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Thanks to everyone who attended this month's [Kazakhstan Travel Tech Discussion](www.travelmassive.com/events/travel-massive-almaty-meetup-2025-9905940908) hosted by [Almaty Travel Massive](www.travelmassive.com/posts/almaty-travel-massive-876365886) at [Royal Tulip Almaty](www.instagram.com/royaltulipalmaty/) on October 22nd. The event was part of the [Central Asia: Digital Aviation](www.travelmassive.com/events/central-asia-digital-aviation-2-almaty-1192736710) conference which attracted hundreds of attendees from across Kazakhstan and Central Asia.
Here's a recap from our presentations with photos from our networking event (scroll down) — we hope readers find this article insightful and helpful to understand the trends and opportunities in Kazakhstan!
Meet our Travel Tech speakers
The session was moderated by [Leonid Pustov](www.travelmassive.com/@leonid-pustov), Travel Massive Almaty Director, and featured the following experts from the Kazakhstan travel tech and tourism industry:
* [Maksat Tabylganov](www.travelmassive.com/@maksat-tabylganov) (Head of Halyk Travel, Halyk)
* [Masha Michurina](www.travelmassive.com/@masha-michurina-1028927497) (Head of Air Tickets Distribution Team, My Agent Kazakhstan)
* [Daurzhan Kopzhanov](www.linkedin.com/in/kopzhanov/) (Senior Marketing, Almaty Tourism Bureau)
* [Yerkin Tikenov](www.travelmassive.com/@yerkintikenov) (Director, Incide Travel Research / Head of Commission, Public Council, JSC National Company Kazakh Tourism).
Article image #0
*Meet our Kazakhstan Travel Tech Discussion Panel — Leonid Pusiov, Maksat Tabylganov, Maria Michurina, Daurzhan Kopzhanov, and Yerkin Tikenovl.*
Kazakhstan Transportation Trends
The session was opened by [Maksat Tabylganov](www.travelmassive.com/@maksat-tabylganov), Head of Halyk Travel.
[Halyk Travel](halyktravel.kz) is the first ecosystem service in the [Halyk superapp](play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=kz.kkb.homebank&hl=en), launched in 2020. In total, the Halyk application is used by 8 million people. Halyk Travel offers flights to scheduled and charter destinations, railway tickets in Kazakhstan, bus tickets in the CIS and outbound Tours.
Maksat shared the statistics of the public transportation segment and tour package market of Kazakhstan in 2024 shown in Table 1.
Table 1: Kazakhstan travel market key metrics in 2024
| Segment | GMV, billion KZT | GMV, billion USD | Number of tourists, million | Online penetration |
| | | | | |
| Air tickets (1) | 675 | 1,25 | 14,7 | 59% |
| Rail transportation (2) | 166 | 0,31 | 21 | 80% |
| Bus transportation (2) | 3 456 | 6,4 | 732 | 5% |
| Tour package (3) | 676 | 1,25 | 1,08 | 15% |
Sources: 1) Civil Aviation Committee/Ministry of Infrastructure Development of the Republic of Kazakhstan, IATA.com; 2) Kazinform, The Astana Times, eQonaq, wttc; 3) Touristik Kamkor Fund, Kompas, Zakon.kz
Key highlights of the Kazakhstan travel market:
* Kazakhstan’s travel market is entering its digital maturity – Over half of all bookings now start online, and the next phase is ecosystem integration – connecting finance, loyalty, and travel.
* Customer ownership is the new competition – Winning in travel today means not just selling a ticket, but owning the customer journey -before, during, and after the trip.
* Ecosystems are redefining the market – Halyk Travel’s integration into the Halyk super app bridges travel and finance, turning transactions into long-term relationships.
* Automation is the biggest gap in B2B – Many local agencies and hotels still operate manually. Digitization and API connectivity will drive the next growth wave.
* Data and personalization will define the winners – The future belongs to platforms that understand traveler behavior and can create smart, contextual offers in real time.
* Halyk Travel is building the foundation for the next decade – the goal is to make travel seamless, trusted, and financially rewarding - all within one national ecosystem.
Kazakhstan B2B Travel Trends
Maria Michurina, Head of Air Tickets Distribution Team at [My Agent Kazakhstan](myagentonline.kz), led the second presentation with an overview of the business-to-business (B2B) travel market in Kazakhstan.
My Agent KZ is an airline and rail tickets consolidator and b2b-tool for travel agencies. The official launch in Kazakhstan was in February 2024. There are 599 connected partners including major IATA agencies, travel agencies, tour operators and business travel agencies.
Maria shared her vision of trends in the b2b market of Kazakhstan.
* At the moment, b2c market is shifting toward marketplace-style distribution.
* Banks are increasingly adding travel as one of their product verticals, capturing a significant share of the retail (B2C) segment.
* The corporate sector still tends to rely on large traditional travel agencies to comply with travel policies.
* Smaller agencies serving their own client bases continue to meet VIP-service needs — both for individuals and corporate customers.
* Tour operators also maintain strong positions and are expanding their own content portfolios for clients.
Maria shared her vision of the requirements for the product of a b2b ticket provider from the local market.
* Content enrichment – Not just retransmission of GDS data, but also additional information that we still cannot reliably obtain from NDC;
* Virtual interlines – they have existed for a while, but whereas they used to be mainly a way to save money, now — when most airlines operate in different systems — they’ve become the only viable option for certain combinations.
* Standardization of airline inventory – we must ensure a consistent customer experience both for classical GDS airlines and for those distributed via less common PSS platforms such as Asman Air or Centrum Air.
* Improving SLA and customer experience – Thanks to AI, we can accelerate service handling and start selling through suppliers we previously avoided due to SLA limitations.
Thanks to our Paximizer for supporting our event
A big thanks to Paximizer and their team for sponsoring the session, and providing gifts to our speakers to thank them for sharing their industry insights.
