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I've been thinking about this a lot lately. Planning a trip used to mean hours (sometimes days) of YouTube vlogs, Reddit threads, and blog posts, piecing together a day-by-day plan from a dozen different sources. Some people genuinely love that process. Others just want to get to the good part: the trip itself. I'm one of the people who love creating travel itineraries.
One question has been sitting in the back of my mind while building a travel planner app: what part of trip planning do people actually enjoy?
When I ask friends why they love planning a trip, almost nobody says it's because they enjoy comparing exchange rates, checking opening hours, figuring out which neighborhoods make sense geographically, or discovering that a restaurant they saved closed three years ago.
What they enjoy is imagining themselves there. Finding the café they'd happily spend an afternoon in. Discovering a neighborhood they hadn't heard of. Choosing between hiking through a national park or wandering local markets. The excitement comes from the possibilities — not from the logistics.
That distinction has changed the way I think about AI in travel. Rather than replacing the planning process, I think AI is most valuable when it quietly handles the repetitive work in the background:
• Organizing days geographically instead of zigzagging across a city
• Checking whether attractions are actually open
• Factoring in weather, budgets, transit times, and local events
• Suggesting alternatives when plans change
The human still decides what kind of trip they want. AI simply makes it easier to build that trip.
Of course, there are risks. If every itinerary comes from the same prompt, every traveler starts seeing the same restaurants, the same viewpoints, and the same "hidden gems." That's not discovery — it's another algorithmic feed.
I've been experimenting with ways to avoid that by grounding recommendations in real places and encouraging neighborhood-level exploration instead of checklist tourism. It's made me realize the hardest part isn't generating an itinerary — it's preserving the feeling that you're discovering a place rather than having it dictated to you.
I've been testing this with a small app I'm building on the side (Routinex.Travel) using my own family trips, and it's made me curious where other people land.
Does having an AI generate the framework free you up to focus on the parts you actually care about — flights, hotel, that one restaurant you've been wanting to try? Or does it strip out something valuable about the planning process itself?
So I'm curious how others in the travel industry see it, especially those of you closer to the content/creator side. As AI becomes a bigger part of travel planning, where do you think the line is? What parts of planning should always remain human, and what parts are you happy to hand over to AI?
Hi Travel Massive, I'm Ankita, a kiwi founder based in Sydney, and recently moved from London.
I've travelled 56 countries, and I'll say plainly what that taught me: the difference between a great trip and a rough one is never the destination. It's what you know before you land.
I got fined on a tram in Sofia because nobody mentions you need to validate a paper ticket. I've paid the tourist price for taxis in more cities than I can count. That information existed. It just wasn't written anywhere travellers actually look, because generic travel content is written for everyone, which means it serves no one.
Preparation is the most underrated travel skill, and almost nothing in the market treats it that way. Booking tools assume the trip starts at the flight. It doesn't. It starts with knowing the place.
So I built FigFinder.
How FigFinder works
You tell Fig your budget and travel style, and it builds a complete guide around you: day-by-day plans, plus the layer I believe every traveller needs and almost nobody has, the destination-specific rules, day zero landing kit, common scams, safety basics, and practical essentials like finding a doctor abroad, including a discounted eSIM.
I also developed a version for travel agents (figfinder.ai/pro) that turns enquiries into structured briefs, shaped by conversations with agents across five continents who all described the same problem: the first 20 minutes of every enquiry lost to chasing basics.
👋 A question for travel professionals
You see thousands of travellers a year. What do they consistently get wrong before departure? That answer is exactly what I'm building into these guides.
👉 I'm looking for travellers and travel content creators to try FigFinder AI.
If you're interested, please check out the Programs section in the footer at figfinder.ai (Refer & Earn, Creator Programme), or feel free to connect with me.
I'd love to hear your thoughts!
Hi everyone, I'm the founder of VeloPlanner.
I'm pleased to share that VeloPlanner's mobile apps are now complete!
