more interesting Ninh Binh is not just:
🚣 Trang An boat ride
📸 Mua Cave viewpoint
🏯 Hoa Lu Ancient Capital
It’s the quieter side, cycling through villages, meeting local families, rice fields, traditional food, and simply slowing down.
I’d love to hear from other travel professionals:
What do you think Ninh Binh needs more of? Better visitor management, more authentic experiences, or simply better storytelling?
And if you’ve been there recently, what’s one experience in Ninh Binh that you think international travellers are still missing?
Let’s compare notes. 👇
I think better storytelling can actually be part of visitor management. When a destination is promoted through the same three or four “must-see” spots, visitors naturally concentrate in those places. But if the story expands to local food, villages, traditions, slower experiences and lesser-known areas, tourism can spread more naturally. The goal shouldn’t necessarily be to attract fewer people, but to give people more reasons to explore beyond the same route.
Thank you for your comment. you are right. Story telling can connect to the guest better and it also give the guest more reason to explore Ninh Binh.
Absolutely. I think that’s where destinations like Ninh Binh have a real opportunity — helping visitors understand the stories, local life and culture behind the scenery, rather than simply moving from one photo spot to another. Thanks for sharing your perspective, Natalie!
Ninh Binh seems to be reaching that difficult stage where increased popularity brings both opportunities and pressure. The scenery is extraordinary, but when a destination becomes heavily photographed and promoted, the challenge is preserving the experience that made people want to visit in the first place. I think the real question is not whether Ninh Binh is “too touristy,” but whether tourism growth can be managed in a way that still benefits local communities and protects the landscape. I’d still love to visit — preferably outside the busiest periods and with more time spent beyond the most famous viewpoints.
Thank you, Amber, for this insightful perspective! It touches on a structural parallel that destinations like Ninh Bình share with places like Hội An—leaving aside their differences in physical scale.The core challenge isn’t just managing visitor volume at iconic viewpoints; it is about spatial and economic distribution. Right now, tourism in Ninh Bình tends to concentrate heavily around a few marquee spots, creating intense localized pressure while leaving other areas and communities disconnected from the economic benefits.To solve this uneven growth and give travelers a compelling reason to stay longer, Ninh Bình needs to actively develop and integrate heritage craft villages alongside its natural attractions. This serves a dual purpose:
1.Decongesting Hotspots: It disperses foot traffic away from over-visited limestone peaks and river-boat hubs into surrounding communities.
2.Deepening Cultural Immersion: It shifts tourism from a quick sightseeing trip to an immersive cultural experience, allowing visitors to genuinely understand local livelihoods, traditions, and identity.
This is precisely the balancing act Hội An has had to navigate—moving beyond its central historic core by fostering surrounding craft and agricultural villages (like vegetable or pottery communities) to distribute tourist value and preserve living heritage. For Ninh Bình, anchoring its extraordinary scenery in a living network of craft villages might just be the key to sustainable, long-term growth.
Great discussion. From a sustainable travel perspective, I think the answer is better visitor management AND more authentic experiences — they reinforce each other. When guides highlight the quieter side (village cycling, family-run homestays, local food), crowds naturally disperse away from the hotspots. We work on vegan travel guides and see the same pattern: travelers who eat and explore locally tend to spread out more and connect deeper. Storytelling that features the people, not just the viewpoint, really helps.
You are right. I think It's also not about Tourguide. another stake holder like The goverment, travel company also need to have right management.
Really interesting discussion. We’ve been to Ha Long Bay, but not Ninh Binh yet. When we visit, we’d definitely like to explore beyond the main photo spots. Cycling through villages, trying local food and meeting local families sounds much more like our kind of travel. Natalie, is there a quieter place or local experience you’d recommend?
Yes. Ninh Binh is the old town like Hoi An. There's have many Craft villages ( hidden gems ) . you can book from me or another reliable companies that you trust. They can tailormade for you and you will see it's feeling touch between human to human, culture to culture.
HERE'S THE NEXT 5 UPCOMING EVENTS:
Join fellow Travel Massive members on Sunday, October 4th for an exclusive afternoon of networking and local history at the newly-refurbished Paris Theatre.
Originally built in 1890, the historic Paris Theatre has recently undergone an incredible transformation thanks to Chris and Fae Pink, the owners and founders of Can Can, and we have secured a behind-the-scenes look at their beautiful new space in Portland. In addition to its renewal as a premier Portland entertainment venue, the Paris Theatre now sits as the centerpiece of Pink Light District PDX, Portland’s latest community-led effort focused on revitalizing downtown and reinvigorating this iconic Portland neighborhood.
Enjoy a special tour of the historic Paris Theatre and hear from the team about Can Can, the Pink Light District and their plans for breathing new life into Portland’s entertainment and tourism industries. A no-host bar will be available in their charming courtyard for libations and mingling and as a special thank you, attendees of our event will receive an exclusive 15% discount for that evening’s 6:30 pm show, Hitchcock Hotel. Tickets available at the box office day-of and a full description is available here: www.cancanportland.com/hitchcock-hotel-2026
We are thrilled to spend the afternoon together at Can Can’s Paris Theatre and we look forward to seeing you there!
Minimum of 20 attendees needed. RSVP Required. DM Kylie Curtis for questions.