[Paximizer](paximizer.com) is a next-generation customer data platform built for the modern airline economy—connecting every moment of the passenger journey from booking to arrival. It unifies data across loyalty, check-in, and in-flight systems to deliver a single, intelligent view of each traveler. With seamless integrations across airline ecosystems (PSS, DCS, CRS, RMS, FFP) and alignment with IATA data standards and GDPR, Paximizer transforms raw data into actionable insight—helping airlines anticipate needs, personalize experiences, and capture more value from every flight.
👋 Stay connected with Travel Massive Almaty. Join our [Telegram group](t.me/travelmassive_kz) and the [Almaty Travel Massive](www.travelmassive.com/posts/almaty-travel-massive-876365886) to be notified of upcoming events and connect with other members. See you at our next event!
Almaty Travel Massive community is open to communication. Please, feel free to contact me if you have any ideas or questions.
Interesting that banks are adding travel to their portfolio in this market - we've seen the same pattern in the US market over the last few years from retail banks
Has this become popular with tourists?
This is mostly a customer loyalty - potentially also a revenue generating play - for the retail banks for their customers. Some retail restrictions get lifted when pricing is private such as situations like this
Very interesting to see the online penetration; and that it is higher for rail. I've been to Kazakhstan last summer (Altai region & Almaty). I tried to book my bus Almaty-Bishkek online and it was painful LOL
1) No translation in English, even when using the embedded translation in browser
2) They do not accept foreign cards (classic!! :D)
3) I had to go to the bus station and they only accepted cash :D
FlatTrip is a cozy travel app that helps you build trips or find ready-made routes from other travelers.
Tell us how you like to travel - cozy, wild, romantic or lazy and FlapTrip will craft a unique route in seconds.
This idea was born when I was planning a roadtrip across Germany.
I had to collect everything in one place, make sure I didn’t miss anything, find beautiful spots along the way, and create an optimal route. I also wanted to add some vibe places to get to know the culture better all within my budget.
The trip itself lasted 21 days, and the planning took around two months after work. During the process, I tried several existing travel planners, and in the end, I ended up with a huge Excel sheet and a billion scattered notes on my phone.
But that’s when I thought, it would be so cool to have an app that helps you organize your trip by yourself, without too many steps. Ideally, it would let you share plans with friends and even suggest interesting places along the way.
That’s how the idea for FlapTrip.app was born — an app that helps you plan vibe-based routes.
I’m building it with a small team of passionate people who also love traveling.
Now I’m looking for people who feel connected to this idea, if you’d like to be an early adopter or get involved in any way, I’d love to talk!
Here I’ll be sharing product decisions and small stories about how and what we’re building.
I truly believe in community-driven products and I think travel apps especially live for their users. So I really hope to find the right people here!
Feel free to text me if you’d like to discuss anything!
👉 We’re inviting curious travelers and creators to test our app before anyone else. Join the beta, help shape what we build, and be part of something playful.
Hey Ana,
Thanks for sharing your travel app! I signed up but haven’t received any email yet. I’m guessing beta access is being sent manually?
I’d love to share some thoughts that might help as you refine your product. I recently wrote an article about trip planning apps that you might find interesting:
👉 www.travelmassive.com/posts/why-most-travel-planning-startups-miss-the-mark-554943365
I also left a comment on a post from Mitrip, another planning app tackling similar challenges:
👉 www.travelmassive.com/posts/mitrip-673438987
In short, I’d recommend focusing on:
- User value: Would your app have helped you plan a better trip across Germany (or the same trip quality but faster). Every trip planning app focuses on "crafting unique routes in seconds". But there is a reason why it took you 2 months to plan your trip (research, comparison, route optimisation, time/budget constraints optimisation, etc.). Does your product solve all this and provide you with the same flexibility as Excel and your notes do?
- Positioning: What makes your product truly unique? (specific angle, type of traveller, expertise on a country / region, etc.)
- User acquisition: How you will attract users in a cost-efficient and proven way?
- Business model: How you will make money? (freemium, affiliate, ads, etc.)
I know this might sound a bit critical, but it’s meant constructively. Having strong answers to these questions early on will save a lot of time and money later. That said, I like the vibe/mood-based planning concept and your clean design!
I wish you all the best!
Hey Benoit!
Thank you so much for taking the time to share such thoughtful feedback, really appreciate it 🙏
And yes, you’re absolutely right, early access is still manual for now, as we’re testing the onboarding flow and early user interactions before opening it wider.
I also completely agree with your note about AI-driven trip planners. Many products in this space put all the focus on the AI part and that’s exactly what we’re not doing. We’re building FlapTrip as a human-first planner, not just an AI route generator. AI quietly supports the process, but the product itself is a full planning ecosystem.
We took the best features from traditional trip planners: things that actually help people organize and built them into a super user-friendly interface tailored for a younger audience (mostly Gen Z and early Millennials).
The goal is to make the whole experience feel modern, intuitive, and a bit playful, more like something you want to open.
Unlike many other apps, we’re not building a giant internal POI database or pushing sponsored content.
Instead, our recommendation model focuses on relevance, suggesting places that truly match each user’s vibe, style, and budget. The system learns from user behavior and gently introduces fresh, non-obvious ideas they might love but wouldn’t have found otherwise.
We’re currently focusing on Northern Europe, starting with Germany and Sweden, markets that are open to experimentation and have strong early-adopter communities.
And because our product is so community-driven, we want users to not just plan trips, but also share inspiration, exchange routes, and be part of the ecosystem itself.
I’ll definitely read this article, it sounds very aligned with what we’re thinking about.
Would love to stay in touch and exchange insights as we grow - I’m sure we’d have a lot to discuss!
Warmly, Ana ✈️
CheckinAway is your go-to travel blog for authentic experiences and expert travel insights. We’re Paul and Hristina, London based, travel-loving couple who have explored over 40 countries, seeking out the best cultural experiences, well-kept secrets, and upscale stays across the globe.
Hello everyone 👋
We’re the creators behind CheckinAway.com, a European travel blog where we share curated travel guides, upscale hotel reviews, and personal experiences from our adventures across Europe and Asia.
