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👋🏻 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 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!
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.
Hi everyone! 👋 I’m Laura, founder of ELYV8 – a platform connecting travelers with vetted personal trainers offering unique fitness experiences.
After more than three years as a digital nomad, I was constantly looking for ways to stay active without sacrificing the travel experience. Finding high-quality fitness sessions in a new city wasn’t always easy. I wanted more than just another gym – I wanted local experiences, great coaches, and a way to meet like-minded people.
So I built ELYV8.
With ELYV8, travelers can:
🏃 Discover unique fitness experiences in new destinations
🥊 Book everything from beach boxing and bootcamps to yoga in the park, strength training, and more
⭐ Train with vetted fitness professionals
🌍 Stay consistent with their fitness routine while exploring the world
🤝 Meet & connect with locals and fellow travelers through movement
We’re currently live in Barcelona, Valencia, and Lisbon, with more cities coming soon.
We believe your fitness shouldn’t pause when you travel. Our mission is to make high-quality fitness experiences accessible around the world, helping travelers stay active, connected, and inspired through movement.
👉 Learn more at elyv8fit.com
Hi Laura really like this idea and imagine there will be a good market there for it. Nice was to incorporate your interests with travel and meeting like minded people. Well done and wishing you every success on your venture, Lisa
Thanks so much for the positive feedback Lisa! Hope to expand to Dublin at some point as well 🙌
Building software isn't easy. But when you build something that solves your own problem, that's where the real story lives.
If you've ever planned a major holiday, you know the moment excitement turns into mild chaos. For me it hits about three weeks before departure — one spreadsheet with multiple tabs, plus emails from Booking.com, Viator, Get Your Guide, Expedia, and my travel agent, each holding a different piece of the puzzle. One day I had four overseas trips pencilled in and a travel inbox in full revolt as I tried to file each booking in its own folder.
I'm new to travelling and new to the travel sector, but not to software. I spent 35 years writing it and ran a boutique ERP provider handling inventory, HR, and P&L. What did I know about travel planning? Nothing. But I know how software should work and how to look after the people who use it.
So I ditched the spreadsheet and went looking. I tried the popular products — TripIt, Wanderlog — and some lesser-known ones. None let me plan the way I actually think.
Case in point. My next trip is "Europe November 2026," destinations Budapest, Vienna, Prague. Every product wanted a single destination first — declare "Budapest 2026," then somehow bolt the other cities on. That's backwards.
Hotels. I'm not a travel agent — I don't count nights, I count days, arrival and departure included. Three nights to you is four days to me.
Flights. You can't fly direct out of Australia; there's always a stopover and a plane change, so I needed multiple airports and cities. And I like to map it — but "Charleston" exists in Africa, the USA, and Europe. So I use IATA codes, and it maps perfectly every time.
Cruises. Try one on a spreadsheet: the sailing itself, embarkation and disembarkation dates, ports of call in between, tours, sea days, formal nights, what to wear.
So I built a simple tool to solve my own problem. I call it The Travel Planner — a web app my customers subscribe to. Here's what it does today, with more on the way:
- Cost tracking — per item, in groups, or a mix, set up your way
- DIR (Document to Itinerary Reader) — turns a document straight into your itinerary
- Document wallet — tickets, bookings, and everything else in one place
- Hotel amenity symbols — see at a glance if breakfast or laundry is included
- Transportation — car rental, train, bus, ferry, and taxi together
- Full currency conversion — buy in one currency, see it in yours
- Tours — day, bus, private, and free time, including stopovers
- Cruises — departure and arrival ports plus ports of call
- Document management — store, view, and renew passports, visas, insurance, and vaccinations
- Calendar view — zoom in and out of any day or event
- AI packing list — personalised to destination, activities, and season
- Trip cost report — total, per-person, and what's still owing
The Travel Planner isn't trying to replace spontaneous exploration or be an all-singing, all-dancing agency in your pocket. It's a quiet companion built to take the friction out of planning. It's still evolving, and every trip teaches me a little more. If trip logistics have ever overwhelmed you, I hope it brings some ease to your next adventure.