🚴♀️ About VeloPlanner: VeloPlanner's app allow cyclists to browse curated official routes like EuroVelo with guides, reviews, and accommodation info, adapt any route to your trip, check surface types or explore community created routes. Find campsites and transport along the way, use routes offline, and navigate.
📊 Current numbers: 80k+ installs and 90k registered users.
🤳 Download (Android and iOS) at veloplanner.com/app
Do you work with a destination that wants to reach cycling tourists at the planning stage? Please get in contact and I'm happy to talk!
[Valerie Hansen](/@valerie-hansen-4177533890) is the founder of Maple Leopard Travel, inspiring women 50+ to embrace adventure and discover the world beyond their comfort zone. A Portugal travel expert and Top TripAdvisor Collective Trip Expert, she creates immersive itineraries across Portugal, Italy, the USA, Canada, and beyond. Valerie's itineraries are a blend of history, culture, culinary, and authentic local experiences.
*This article is part of an interview series with [Top Travel Massive Creators](/creators) and is made possible with the support of Stay22. Thanks Valerie for taking the time to share your story!*
How did you get started as a travel creator?
My blogging/content creation journey began in my home city of Seattle. I partnered with local tour companies, hospitality brands, tourism boards, and travel gear companies to build credibility as a travel writer. At 54, I took my first solo international trip to Italy after my friend bailed on me last minute. Although I was scared, I embraced the adventure — and it became the catalyst for exploring more countries and cultures abroad. Today, Portugal holds a special place in my heart, and after four visits, it remains my favorite destination.
How would you describe your content and your audience?
I create inspiring, experience-driven content for women 50+ who want to explore the world with confidence, curiosity and adventure. My content focuses on immersive travel that goes beyond traditional sightseeing, highlighting historic destinations, culinary experiences, coastal escapes, boutique stays, hidden gems, local shopping and meaningful connections with locals and communities. I create thoughtfully researched itineraries, destination guides, and travel inspiration designed to make global adventures feel approachable and achievable. My audience is made up of curious, independent travelers seeking authentic experiences, cultural discovery, and the confidence to embrace new and challenging adventures."
What platforms do you create on, and which has been most important to your growth?
My primary channels are my website: [mapleleopard.com](www.mapleleopard.com) and [Instagram](www.instagram.com/mapleleopard/), in addition to [Facebook](www.facebook.com/mapleleopard/), [Threads](www.threads.com/@mapleleopard), and [Pinterest](ca.pinterest.com/mapleleopard/).
I would say my website and Instagram have been most important for my growth. Instagram for building community and engagement and website for branding, expertise, and featuring my itinerary writing and photography skills.
What has been the biggest challenge you have faced as a travel creator?
The biggest challenge is monetization. Technical issues also bog me down at times, and constantly paying someone to fix or create landing pages, among other things, isn't financially sustainable. Additionally, I've found that most creators who monetize full-time have an assistant, because handling all these tasks alone is all-consuming and takes time away from actually creating and writing.
What does your content creation process look like?
I visit destinations, take tours, etc., while on location, capturing photos and videos, and also provide live coverage on social channels while there. On press tours, I sometimes interview locals and experts as part of the process. After I return home, I work on finding keywords, conducting research, writing articles, and summarizing the information I gathered while on assignment.
How do you work with travel brands, tourism boards, and destinations?
I enjoy working with travel brands, tourism boards, and destinations that are looking for authentic, engaging storytelling rather than just promotion.
Every partnership is unique, but my goal is always the same: to feature a destination in a way that inspires people to visit while providing helpful tips and itineraries.
To me, a successful partnership is built on trust, good communication, and creating content that has lasting value. I want brands to feel they've gained a genuine advocate who represents their destination professionally and with care.
What are your top tips for being successful with affiliate marketing?
Affiliate marketing is one of the ways I currently monetize, but I'm not dependent on it. I use one platform for affiliates. It is a honed skill to be successful with affiliate marketing — you have to learn exactly how "buyers intent" works and that is the big challenge.
What advice would you give to someone starting out as a travel creator today?
Do your own research, pay for courses, be willing to invest in your journey and always treat it as a business.