Our blog reaches around 25,000 readers each month — mostly based in Europe and North America — and we focus on showcasing both iconic landmarks and lesser-known gems. ✨
We love collaborating with tourism boards, hotels, and travel brands to create authentic, SEO-driven stories that inspire curious travellers to explore deeper.
Looking forward to connecting with fellow creators, tourism professionals, and destinations here on Travel Massive. If you’d like to collaborate or simply chat travel, feel free to reach out! 🌍✈️
👉 Learn more about us at checkinaway.com/about/
Great blog. Let me know when you're heading back to Germany, we'd love to share what our 17 heritage cities known as Historic Highlights of Germany are all about.
Hi Sandra - thanks. Of course, we'd be glad to learn more.
Thanks to our [Dublin Travel Massive](www.travelmassive.com/posts/dublin-travel-massive-311524526) community who joined our [Founders Fireside Chat](www.travelmassive.com/events/founder-fireside-chats-at-stripe-dublin-with-bobby-healy-5883529722) at Stripe’s stunning new [Wilton Park offices](stripe.com/newsroom/news/stripe-opens-new-dublin-hq) for an evening of insights and lively discussion. Stripe generously supported the event with craft beers and gourmet sandwiches, setting the tone for a relaxed but inspiring evening.
Here's a recap from what we learned at the event, and some photos from the evening.
The evening began with Chapter Co-Leader [Kevin O'Shaughnessy](www.travelmassive.com/@okev) warming up the crowd by inviting [John Maguire](www.travelmassive.com/@john-maguire-1044095694) (CEO, TripAdmit) and [Gavin Rooney](www.linkedin.com/in/gavin-rooney) (CEO, AnotherTrip HQ) to the stage to shoot the breeze. Both startups are recent participants in [NDRC](www.ndrc.ie), Ireland’s national accelerator for high-growth tech companies.
* [TripAdmit](tripadmit.com/?ref=travelmassive) (2019 cohort) helps tour and activity providers sell online, with solutions for managing digital tips, and collecting reviews. A key customer is Gray Line - a global leader in sightseeing tours and activities.
* [AnotherTrip HQ](anothertrip.com/?ref=travelmassive) (2025 cohort) enables creators and operators to turn travel content into bookable experience maps.
Their conversation with Kevin offered a fascinating look at how Irish startups are redefining travel technology.
Interview with Bobby Healy
Once arrived (straight from the airport, no less!), [Bobby Healy](www.linkedin.com/in/bhealy/) took the stage. Bobby’s remarkable entrepreneurial story spans many chapters including building Nintendo video games, founding Eland Technologies (later sold to SITA), and starting [CarTrawler](corporate.cartrawler.com/en-gb/), the world’s largest mobility marketplace for airlines.
Bobby is now leading [Manna](www.manna.aero/?ref=travelmassive), a “Drone Delivery as a Service” and [Meili](www.meili.travel), an unapologetic competitor to Cartrawler, that focuses on smarter, leaner tech and less overhead.
Healy believes Manna’s drone technology can take on Amazon in the race for last-mile delivery, whether that’s a coffee from an independent cafe or a book from a local bookstore. When asked about use cases, he admitted coffee is adoption fuel for drone delivery.
Bobby was interviewed by [James Lemon](www.travelmassive.com/@james-lemon-3366051289), who leads Stripe’s global growth across hospitality, travel, leisure, and transport. Lemon’s own experience (founder of Otolo, and leadership roles at IHG, Hostmaker, and Travelport) made him an ideal host for the conversation.
So, what did we learn? Bobby shared candid reflections on building companies, technology choices, and the future of travel:
* On Meili vs. CarTrawler: Owning the consumer came at huge cost (e.g., fraud, call centres, and customer management). Meili is designed to change that, with 48 people doing what once required 600.
* On Build vs. Buy: “Buy for market expertise or speed. But if it’s just a tech problem—build.” Manna outsources components and some software, as the key metric is time to market.
* On B2B vs. B2C: Focus on B2B for faster revenue; you don’t need huge capital to build travel tech.
* On Building in Ireland: “We can create billion-dollar companies here,” he said, praising Enterprise Ireland for its support.
* On Talent Acquisition: “Look around—how many women are in this room?” (the answer was “four” which is very unusual for a Travel Massive Dublin Chapter event). He noted Meili’s team is over 50% women and stressed the need for more programs to attract young talent, even before college.
* On the Future: Optimistic—citing the drop in compute costs, tech’s impact on healthcare, and global economic growth.
Taking questions from the floor, Chapter Co-Leader [Amanda Campbell](www.travelmassive.com/@amanda-campbell) ([T2RL](www.t2rl.com/?ref=travelmassive)) asked about an AI bubble. Bobby acknowledged “some punchy valuations” and warned that “there isn’t a future until we solve the energy problem.”
[Ultan O’Brien](www.travelmassive.com/@ultan-o-brien-8176284360) ([Airportr](www.airportr.com/?ref=travelmassive)) turned to car hire, asking why it is still so frustrating for customers. Bobby cited “a race to the bottom on price” and “too much fragmentation”, but noted brands like Enterprise and Sixt are improving loyalty and experience.
— Thanks to everyone who attended and supported the event!
👋 Stay connected with travel innovators in Dublin. Join our [Dublin Travel Massive](www.travelmassive.com/posts/dublin-travel-massive-311524526) to be notified of upcoming events and connect with other members. See you at our next event!
Thanks to our Dublin Travel Massive community who joined our Founders Fireside Chat at Stripe’s stunning new Wilton Park offices for an evening of insights and lively discussion.
The event drew 45 attendees, including representatives from PhocusWire, Plan3, Tenable, Klarna, Engineering Insights, OpenVentures, IrishAero, Hornblower Group, Magpie Travel, and many more.
See you at our next event!
Great writeup, thanks Amanda and team!