Learn more at www.thetravelplanner.com.au
Absolutely fab I love the concept and the fact it grew from the gap you found while traveling yourself. I can hear your passion and its very obviously well thought out with so many layers. I am starting my own Private Host and Luxury Tour business in Dublin, Ireland. Next time you are traveling why not put Ireland on the wish list and give me a shout. Well done and wishing you every success with it, Lisa
P.S. I am very new to this Travel Massive and still building my profile but I am blown away by peoples innovativeness...
Thank you for your possitive reply. I am now contemplating building a tour guides version. I believe that by having a solution that allows you keep control of your tours, your guests, travel needs etc all in one place will have a great impact.
Travel Massive is new to me as well and i welcome the inclusiveness that the willingness of other to spur me on.
Ireland is definitly on my bucket list.
Best Wishes
Larry
I'll be very interested in seeing what that looks like. I had a look at your Profile just there I wasn't even aware I could do that, talk about a newbie.. I'm fascinated to have conversations with people, like yourself, share ideas and insights.
I've only just built my website from scratch I started on Friday. I'm so proud of this, while I'm tech savvy (self thought) I never in a million years believed I would master something like that but perseverance and passion drive it. I'm so glad I did it myself but I would love you to have a look at it and give me some feedback if you had time. Its aimed at the US market at present as I've good connections there etc. Good to connect, Lisa
Interesting concept, especially having bookings and itinerary in one place. For me, the real test would be how simple it stays when planning a complex multi-city trip. Looking forward to seeing how it develops.
Hi Ihsan, thanks for your comments. The .
Travel Planner was built for multiple complex wishestrips which is why it caters for so many facets of trips.
I want to clarify one very important point from another post you made about my product.
The Travel Planner is not a booking and itinerary manager. It is itinerary manager designed to stand alone or to be used in conjunction with a travel planner
I'd like to invite you to sign up for the free trial and perhaps review my product.
Thank you and best wishes
Larry
The Travel Planner
Hi Larry,
Thank you for the clarification — I appreciate it. I understand the distinction now and agree that it’s important to describe The Travel Planner accurately.
I’d be happy to sign up for the free trial and explore the product properly. It would be interesting to see how it works in practice, especially for managing more complex trips.
Thanks for the invitation, and I’ll be glad to share my thoughts after I’ve had a chance to use it.
Best wishes,
Ihsan
Ihsan, I can tell you are a very good man. I can't wait to get to Greece one day. It wont be long
Thank you, Larry, I really appreciate that. I hope you make it to Greece soon — I’m sure you’ll love it. And when you do, I’d be happy to share a few places worth discovering beyond the usual spots.
When planning a road trip, finding the route and distance is easy. What I always found more difficult was understanding the real cost of the journey, especially when travelling across different countries where fuel prices can change significantly.
That is why I started building FuelWide.
The idea is simple: you enter where you are travelling from and where you are going, select your fuel type and add your vehicle's fuel consumption. FuelWide then calculates the driving route and estimates:
- the driving distance
- the amount of fuel required
- the estimated fuel cost
- the cost of the complete journey
I wanted it to be more useful than a basic distance multiplied by fuel price calculator.
FuelWide can work with petrol, diesel and electric vehicles, show fuel or charging stops along the route, and compare fuel prices between countries so travellers can understand where it may make more sense to refuel.
For example, if you are driving through several countries in Europe, the difference in fuel prices can have a noticeable impact on the total cost of the trip. Instead of checking different websites manually, the goal is to bring this information together as part of the route-planning process.
The bigger idea behind FuelWide is to make fuel price data useful for real travel decisions.
I don't want it to be just another website showing the current price per litre or gallon. I want people to be able to understand what those prices actually mean for their trip, whether that is a weekend drive, a summer holiday, a camper trip or a longer road trip across several countries.
I am also exploring how this could be useful for travel bloggers, camper and motorhome communities, tourism websites and itinerary creators. For example, a travel guide could show a route and allow readers to instantly estimate how much it would cost them to drive it with their own vehicle.
🚗 Take a look and try it out at FuelWide.com
FuelWide is still growing and I would really appreciate feedback from people working in travel.
Where in the trip-planning journey do you think a tool like this would be most useful?
Would fuel cost alone be enough, or would things like tolls, charging costs, border fees and suggested refuelling locations also be useful?