Can Can's Paris Theatre
www.cancanportland.com/about
@cancanportland
Pink Light District PDX
www.pinklightpdx.org
@pinklightpdx
TIS2026: The New Generation of Travel & Hotel Tech
Get ready to reimagine the tourism industry with the most cutting-edge technology showcased at TIS2026!
In an increasingly connected and innovative world, the tourism sector is transforming. The fusion between the travel industry and technology is opening up a world of endless possibilities. From trip planning to destination experiences, every aspect of the traveler’s journey is being reinvented thanks to technological advances. From intuitive mobile applications to augmented reality systems, innovation is elevating the way we explore the world. In this exciting journey towards the future, TIS 2026 stands as the epicenter of change.
Join us from October 6th to 8th 2026, as we explore the latest trends and technological solutions that are transforming the travel industry. This year Tourism Innovation Summit 2026 offers you a unique opportunity to showcase your latest and greatest advancements to +8,000 Tourism professionals.
Learn more at www.tisglobalsummit.com
Link to event pageThe Flavors 2026 conference, part of Flavors Vietnam 2026, is designed for chefs, founders, operators, brands, investors, suppliers, and innovators shaping Vietnam's F&B ecosystem. A full-day conference held in the exhibition area, it features thematic discussions, events providing direct market information, practical case studies, and high-value networking opportunities—all packed into one day.
📅 October 10, 2026 · 8:00 AM – 4:00 PM
📍 Le Méridien Saigon, 3C Ton Duc Thang Street, District 1, Ho Chi Minh City
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Three Shifts Shaping the F&B Industry Right Now
The keynote sessions and discussions focused on three movements shaping the industry today:
Shifting Tastes: From ingredients and flavors to health trends and premium offerings. Understand what your customers want next so you can be the first to serve them.
Changing Consumer Behavior: Shifts in what diners choose, trust, and are willing to pay for. Learn how leading brands maintain their appeal when expectations change faster than menus.
Reshaping the F&B Industry: The real-world shifts around capital, technology, policy, and scaling. Understanding who is experiencing profitable growth and why.
Designed for industry professionals and decision-makers:
* Chefs, restaurant owners, and operators of restaurants, bars, cafes, and hotels.
* Brand and F&B chain management team
* Suppliers, distributors, investors, and funds
* Journalists, media professionals, and content creators in the industry.
Learn more at vietcetera.com/en/collection/flavors-vietnam/conference
Link to event pageWhat if the next big opportunity in travel isn't selling experiences... but owning them?
The future belongs to those who don't just participate in the travel industry, but strategically build and own assets within it.
Join us on October 10 for an insightful conversation on:
🏡 Building and managing profitable Airbnb and short-let businesses
🏨 Owning hospitality assets that generate long-term value
📈 Creating sustainable income streams within the travel ecosystem
🏠 Understanding how to leverage the Federal Government's NHF mortgage solutions for property ownership and investment
💡 Positioning yourself for wealth creation through travel and real estate
Whether you're a travel entrepreneur, tour operator, hospitality professional, investor, content creator, or simply exploring opportunities in the tourism economy, this event will provide practical insights, real-world strategies, and valuable connections.
The travel industry is evolving. The question is no longer just how to sell travel. It's how to own a piece of the ecosystem.
10:00am - 2:00pm
Saturday, October 10
TerraKulture, Victoria Island, Lagos
Come ready to learn, connect, and discover pathways to sustainable growth!
Link to event pageThe heartbeat of the global business events industry.
IMEX America is the largest trade show for the global meetings, events and incentive travel industry.
Our award-winning show brings the meetings industry together to do a year’s worth of business under one roof. Suppliers and buyers from every sector of the meetings industry come together at IMEX, held at Mandalay Bay Resort and Casino, Las Vegas.
Our free-to-attend four-day program offers specialist education, networking and much more, on and off the trade show floor.
Talking Point: Design Matters
In 2026–2027, we’re making Design Matters our Talking Point. Because good design isn’t just good business—it’s how things work, feel and change us.
Design is the ultimate differentiator. It’s design that helps organizations, brands and events stand out and be remembered. So, we’re inviting the global events industry to embrace design as a business superpower. Because it matters.
Where is IMEX America held?
Welcome to Las Vegas! IMEX takes place at Mandalay Bay, Las Vegas, Nevada.
Mandalay Bay is the fifth largest convention center in the US, with 2.1 million square feet of meeting and exhibit space. Just a short car ride from the airport, Mandalay Bay is located on the dazzling Las Vegas Strip.
Learn more at america.imexevents.com
Link to event pageRegister for Travel Tech’s 2026 Start-Up Summit
Travel Tech Association (Travel Tech), the unified voice for the travel technology ecosystem, will host its second annual Start-Up Summit, taking place on Wednesday, October 14, 2026, at Concorde in National Landing, Arlington, Virginia. The event will bring together travel technology founders, investors, industry leaders, and innovators for a day of networking, education, and collaboration focused on advancing the next generation of travel technology companies.
Why Attend?
The Travel Tech Start-Up Summit is the only conference exclusively dedicated to bringing together early-stage travel technology start-ups, angel investors, and industry leaders.
• Meet founders, investors, and potential partners.
• Build relationships that accelerate growth.
• Join the community shaping the future of travel technology.
• Compete for $10,000—and support that extends beyond the stage
Learn More About the Pitch Competition at traveltech.org/two-weeks-left-to-apply-for-travel-techs-2026-start-up-summit-pitch-competition/
Link to event pageHere's the 10 latest classified ads:
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