I'm always telling people that Dublin is a traveltech epicentre — there's so many smart minds here collaborating in the engine room of global travel distribution.
Also sharing @linda-fox's writeup on PhocusWire:
What travel tech entrepreneur Bobby Healy would build if he had another life
www.phocuswire.com/bobby-healy-travel-distribution-ai-meili
Looking forward to my next visit to Dublin and meeting some of these amazing folks 🍻
We are getting more and more requests to include hotels in our multi day tours in the UK.
Its not something we have focused on in the past, but it seems though we are going to have to look into this. Just wanting to see if anyone in the Travel Massive community can supply, advise or help with this situation for us 😀
We usually contract directly with the hotels, or, if it is a chain like IHG/Accor you can request through their groups desk.
I've sent out some emails to the chains so far IHG being one of them - good to know I've started on the right foot thanks Sandra :-)
Try also reaching out via Social Media. In my experience, you'll get the reply faster.
ha ha isn't that the truth, how the world has changed :-)
We do many single day tours, but have various multiday offering and also do a lot of custom tours - if you want to check us out before replying here are our current tours bestuktours.com/tours/
We book hotels directly. I reach out to them, ask for STO/Nett rates, book provisional holds for my guests (depending on the destination can be 2 weeks to a couple months.
ah ha, that's a good trick of the trade, thank you so much, going to sound awfully professional asking for STO/net rates now :-)
Lots of people use nett and not net. Weird, I know. Here's a sample email that I send - obviously, you'll want to write up a little story on yourself. I know folks are busy, but I also want them to take me seriously.
"Hello - I own a safari company based in Texas and also serve as Malawi's first and only Honorary Consul in the United States. I typically organize trips to Malawi, Kenya, Zambia, Uganda, Tanzania, and Madagascar, (and occasionally, France and the Galapagos) but my clients have been asking me to organize trips to _ _ _ _ Many years ago I visited your hotel I remember the superb service and location. Can you please send me your STO/NETT Rates? I'm looking at organizing a _ _ _ _ next year. Here's my website: mysafari.org
Best Regards,
Jordan Price
Thats super helpful, thank you ever so much :-)
Do you do "city break" type tours? I'm just thinking about my clients with long layovers at LHR?
We do indeed, these are our day trips in the UK: bestuktours.com/tours/discover-the-best-of-england/ happy to jump on a discovery call to see how we could make something mutually beneficial work
Hi there!! We work directly with each hotel, signing contracts with them. Although, if you have A LOT of requests, it can be faster for you using something like Ratehawk.
Thanks so much for taking the time to reply, seems like a lot of people just book direct so this seems to be the easiest way currently, we are not going to have thousands, but will take a look at Rate hawk (assume this is a comparison type site?) we also have an affiliate account with Expedia that we are exploring + an IHG have an affiliet program too, which we will look at too... :-) have you used rate hawk yourself?
Hi James, I have two businesses: a Travel Agency in the UK via the Advantage consortium, and a UK representation agency for Inbound Tour Operators in the UK.
There's three main ways the Travel Agency can access Hotels:
- Direct Contracts - works best when you can get at least 50 room nights per year in any particular hotel
- Bedbanks - the go-to: RateHawk mentioned below, but also - BedsOnline, Stuba and Expedia TAAP have a strong UK hotel range
- Consortium 'Global Accomodation Programme' - ready to go deals with the chains like Accor, Marriott, Hilton, IHG and in some cases Premier Inn and Travelodge - predominantly used by Business Travel TMCs
When combining with other travel products, they often have package rates.
Potentially a bigger question though - if you're combining with accommodation, do you have the set up ready to go for the UK Package Travel Regulations? My UK representation agency helps global Inbound Tour Operators sell to the UK market - being UK based and place of sale is the UK means its the same solution - happy to chat!
Daniel
Hi Daniel, that is really really helpful, thank you so much - we wont be booking for big groups, they are usually 4-8 people max at a time - as you mentioned we have an affiliate program with Expedia + just looking at IHG & will check out Bedbanks - bed online and the other you mentioned. would love to have a catch up with you, to be honest maybe this is just something we can pass to you to arrange, that would save us the hassle, if you fancy having a chat fill out the contact form here and the CRM will pick it up and wiz it over to me for a call: bestuktours.com/contact-us/
We also book directly with the accommodations when we do tours in Morocco. I have had an occasional company not want to give us Sto/Nett rates, but most of the time it is not a problem.
Thank for your reply, I'm looking at various hotel booking systems, but seems like a lot just book direct, have you ever used any sort of system like Ratehawk, booking.com etc
I have not used RateHawk. I have used booking.com on several occasions and Expedia. Affilate programs are good, but sometimes it is a lot of work to join everything. For me with small groups and smaller accommodations that are independently owned, it works better to book direct.
In the US, I have worked with companies like IHG and Hilton, and it is relatively easy to get a contract with them if you can meet the requirements. Just read the contracts carefully.
I think working with a travel advisor/agent or advisor as Daniel mentioned above might make it easier to start, especially if there are things within the regulations you are not familiar with. I had to meet with attorneys and insurance representatives to sort things and make sure I was setting things up correctly.
Colivium helps digital nomads and remote workers find colivings with strong communities. It goes beyond amenity checklists to reveal what matters:
🤝 Community: Analysis of hundreds of guest reviews to uncover whether guests form real friendships, how hosts facilitate connection, whether spaces naturally bring people together.
💻 Necessities: Detailed assessments of working conditions (dedicated quiet spaces, call rooms, reliable internet), self-catering setups (kitchen equipment, cooking together dynamics), and sleep quality – the fundamentals that make or break a stay.
✨ Character: What makes each coliving unique through the activities guests usually participate in, character of the location, stories of the people running the space.
Launching with ~40 colivings and focussing on Europe, but expanding soon!
Hi everyone!
I’m a freelance software developer and coliving enthusiast. Since 2021, I spend ~half of every year in colivings.