Really useful idea for road trips. Does FuelWide also account for tolls and different fuel prices along the route, especially when crossing countries?
Thanks, Ihsan! Yes, FuelWide accounts for different fuel prices in each country along the route, using published national averages, and
helps identify where refuelling could save money.
Toll coverage is partial: it includes motorway passes (vignettes) for six European countries, including Bulgaria, Austria and Slovenia, but
distance-based tolls aren’t included yet. Those gaps are flagged in the estimate.
Thanks for clarifying, Teo. The country-by-country fuel pricing is especially useful for longer European road trips. Good to know the toll limitations are clearly flagged as well.
Love this and will use it myself for my new business venture as a private tour host and guide in Ireland. Well done and wishing you every success, Lisa
Thank you very much, Lisa! :) I really appreciate your feedback. It means a lot to us!
Fabulous website very easy to use, Lisa
Similar to last year, I've pulled together a list of the global travel technology conferences and events for 2027:
• All travel - aviation, hospitality, destinations, tourism, corporate, and loyalty
• All with a technology angle - vendors, speakers or exhibitors
• All international - people will travel for the event
• All live and in-person
So far I only have dates for about 60 of the 130 events listed.
👉 If you know about any I'm missing, please let me know! DM me on Trave Massive or on LinkedIn www.linkedin.com/in/marklen/ with your additions.
Thanks to everyone who helped with last year's list. Just having the event names from 2026 helped a lot.
PS: The 2026 list (this year) is still being updated:
www.travelmassive.com/posts/i-created-a-list-of-global-travel-tech-conferences-in-2026-241194796
wow thanks!
so usefull! thanks a lot!!
Thank you for building the list.
Have you previously attended any? If yes, which ones?
I have worked mostly in aviation reservations & distribution for the last 30 years, so I've been to a few: World Aviation Festival, T2RL, FTE / APEX, ATPS/Loyalty MegaEvent, IATA (various), ITB Berlin, WTM, BTS/TTS, Skift (remote), TBEX (ages ago), TTI, Travolution, CAPA, Phocuswright.
Make an Exhibition Promoting Srilanka🇱🇰
Nice! that's something I've been looking for.
For generations, Ghana has been more than a destination for the African Diaspora. It represents ancestry, identity, heritage, connection and belonging.
The launch of the "Year of Return in 2019", followed by "Beyond the Return", repositioned Ghana’s diaspora tourism strategy from simply inviting people to visit our heritage sites to building a deeper, long-term relationship with the global African Diaspora.
From the United States, United Kingdom, Canada, Germany, France, the Netherlands, Belgium and across the Caribbean, diaspora travellers continue to come to Ghana to reconnect with their roots, experience our culture, explore our heritage and create new memories.
Our castles and forts, festivals and cultural experiences, from Emancipation and PANAFEST to Chale Wote, AfroFuture and December in GH, are helping position Ghana as an increasingly important hub for diaspora tourism.
Ghana transformed a painful history of slavery and the transatlantic slave trade into an opportunity for healing, reconnection, cultural discovery and economic engagement. The response was extraordinary. The Cape Coast Castle, Elmina Castle and other heritage sites became powerful spaces where visitors could confront history, understand their ancestry and establish a deeper relationship with Africa.
International attention turned towards Ghana. Diaspora travellers, celebrities, entrepreneurs, creatives, academics, families and cultural leaders arrived in significant numbers.
But Ghana recognised that one year could not sustain an entire tourism strategy, that led to "Beyond the Return" a broader, longer-term framework designed to build on the momentum of the Year of Return and deepen the relationship between Ghana and the global African Diaspora.
Ghana’s international tourism market has demonstrated strong recovery since the pandemic, with the United States continuing to be Ghana’s leading international source market.
But the opportunity goes beyond visitor numbers.
Diaspora tourism can create more stories, stronger connections, repeat visits, investment, cultural exchange and lasting relationships between Ghana and the global African Diaspora.
There are deep historical, cultural and economic connections between Ghana 🇬🇭 and the United States 🇺🇸.
The opportunity therefore extends beyond attracting visitors. It is about developing lifelong relationships with the Diaspora:
A first time visitor can become a repeat visitor.