I built Colivium to evaluate colivings according to what most digital nomads look for – to have community, a space designed for community, good working conditions, alongside the standard necessities that you'd expect from any accommodation.
Colivium consolidates information from reviews, websites, Google Maps, and creates detailed profiles – extracting patterns of what guests say (and what they don't!), common activities, stories and motivations of the founders, and much more.
I built this because I find it frustrating that the coliving market is dominated by places that are little more than house shares with strangers. Figuring out which places have good community is hard – many have 5-star ratings because guests have low expectations. To find a great coliving, you need to read between the lines of reviews.
I've been running a waitlist service for popular colivings (cowaiting.net) for almost 3 years. Having more information was the most requested feature.
If you're a digital nomad or remote worker, I'm curious about:
- Any colivings you've been to and liked
- What information you need to decide on a coliving
👉 Check us out at colivium.co and share your feedback!
Hi Daniel, I think this is a great idea! As a fellow coliving enthusiast, I totally understand the sentiment. I've been to many colivings and it really grinds my gears when I go to one that offers community but then I arrive there and that isn't the case. That is why I've created a course on how to be a community facilitator for coliving spaces (colivingeducation.com).
I have some suggestions, if you don't mind :)
I believe that community facilitators are the core of the community for each coliving space and they should be proudly displayed front and center so that a potential resident can see who they will be interacting with on a regular basis. Have you considered adding a "meet your community facilitator" section for each coliving space? Going even further, I think it will really differentiate your site from the rest if you have functionality where community facilitators can create profiles on the site and add themselves to the coliving space that they are currently facilitating. This would allow a CF to build trust and credibility in the coliving space by showing how much experience they have and where they have it in relation to community facilitation. A coliving space, in turn, will be able to find potential facilitators that they can reach out to and offer positions as a CF in their coliving space. As a final note, these CF pages can even show a badge for CFs that have completed my course to further differentiate themselves and show more credibility. If you're looking to collaborate, we can work something out where you can drive traffic from colivium to colivingeducation so that your site helps highlight trained CFs which will ultimately help residents have the best coliving experiences. Looking forward to your reply, cheers.
Hi Johnny, nice project!
Yes I agree that facilitators are very important – the great ones often get followed by guests whatever coliving they end up at. They are already featured near the top of the page of every coliving, and I try to extract their personal story verbatim, so it’s their own voice.
I’m doing my best to only list the people that are actually present day-to-day, but this information unfortunately rarely listed anywhere.
About your feature suggestion: this sounds like a platform to match coliving operators with facilitators? What's the problem how it's done today, treating it like a standard job application: facilitators share their experience + past colivings and the coliving operator can check their references?
I was thinking about something related though: whether the “coliving experience” could scale more easily if instead of guests booking spaces, they booked facilitators. This is the "retreat" approach basically, but you'd need to solve the problem of finding spaces.
Yes you're right, it could serve a similar purpose as a CV and operators would be able to more easily find suitable facilitators but that would be more of a nice little added benefit. The main idea is for it to be specific to coliving community facilitation by allowing a facilitator to input information like what type of events they have experience in or like hosting, what kind of training they may have, maybe testimonials from previous coliving related work, and where they will be facilitating in the future so that potential residents can make plans to join them at the same coliving (kinda like your idea of booking a stay with a facilitator).
I guess the main idea here is to further validate the facilitator and their experience through user input into the platform rather than pulling data from online. It should theoretically be more reliable, up to date, and accurate.
As a former operator, I know it's hard to find a qualified facilitator and also being a former analyst I tend to look at things very analytically. Ideally, I would have liked to go on a specific platform to find facilitators based on specific criteria. To sort and filter the results. As it stands now, the best you can do as an operator is to put out posts seeking facilitators and manually validating each one through interviews and reaching out to their previous collaborators. Sure, you can go on LinkedIn but many facilitators don't update their profile accordingly and there is very limited filtering/sorting functionality.
Each year in January, the historic city of [Ouidah](maps.app.goo.gl/c8NhvLprq1c4RF598) hosts [Vodun Days](vodundays.bj/en/) — an international festival celebrating Vodun art, culture, and spirituality. This festival brings together initiates, travelers, and the curious from around the world to experience something truly unique right at the birthplace of Vodun.
Originating in West Africa, within the ancient Kingdom of Dahomey (today Bénin), [Vodun](en.wikipedia.org/wiki/West_African_Vod%C3%BAn) (also spelled "Vodoun") is based on reverence for nature, ancestors, and the spiritual forces that surround us. (Some examples: Mahou "main god", Dan "god of property", Xheviosso "god of justice", Legba for protection).
Vodun is more than a religion. It’s a philosophy of life, an art, a memory, and a deep connection between the visible and invisible worlds. Far from the clichés of cinema, this authentic spirituality is expressed through songs, dances, sculptures, symbols, and rituals that maintain harmony between humans and their environment.
More than a celebration, it’s a call to (re)discover a rich ancient millenary culture that is profoundly human.
Hi everyone, I'm a cultural & ethnographic tour guide based in Cotonou, Benin.
As a tour guide passionate about African culture and spirituality, I believe tourism can be a powerful way to value our traditions and promote intercultural exchange.
I would love to connect with other professionals and enthusiasts of cultural and spiritual tourism in Africa!
Looks like you can see and learn a lot during this festival
Of course! I highly recommend attend to it.
I love the colors and vibrancy of the photos!
Thanks, Alison! That’s the magic of West Africa vibrant people, colors, and traditions everywhere.
*I spent a weekend in Badagry, just a few hours from the busy city of Lagos, and it turned out to be more than a getaway — it was a journey through time, memory, and connection.*
Badagry is one of those places that leaves a mark on you long after you leave. The moment you arrive, the air feels different. Badagry is quiet but powerful. It carries history in its soul.
[Badagry town](maps.app.goo.gl/oNkkFi8zHugyfZew7) was founded around the 1720s and became one of the major slave ports in West Africa. It was from here that thousands of Africans were taken across the Atlantic, never to return. For Africans in diaspora, this town is not just a tourist spot, it is a bridge to their ancestors.
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*Walking through Badagry feels like standing at the doorway of history.
You sense pain, pride, and resilience all at once.*
Mobee Slave Relics Museum
My first stop was at the [Mobee Slave Relics Museum](www.instagram.com/mobeeslaverelics/). This place has original relics, iron chains, handcuffs, and trade items used by Europeans in exchange for people. It was emotional listening to the guide explain how families were separated and how some were never seen again. But it was also a place of strength.
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*The Mobee family turned their painful history into a place of learning, so visitors can see and never forget.*
Serriki Wiliams Abass Slave Barracoon
Not far from the Mobee Museum stands one of the most haunting sites in Badagry, the [Serriki Wiliams Abass Slave Barracoon](maps.app.goo.gl/S97beoQbJVMNu9ZB7). It is a small dark room where dozens of men, women, and children were once kept before being taken to the ships. The air inside is heavy, and the walls seem to hold silent cries. It is hard to stand there without feeling emotional. The guide explained that people were kept there for days, sometimes weeks, waiting for ships to arrive.
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*A painful place, but an important reminder of how strong the human spirit can be.*
First Storey Building
My next stop was at the [First Storey Building in Nigeria](africa.businessinsider.com/lifestyle/i-visited-nigerias-first-storey-building-and-found-something-interesting-no-one-ever/383211d), built by Christian missionaries around 1845. It’s a small white structure, but standing in front of it feels special. It represents the beginning of Western education and religion in Nigeria. I climbed up the narrow stairs and looked out through the window, thinking about how much memories this building holds, the early missionaries, the locals who learned to read here, and the changes that came after.
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Point of No Return
Then it was time to get to the “[Point of No Return](maps.app.goo.gl/Xrg9E3nsmbe1Gtdo6)”. This path starts from the the lagoon, and ends on a narrow road that meets the Atlantic Ocean. It’s about a 2.5-kilometer walk, but every step feels heavy. The name “Point of No Return” wasn’t just symbolic, it was the literal last land enslaved Africans touched before being shipped away. The silence there is deep. You can hear the sea, the wind, and your own thoughts. Some visitors pour water or sand into bottles as a way to carry a piece of memory back with them. I stood there for a while, looking out at the endless water, and felt both sadness and gratitude. Sadness for what happened, and gratitude for being able to stand there freely.
Community and resilience
Badagry is not only about history, it is also about community and resilience. The people are warm and proud of their heritage. Talking to the locals, you can tell they are working hard to preserve their town’s history while also building a better future through tourism.
For Africans in the diaspora, visiting Badagry can be a deeply emotional experience. It’s not just about sightseeing, it’s about reconnecting with identity. Many who come here say it feels like coming home, even if they’ve never been to Nigeria before. Walking that same route their ancestors once took, standing where history changed forever, brings a sense of closure and healing. Badagry offers that, a space for reflection, education, and spiritual connection.
If you ever plan to visit, take your time. Go with an open heart. Spend at least a weekend so you can explore slowly and take everything in. Badagry gives you a chance to understand history from where it happened and to feel connected to something bigger than yourself. For me, this weekend wasn’t just about travel, it was about remembrance, reflection, and rediscovery.
Every African, especially those in the diaspora, should visit Badagry at least once. Let the journey remind you of strength, survival, and the beauty that still rises from pain. Travel, after all, isn’t only about where we go, it is about finding pieces of ourselves along the way.
About the author — *Esther Chinaza is a traveler and tour guide based in Nigeria. Connect with Esther on [Travel Massive](www.travelmassive.com/@esther-chinaza), [Instagram](www.instagram.com/chinaza_creates/), and her travel blog [Explore With Eva](explorewithevablog.wordpress.com).*
Definitely visiting Badagry for weekend getaway
You really should!
It’s such a powerful experience.
Thanks for sharing your experience
Thank you!
Thank you Esther for sharing your experience with us .
Thank you!
Is Sidemen worth a visit? Absolutely.
Sidemen is a [small valley in eastern Bali](maps.app.goo.gl/iUaDaVfaBQaCbqZPA). Not so many people write about Sidemen, and if they do it's most likely not by a local. As a local Sidemen — and as we've learnt from the mistakes made in other parts of the island — our aim is supporting the local population, reducing plastic waste, using natural materials and providing scholarships.
We don’t want our beautiful village turned into ‘the next Ubud’ as many tourist and traveler have said. We just want Sidemen to be as it is — a place that we spent in the memories of our childhood, a land of a farmer and river. The small villages are surrounded by rice fields and agricultural land while people still tend to their fields, prepare ceremonies at the temples and head to the rivers for a bath towards the end of the day.
All under the watchful eye of the impressive and sacred Mount Agung.
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Sidemen is, without question, quintessential Bali – the panoramic rice terraces, farmlands and the quaint villages nestled in hills and valleys. When you visit this magically preserved region, it’s easy to imagine what Bali must have looked like 30 years ago before the tourism altered the landscape of the island.
The scene in Sidemen Bali is so rural in fact that you feel like you traveled in a time machine because you can’t fathom how such an enchanting countryside exists just 2 hours north of populated and developed tourist center of South Bali (Denpasar, Kuta, Nusa Dua).
Sidemen has been able to maintain its traditional charm and way of life for much longer compared to other parts of the island which have been recently developed.
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*One thing I will always remember of being kid in Sidemen is wandering the rice field with my brothers and friends and when we finished playing we will go take a bath at Unda river (Photo by Gus Dark/Adimelali Bali)*
Sidemen can be a base or worth staying for more than two or three nights, if want to explore East Bali. Alternatively, Sidemen can be a transit place for a night or two when going to Gili’s or Lombok from Padang Bay port, or when planning to visit Amed or Candidasa.