A repeat visitor can become an investor.
An investor can become an ambassador.
And an ambassador can inspire hundreds of others to discover Ghana.
This is how destination marketing becomes destination development. We expect more of our brothers and sisters from the Diaspora to come home.
More stories. More connections. More investment. More cultural exchange.
Have you made it home yet? And if so, what brought you back?
Any suggestions or recommendation for a SIMPLE, easy to use app/software to keep track of what tours I am doing, for whom, for how long, when? I am looking for a schedule planner with an overview and the ability to go into more details. Is there one specifically designed for Freelance Tour guides?
Hi there Christel, I'm Larry from The Travel Planner (www.thetravelplanner.com.au). I have an excellent product that I can easily add freelance functionality to it. I don't charge for this work as I feel that it's helping the travel community. I only ask that you take out a yearly ( not per month!) subscription for $36 AUD /year. Let me know if you're interested. Hello@thetravelplanner.com.au.
Best regards
L
For a freelance guide, I’d probably keep it simple at first. Google Calendar combined with a basic spreadsheet can work surprisingly well — dates and reminders in the calendar, and client, tour, payment and notes in the sheet. It also avoids committing to another paid platform until you know exactly which features you really need.
Thank you Ihsan, as much as I don't want to give Google any more of my data, it definitely does look like this is the best option so far . I am definitely not entertaining payment options. :)
Totally understand 😄 For something this simple, I’d probably stick with the free option too. Glad it helped!
You meet a cool person at a thing, swap instagrams, and then watch each other's stories for six years without ever actually meeting up 🫣. That specific loneliness is why I built you coming.
Hey everyone, I'm Nicole 👋 a solo founder, nomad for the winter, and software engineer based in London. I've moved around a fair bit over the years: Berlin, NYC, San Francisco, London. Winters in Thailand. Every move meant building up a new friend group and community from scratch.
I found meeting people easy. Turning those people into actual friends, kinda brutal and exhausting. As a busy person who goes to a lot of events, the logistics burned through my executive function: so many group chats, an obscene amount of notifications, too much work to parse through and find the actual hangouts, so I muted them instead.
The truth is WhatsApp and the rest are designed around chatting. Hanging out is an afterthought. And on platforms like Meetup you have no control over who shows up or whether you'll vibe with them. I needed a way to turn the people I met here and there into friends, and keep track of my existing ones, without getting lost in the group chat.
It's about giving serendipity more chances to happen: meeting in real life, without messaging 10 group chats or feeling like you're gate-crashing. For travelers, you can announce where you are and friends there get an alert. Friends far away can offer to connect you to their friends in that city, with a personalized message.
We're designed around IRL first, chat later. No algorithm, so you actually see your friends, and no ragebait. Give it a try if you feel my pain, and if there are features you'd love to see, I'm all ears. I want to build this with the community.
📲 Try it out at youcomingapp.com and please share your feedback!
So cool. I loved the hang out feature, is very useful.
Thank you!!
Good idea, but i've done something similar before and it is very difficult to scale!
I hope you have luck with yours!
Great work. Very useful.
Thank you!
Love the design.
Interestingly, I saw Snapchat launched their Snapchat Plans today. It might be worth looking at that and seeing how it looks, what you can take from it etc. This is a highly competitive space right now especially with the likes of Nomadstable and Tripbff (even if they're specifically travel focused).
Few pieces of feedback for you on the app front, hope some, or all of it can help you.
I'd consider a guest mode and/or offering a social single sign on. This will help massively to reduce any sign up friction and drop off.
I'm sure I don't have to remind you that being in the social networking category for apps, you're up against it, but you can make changes and influence your App Store Optimisation. I would start with looking at changing how your name appears on the store. Users are unlikely to find you directly or you show up naturally based on the current.
Good luck!
Thanks for your feedback!
Yes for sure it's a bit competitive. Tbh I'm not trying to compete with NomadTable and co, as they are only for travel and for meeting strangers. Mine is also for people who are stationary in one city and for your greater social network. So I'm kinda aiming for where you go after you meet cool people from things like NomadTable, bars, clubs, whatever to move them from acquaintances to friends.
I'm planning to add another sign in mode for sure, probably passkey, just wanted something to get it off the ground!