With [many villas to choose from](www.travelfish.org/accommodation/indonesia/bali/bali/sidemen/all) (and some five-star service resorts) a visit to Sidemen will make it easier to access destinations and activities including Amed, Gate Of Heaven Lempuyang, Climbing Mount Agung, Candidasa, Padang Bay and even Ubud, as an alternative to Candidasa or Amed.
Despite the overdevelopment on the island this unique area in east Bali still has the feeling as if not much has changed. This village has not been discovered by many tourists. However, in the past few years more and more travelers are discovering this tranquil place — particularly nature lovers. Bali's hiking trails and paths take you along rice fields, mountains, through the valleys of the Unda river and many coffee and cocoa plantations which dominate this area.
Sidemen offers not only magnificent views and landscapes but also a glimpse into the traditional way of life, which is rare if you only visit the popular hot spots of Bali. When you take a stroll around Sidemen, it’s evident just how intimate the communities are. Every local person stops and talk to one another, working together in the fields and taking coffee breaks in the shades.
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*Explore Sidemen in a Volkswagen classic type 181/182 convertible, known as "VWe-BaT"*
Perhaps you've been to other acclaimed rice terraces in Bali such as Tagalalang and Jatiluwih, but Sidemen is special. It’s a unique feeling at Sidemen, and it comes down to this:
Sidemen feels very much like a community.
A few things to know about Sidemen
🚔 Polsek Sidemen / Sidemen Sectorial Police Station
Phone: +62851-4311-1311
Location: maps.app.goo.gl/PsABDHhx2aYagdcd7
🩺 Puskesman / Public Health Care Local Village Sidemen
Phone : (0366) 5300582 (land line/ and opening hours is morning to noon)
Location: g.co/kgs/ob6ktpv
🚑 Medical Clinic or International Medical Care are not available in Sidemen tourist centre (Tabola), for any medical assistance and emergency its perhaps need to reach around 1 hours Klungkung Regency to 1 and half hour to Karangasem City Centre or 2 hour to Gianyar Regency.
💊 Pharmacy are not available in Sidemen area include the tourist centre in Tabola. So if you have a congenital disease, or have allergies to cold air, food allergies and others, or need regular medication to be taken, make sure before going to Sidemen to bring a supply of medicine or buy your medicine supply in Denpasar, Ubud or a large pharmacy in a tourism center such as Kuta , Sanur and others.
🏪 Convenience store, Mini Market, Supermarket or Liqueur Shop are not available in Sidemen, so if you love snacking, smoking, or drinking ( wine, whiskey, vodka) you better get your supply from supermarket or liqueur shop in most biggest tourist facility centre such Sanur, Denpasar, Kuta, Ubud or Seminyak.
Hi, I am Dee Gorra of Adimelali Bali.
I'm not just a local Sidemen — I'm also an expert in Bali and most of Indonesia. I'm a travel planner, a tour organizer and I run Adimelali Bali — my travel business for 15 years. I studied tourism and have nearly 25 years experience in the travel industry — especially Bali, East Bali, Indonesia and Malaysia.
Is Sidemen worth a visit? Absolutely. Sidemen is, without question, quintessential Bali – the panoramic rice terraces, farmlands and the quaint villages nestled in hills and valleys. When you visit this magically preserved region, it’s easy to imagine what Bali must have looked like 30 years ago before the tourism altered the landscape of the island.
In Sidemen you don’t need to pay to watch and explore rice terraces — but to give to support to this farmer community will be a great way to keep Sidemen as what it is.
Do you want to experience Sidemen? As pioneers in developing trekking routes and exploring rivers and villages roads in Sidemen villages since 2005, our "Let’s Go East Bali" became (after various improvements) the forerunner of our special trip with the Volkswagen classic type 181/182 convertible, which now known as "VWe-BaT". This trip is a way to give tourists a sensation in a more intimate way and closer to Bali.
👉 Learn more about Adimelali Bali and our tours at adimelali.com
Feel free to ask any questions here!
👍
We are a husband and wife writing duo and sommeliers and for over a decade we've covered resorts, spas, fine dining, wine, spirits, and luxury travel as journalists.
Our travels have taken us all over the US, Europe, Mexico, the Caribbean, and beyond. Our work as appeared in the LA Times, Travel and Leisure, Google Travel, Modern Luxury, French Quarter Magazine in France, Monaco, and Lausanne Tourism City Guide.
Our podcast Cuisineist Travels is hosted by Kate Roberts and Jack Martin, and focuses on the culture, history, and luxury and adventure travel of different destinations, with a strong emphasis on food and wine.
👉 Tune in to our podcast at cuisineist.com/cuisineist-travels-podcast/
Here's a short video from Bourbon Steak Las Vegas with Chef Michael Mina which featured in one of our recent episodes.
www.youtube.com/watch?v=Cq2mYtCRNoQ
Excited to listen in. Let me know when you're heading to my travelicious homeland of Germany next, we not just all about the wurst!
What a fun idea! I travel for food and wine as well, best way to travel :)
HERE'S THE NEXT 5 UPCOMING EVENTS:
Join us in Bristol for a slightly bigger event than normal!
We'll have a panel of international guest speakers, discussing the topic of
Diverse perspectives: redressing power imbalances between supply & demand for fairer tourism
Our speakers are:
• Raj Tamang - Responsible Adventures - Nepal
• Caglar Gokgun - SGA Travels - Turkiye
• Chantal Potgieter - Themba Travel - South Africa
They're in the country for WTM London and I've managed to persuade them to stay on a few extra days for us - so please make the most of this opportunity to hear their local perspectives from around the world.
Please arrive by 6pm when we will begin the panel discussion, with time for socialising and networking from 7pm onwards.
Event location: Moxy hotel, 55 Newfoundland Street, Bristol, BS2 9AP
👉 RSVP is essential. Register right here on Travel Massive.
Moxy Bristol opened in 2022 - a playful, design-led hotel brand from Marriott. Their space brings the city’s bold spirit inside, with striking artwork from a local graffiti artist and nods to the area’s rich Caribbean heritage. Moxy Bristol are kindly hosting us, with food and drink available to be purchased on the evening.