Changing the name on the app store also on my list as "plan w/ friends" is kinda eh, just need to sit down and brainstorm and yes maybe some more app photos.
Thanks again!
No more endless whatsapp groups that end in no plans and 7 sentence reasons why someone can't go that day.
omg right, and a wall of "no I can't make it"'s in a giant group is so discouraging! Pleaaaase yes or silence!
I’ve thought that this app was needed for years. I’m so happy it finally exists!
Ahhh thank you so much! Any other features you find would be useful please feel free to give a shout!
Love it! Good luck, Nicole!
Thank you!
I really like the concept of this. Best of luck in the development :-)
Hi everyone, I’m Alex, founder of Vibe Adventures 👋
Dynamic packaging is well established in travel, particularly around flights + hotels, but multi-day guided travel has remained much more fragmented.
We kept seeing the same problem: travelers would find a great tour, then discover that flights for those exact dates were expensive, inconvenient, or simply didn’t work — so the apparent deal disappeared.
That’s why we built Vibe Adventures. We dynamically match 6,000+ instantly confirmable multi-day tours across 125+ countries with compatible real-time flights, allowing travelers to compare the full trip price and book the best-value combination in one connected flow.
We’re starting B2C, but we also see the technology becoming infrastructure for travel advisors, holiday companies, OTAs and airlines through B2B2C and white-label/API distribution.
I’d particularly value feedback from people working in packaging and distribution: where do you see the biggest challenge — product, servicing, regulation, or distribution?
WAOW, i think there are some similar agencies that devolped something similar, but i think yours is making many API connections in real time to develop a full package with logic and common sense.
Congrats!! I will check it in deep!
BTW would you be open to connect with DiverDoo.com for scuba diving destinations, including snorkel/discovery packages?
Let's talk!!
Thanks, Nacho! I sent you a message
That's a really interesting example of the type of dynamic packaging normally associated with airline holiday/vacation companies. (And stuff I spent years working on myself).
I'll check it out in more detail when I get home. Happy to chat too. My questions will include:
- Who's the merchant for each product?
- Is it actually a package?
- Bonding requirements?
- Who does servicing?
- Do you want to stay B2C with this or sell the technology to holiday companies and airlines?
Thanks Mark! These are exactly the questions we’re thinking about.
Merchant: Vibe is the customer-facing merchant and primary point of contact. The underlying components are fulfilled by the respective tour operators, airlines and other suppliers.
Is it actually a package? From the product perspective, yes: we dynamically assemble the guided tour + compatible flights into one package and one booking flow. From a regulatory perspective, the legal definition of a “package” varies by market, so we’re treating that jurisdiction by jurisdiction rather than assuming one global structure.
Bonding / financial protection: Also market-specific. For example, flight-inclusive packages sold to UK consumers can trigger ATOL requirements even for companies established outside the UK, while EU package organizers have insolvency-protection obligations. That is something we’re structuring carefully as we expand.
Servicing: Vibe handles the customer relationship and support, and coordinates with the relevant tour operator, airline or other supplier when something changes.
B2C or B2B? B2C first — we want to prove the search, packaging and booking experience directly with travelers. But longer term, we definitely see the technology as B2B2C infrastructure too: white-label/API distribution for travel advisors, holiday companies, OTAs and potentially airlines.
Would be very happy to chat, especially given your experience with dynamic packaging.
Definitely a real gap. Travelers care about the total trip cost and how everything fits together, not tours and flights separately. Combining both in one search makes a lot of sense.
Thanks a lot for the feedback, Frida!
Just spent a few minutes browsing around the site and I'm really impressed. Moving through multi-day itineraries is usually a total headache, but the checkout flow and filters here feel super smooth and intuitive. The places to visit are so unique, many tours in places I would love to travel someday!
Thanks a lot for the feedback, Mariana!
Really interesting approach. I think combining the tour and flight search makes a lot of sense, especially for multi-day trips where the flight dates and times can make or break the whole plan.
I also like the focus on showing the total trip price rather than making travelers piece everything together themselves. It definitely removes some of the friction from planning, and the integration with so many tours makes the concept even more useful.
Thanks a lot for the feedback, Aaron!