Come along for a thought-provoking panel discussion and to catch up with local friends, contacts & colleagues - and meet new ones! Hope to see lots of you there.
Link to event pageJoin us for a causal get-together for travel industry professionals and travel enthusiasts. Come by, say hi, and enjoy a drink and some food (not included). This is a great opportunity to see old faces and meet new people in travel!
📍 Venue
Old Town Pub
1339 N Wells St, Chicago, IL 60610
Tuesday, November 11, 2025
5:30 pm - 7:30 pm
The Most Traveled People’s meet-up
The MTP Summit is an unique gathering where world explorers connect, share stories, and engage in meaningful conversations. Attend a selection of curated speakers who, through their world travels, share personal insights and rich experiences. We bring together individuals with unique perspectives and a shared passion for exploration.
The Most Traveled People (MTP) community is thrilled to announce the MTP Summit 2025, set to take place in the vibrant city of Addis Ababa, Ethiopia from 13 to 16 November 2025.
🌍 MTP is the largest extreme travel community in the world, with over 30,000 members who aspire to visit every land area on Earth. The platform also serves as a system of record for collectors of the world's best restaurants, beaches, hotels, golf courses, World Heritage Sites, and more.
www.youtube.com/watch?v=_gyhTotSliI
The MTP Summit 2025 promises an impressive lineup of activities and speakers:
→ Masterclass Sessions: Attendees will benefit from masterclass-level insights delivered by ten renowned speakers, covering topics from expedition planning to social media growth.
→ Networking Opportunities: Meet and connect with some of the world's most traveled individuals.
→ Curated Side Visits: Participate in exclusive side visits organized by MTP, exploring the rich culture and history of Ethiopia.
Get your ticket and learn more at mtp.travel/mtp-summit-2025
Link to event pageJoin us for our AFTERWORK event in Ljubljana and connect with the vibrant Slovenian travel and hospitality scene.
We’re bringing together Slovenia’s travel startups, hotels, tour companies, travel tech, influencers, and hospitality professionals all under one roof. Don’t miss out on this chance to expand your network and share ideas with the people shaping travel in our region.
👉 Registration is essential!
Event details
📍 Venue: Tektonik Pivovarna Ljubljana
Address: Likozarjeva ulica 1, 1000 Ljubljana
Parking: paid parking available in front of the bar
🎟️ Free entry
👉 We start at 6:00 pm
🍹 Complimentary welcome drink
🌮 Bar food available inside
About Travel Massive
Travel Massive connects thousands of tourism professionals, travel media, influencers, and startups worldwide to meet, share ideas, and collaborate. This is the first Travel Massive Afterwork in Ljubljana — part of our mission to bring local travel communities together and spotlight Slovenia on the global stage.
Join us for the Final Pitch Contest and Award Ceremony of the Social Entrepreneurs in Tourism Competition 2025!
On November 17, the 10 finalists will pitch their ventures live to an international Jury and audience. The Jury will select the winners in two categories: Launch Track and Growth Track.
Save the date:
📅 November 17, 2025
🕑 14:00 CET
📍 Online – Livestream available
The finalists have completed a high-impact mentoring program with global experts and are now ready to present their socially driven tourism innovations.
🟩 Launch Track Finalists
• Legends in the Landscape – Nepal 🇳🇵
• EveryWhere – Vietnam 🇻🇳
• Project Revitalise – Nepal 🇳🇵
• Retiro – Argentina 🇦🇷
• ZeroTrail Climate Action Vehicle – India 🇮🇳
🟦 Growth Track Finalists
• Abasuba Eco-Cultural Exploration – Kenya 🇰🇪
• The Portal: Destination Storyliving – Botswana 🇧🇼
• Velout – Germany 🇩🇪
• Indulge Me – Brazil 🇧🇷
• CarbonTrace .in – India 🇮🇳
🏆 Winners will receive financial support, international visibility, and tailored support from our network of partners.
🔔 Register on Travel Massive to watch live.
🎥 The event will be livestreamed and recorded.
💡 Learn more about the Competition at: socialtourismcompetition.com
Link to event pageBangkok Travel Industry Social — A Social and Networking Evening with Travel Massive and friends.
Travel Massive Bangkok invites travel industry professionals, creators and founders to an exclusive travel industry innovation night. Coinciding with the NoVacancy Hotel & Accommodation Industry Expo (18-19 November in Bangkok), join us at a private gathering of travel change-makers, hospitality brands, and creators reshaping the future of travel.
Travel Massive first timer or long-standing regular, we're looking forward to welcoming you!
🍺 Venue: The Smokin' Pug (Downstairs from 6-8, then upstairs)
📍 Location: 1105 Langsuan Road, Lumpini Park (maps.app.goo.gl/S5DH946M7saBdAsv6)
🗓️ Date: Tuesday, 18th November 2025
🕕 Time: 6pm - 9pm
👉 Spaces are limited, RSVP is essential
🍸 Happy hour and appetizer specials (discounted menu) for attendees.
We're excited to unite the Bangkok Travel Massive community and bring together any visitors who are in town for a social evening at The Smokin' Pug BBQ. This is a great opportunity to reconnect with old friends and make some new ones — come and meet with like minded professionals and creators in the industry.
Hosting us will be Anne Somanas, Thailand Correspondent at TTG Asia Media, and Ric Gazarian, founder of the Extraordinary Travel Festival (October 2026 in Bangkok) and Counting Countries Podcast.
🌏 About Travel Massive: The Travel Massive network connects a global community of more than 80,000 travel industry leaders, innovators and creators shaping the future of the travel industry.
🌴 About the venue: Smokin' Pug is a down to earth, tiny BBQ joint that opened in early 2015, created by husband and wife team Danny and Dana. The food combined with music and ambience offers an authentic, fun dining experience. Learn more at www.smokinpugbbq.com/our-story
We look forward to seeing you there!
— The Travel Massive team
Link to event pageHere's the 10 latest classified ads:
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