I think there’s definitely an interesting gap here. Flights and multi-day tours are usually planned separately, even though they’re really parts of the same trip.
IMO, connecting the two could make the whole planning process much easier.
Thanks a lot for the feedback, Malone!
Real gap, and leading with total trip price is the right call. One segment worth building for: event travelers. Sports fans search by the game, not the date, so an anchor-event search (tours that start or end around a race weekend or big game) could open a whole new audience. The other thing I'd want answered at checkout: who handles it when a delayed flight means a missed tour departure. Congrats on the launch, Alex.
I gave the platform a quick try, and I think combining multi-day tours with flights in a single search has real value. It removes one of the frustrating parts of trip planning — having to search for the tour and the flights separately and then figure out whether they actually work together.
One thing I noticed while searching for Greece was that, after the Greece-specific results, I also started seeing tours covering other Balkan destinations. If these are intended as alternative or nearby suggestions, it might be helpful to separate them more clearly from the exact destination matches.
Overall, I like the concept, especially the ability to see the tour duration, departure and return points, and a price that includes flights in one place. Interesting approach, Alex!
HERE'S THE NEXT 5 UPCOMING EVENTS:
Инфо на русском ниже
We cordially invite you to participate in the panel discussions and strategic session of the Almaty Future Tourism: Quality vs Quantity at Almaty Management University held on the eve of World Tourism Day
The event will bring together government officials, market participants, and experts from the creative and tourism industries to discuss key areas of tourism development, the introduction of digital technologies, and the creation of new competitive product strategies in Kazakhstan's tourism sector. The theme for the gathering is: "Quality as a Driving Force for Tourism Destination Development.
Program
10:00 – 10:10 Partners' Welcome Speeches:
Government bodies and quasi-public tourism companies, representatives of Public Councils and Industry Councils, and AlmaU School of Management.
10:10 – 10:20
Presentation of Taldau Almaty School of Analytics Report about Digital transformation of tourism in the Almaty agglomeration: mechanisms of smart specialization of districts and the development of a distributed experience economy.
Yerkin Tikenov, Coordinator of the CIAQ Tourism Committee, Director of Inside Travel Research, Professor of Practice at AlmaU.
10:20 – 10:40
Improving the quality of tourism services through the "Quality Mark" program from JSC NC Kazakh Tourism
Kaiyrhanova Akbota Zhubanyshkyzy, Chief Manager of the Tourism Products Development Department, JSC NC Kazakh Tourism
10:40 – 12:00 Panel Discussion:
Quality as a Driving Force for Tourism Destination Development
Moderator:
Yerkin Tikenov, Coordinator of the CIAQ Tourism Committee, Director of Inside Travel, Professor of Practice at AlmaU.
Participants:
Kaiyrhanova Akbota Zhubanyshkyzy, Chief Manager of the Tourism Products Development Department, JSC NC Kazakh Tourism
Gulnara Nurganatovna Katibayeva, Chairperson of the Public Council of "Kazakh Tourism" NC JSC, Head of the Association of Restaurateurs Club of Kazakhstan
Nariman Baktybayevich Abylshaikov, Chairman of the 4th Commission for Entrepreneurship and Tourism of the Almaty Public Council, Managing Director of the Halyk Charitable Foundation
Maksat Bakytovich Tabylganov, Head of Travel at Halyk Bank, Member of the Almaty City Tourism Industry Council (Atameken)
Diana Frolova, Executive Secretary of RОО KazAlpineClub, member of Tourism Committee of the Creative Industries Alliance of Qazaqstan
12:00 – 12:20
Travel Massive Almaty Travel Tech pitches and initiatives
12:20 – 13:00
Summary & Networking / Coffee Break for market participants.
Host of event
School of Management, Almaty Management University
Partners:
Creative Industries Alliance of Qazaqstan
Public Council of Kazakh Tourism
Public Council of Almaty
Almaty City Tourism Industry Council
Location:
AlmaU University, 227 Rozybakiev St., Hall A600, 6th floor
Join Almaty Travel Massive Chapter www.travelmassive.com/posts/almaty-travel-massive-876365886
More Info
Questions? Contact organizers Yerkin Tikenov yerkin@tikenov.com +77081533400
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Приглашаем вас принять участие в панельной дискуссии Almaty Future Tourism Dialog: количество или качество в преддверии Всемирного Дня Туризма.
Мероприятие объединит представителей гос.органов, участников рынка и экспертов креативной и туристской индустрии для обсуждения ключевых направлений развития туризма, внедрения цифровых технологий и формирования новых конкурентных продуктовых стратегий в индустрии туризма Казахстана.
Тема: Качество как движущая сила развития туристских дестинаций.
Программа
10:00 – 10:10
Приветствия партнеров: Гос органы и квази госкомпании в туризме, представители Общественных советов и отраслевых советов и руководство Школы менеджмента AlmaU
10:10 – 10:20
Презентация результатов Школы аналитики Taldau Almaty: Цифровая трансформация туризма в агломерации Алматы: механизмы умной специализации районов и развитие распределенной экономики впечатлений
Еркин Тикенов Амангельдинович, координатор комитета туризма CIAQ, Директор Инсайд Тревел, профессор практики AlmaU
10:20 – 10:40
Повышение качества туристских услуг через программу «Знак качества» от АО «НК «Kazakh Tourism»
Қайырханова Ақбота Жұбанышқызы, главный менеджер Департамента развития туристских продуктов АО «НК «Kazakh Tourism»
10:40 – 12:00
Панельная дискуссия
Качество как движущая сила развития туристских дестинаций
Модератор: Еркин Тикенов Амангельдинович, координатор комитета туризма CIAQ, Директор Инсайд Тревел, профессор практики AlmaU
Участники:
Қайырханова Ақбота Жұбанышқызы, главный менеджер Департамента развития туристских продуктов АО «НК «Kazakh Tourism»
Гульнара Нурганатовна Катибаева, председатель Общественного совета АО НК Kazakh Tourism, Руководитель Ассоциации Клуб Рестораторов Казахстана
Абильшаиков Нариман Бактыбаевич, председатель 4 комиссии по предпринимательству и туризму Общественного совета г. Алматы, Управляющий директор благотворительного фонда Халык
Табылганов Максат Бакытович, руководитель Travel в Halyk Bank, член отраслевого Совета по туризму г. Алматы (НПП Атамекен)
Диана Фролова, ответ. секретарь РОО KazAlpineClub, член комитета по туризма Ассоциации Альянс Креативных Индустрий
12:00 – 12:20
Презентации Travel Massive Almaty: тревел тех проекты и инициативы
Уточняется
Подведение итогов и нетворкинг
12:20 – 12:30
Кофе брейк (для зарегистрированных участников рынка)
12:30 – 13:00
Хост события:
Школа Менеджмента, AlmaU (Almaty Management University)
Партнеры
Альянс Креативных Индустрий Казахстана
Общественный совет Kazakh Tourism
Общественный совет Алматы
Отраслевой совет по туризму г. Алматы
Мероприятие станет площадкой для обмена опытом, установления партнерств и обсуждения актуальных трендов туристской отрасли.
Место:
Университет AlmaU, Розыбакиева, 227, холл А600, 6 этаж
Будем рады видеть вас среди участников мероприятия!
Присоединяйтесь к чаптеру Almaty Travel Massive www.travelmassive.com/posts/almaty-travel-massive-876365886
Коммуникация: свяжитесь с чаптер лидером Еркин Тикенов yerkin@tikenov.com +77081533400
👉 Important housekeeping: The RSVP guest list will be managed via a waitlist. 👈
Who is this event for:
• Active travel media and creators (journalists, reporters, bloggers, creators, influencers, YouTubers, podcasters).
• DMOs, Travel PR representatives and other travel organizations who work with travel media and creators (please make sure your bio mentions how you work with media/creators)
📝 Your Travel Massive Profile goes a long way: Make sure it includes:
• A profile picture
• Your title and company name (ie. blog name, or "freelance" if applicable)
• Social media links and a website link (website, Muckrack, portfolio, etc)
• In your bio, elaborate on your expertise or speciality
This live event, powered by Stay22, will explore best practices for revenue-generating travel industry and creator partnerships.
We will discuss the following topics with our expert panel:
✅ What travel organizations are really looking for: from content type to creator specialties and where they find them.
💰What travel partnerships are most lucrative for creators: from sponsorships to trades to affiliate marketing.
📝 What content makes money and how to make it: from headlines, to bullet points, and long-form narratives.
📈 What success markers brands and creators look for: from communication to planning and final deliverables.
Learn how travel creators and travel industry around the world approach content, drive revenue, and build successful partnerships in our 2026 addition of The Travel Creator Economy Report. Download your copy today:
www.travelmassive.com/stay22/creators-2026-report
⏰ Schedule of activities:
5:45 PM: Arrival
6:00 PM: Presentation
7:00 PM: Cocktail reception
8:15 PM: Prize pack raffle
9:00 PM: Event ends
👥 Panel experts
ASHLEY ROCHEFORT
Destination Toronto (DMO representative)
www.destinationtoronto.com | IG: @Destination_Toronto
ERIN HYNES
Pina Travels (Creator perspective)
pinatravels.org | IG: @pinatravels | TikTok: @pinatravels
TANIA KABANYANA
Stay22 (Platform perspective)
www.stay22.com | IG: @get.stay22 | LinkedIn: www.linkedin.com/in/tania-kabanyana-24684721b
KATERYNA TOPOL
Toronto Travel Massive, Paths to Travel Magazine (Moderator)
pathstotravel.com | IG: @katerryna & @travelmassiveTO #TravelMassiveToronto
🎁 Event giveaway:
One-night stay (1) at Le Germain Hotel Toronto Mercer, including breakfast, furnished by the Germain Hotels. How to enter:
1️⃣ Follow @legermainhotels and @travelmassiveTO
2️⃣ Post an Instagram feedpost or story telling us what you like about the Le Germain Hotel Toronto Mercer, mention @legermainhotels, @travelmassiveTO and geotag Le Germain Hotel Toronto Mercer location (double check your tag to make sure it’s the correct location)
3️⃣ All entries must be in by 8:00 PM on October 1, 2026, the raffle will be done at the event.
T&C: The winner must be physically present at the event on October 1, 2026 to receive the reward. Parking and any incidental charges will be the responsibility of the winner. Blackout dates apply.
👏 Event & study partner: Stay22
www.stay22.com | IG: @get.stay22
Stay22 is a Canadian based, global content monetization platform that helps publishers, creators, and events & ticketing platforms drive new revenue from their content through travel partnerships. Our technology captures high-intent readers without disrupting the user experience or taking up valuable ad space.
👏 Venue partner: Le Germain Hotel Toronto Mercer
www.germainhotels.com/en/le-germain-hotel/toronto-mercer | IG: @legermainhotels
Le Germain Hotel Toronto Mercer offers a refined experience in the heart of Toronto’s Entertainment District, combining thoughtful design, personalized service, and a distinctly local sense of place. Steps from some of the city’s best dining, culture, and entertainment, the hotel is designed for guests looking for an experience that feels both elevated and effortlessly welcoming.
🎟️ Event registration:
There is a maximum capacity, so make sure to register. If there is a waitlist still sign-up in case someone is no longer able to come we will add people from the waitlist. In the meantime, please have a look at your Travel Massive profile and take a moment to make sure it is up to date.
👉 Please note:
* All guests must be registered to attend.
* Attendees must have completed profile to register, including a photo, bio, and links.
* No +1s please.
👉 Cancellations:
If you are no longer able to attend, please try to release your ticket 48 hrs (2 days) before the event so others can attend. Thank you for understanding.
🚨As these events are limited capacity we have a 3-strike no show policy.
📸 This event will be photographed by a member of a Travel Massive team or/and our event partner.
Land acknowledgment: We wish to acknowledge the Ancestral Traditional Territories of the Ojibway, the Anishnabe and, in particular, the Mississauga’s of the New Credit whose territories we gather on. This territory is covered by the Upper Canada Treaties.
Link to event pageJoin 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 (tickets available at the box office day-of).
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
__EVENT_CUSTOM_BLOCK__
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 - 3pm
Saturday, October 10
Somewhere in Lagos, Nigeria
Come ready to learn, connect, and discover pathways to sustainable growth!
Link to event pageHere's the 10 latest classified ads:
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