What do you know now that you wish you had known at the beginning?
I wish I had started out on Wordpress from the get go, instead of Blogger. I also wish I had niched down my brand and website more from the start. I am trying to do that now after 12 years and its harder to niche down now.
Who inspires you — in travel, in content creation, or beyond?
I look up to [Helene In Between](www.instagram.com/heleneinbetween/) because she worked hard even when she was a small creator and not well known and did not give up when challenges came around. I admire fellow travel writer [Bejal](www.instagram.com/be_lavie/)'s content and look up to her for her focus on sustainable travel and leaving destinations as you found them, respecting the locals and their customs, and discouraging over-tourism.
What does the Travel Massive community mean to you?
To me, Travel Massive is about community, connection, and learning from others who share the same passion for travel.
I believe the best experiences come from collaborating, supporting one another, and continuing to learn. I'm excited to be part of a community that shares a genuine love of travel and the stories that inspire others to explore the world.
The travel industry is constantly evolving, and I value the opportunity to exchange ideas, gain new perspectives, and build meaningful relationships with fellow creators, tourism professionals, and destination experts.
How has being part of the network shaped your career or connected you with the industry?
Travel Massive has opened doors I never expected. Being featured as one of their [Top Travel Creators](www.travelmassive.com/creators) was an incredible honor and introduced my work to a much wider industry audience. Beyond the recognition, I love the local meetups and chapters around the world. They've given me the chance to connect with fellow creators, tourism professionals, and brands, while building genuine friendships with people who share the same passion for travel.
What's next in your travels?
I am going home to the The Kitsap Peninsula, Tacoma and Seattle to visit family and a cruise to Mexico in the fall. A trip back to Portugal is a given next year.
👏
Travel Massive's new [free industry report](/pages/growth-report-2026) on where travel's growth is really coming from in 2026, supported by Stripe, digs into insights from 129 travel professionals across 35 countries to help travel businesses cut through the noise and find out what's actually working.
A few highlights from the report:
* Political uncertainty is the #1 barrier to growth, cited by 34% of respondents ahead of rising acquisition costs (27%) and beating every operational challenge on the list.
* Travel companies talk loyalty but spend on acquisition: 59% say customer lifetime value is very important or business-critical to their growth strategy, yet 77% say their primary focus is chasing new customers, with only 23% prioritizing repeat customers.
* Partnerships, not paid ads, are the top growth priority for 2026: 65% named growing partnerships and distribution channels as their top priority.
* There's a widening "AI divide": travel tech companies feel ahead of competitors on AI (34% ahead vs. 11% behind), while tour operators feel left behind (45% behind vs. 14% ahead).
Inside [The New Growth Itinerary Report](/pages/growth-report-2026), you'll find insights and quotes you won't see anywhere else, covering where growth is really coming from, what's standing in the way, and how the industry is handling AI — straight from leaders at ICE Travel Group, Kensington, Railbookers Group, Memorii, oneworld Alliance, Regal Travel Management Group, and Kenwood Travel.
Download your copy today and see where the industry stands on growth, AI, and the road ahead.
To everyone in the Travel Massive community who responded to the initial survey thank you! This report is yours. You answered honestly and often surprisingly. My hope is that somewhere in these pages, you find the insight, the reassurance, or the nudge that helps your business take its next step
And to our partners at Stripe (and James Lemon in particular): thank you for backing this research and helping make it happen.
Special thanks also to the leaders who allowed us to quote them publicly: Stuart Barrett (ICE Travel Group), Jacqueline Grossman (Kensington), Frank Marini (Railbookers Group), Todd Tomlin (Memorii), Gilbert Ott (oneworld Alliance), Vivian Riga (Regal Travel Management Group) and Claire James (Kenwood Travel).
Great insights. Thank you
Thank you for sharing! I just finished the document, and I honestly was most surprised by some of the regional statistics for example, how Australian respondents were unanimous in naming partnerships as a top, if not THE top, priority. Unfortunately, I was not surprised by the statistics regarding AI usage 'leaving behind' SME's.
We're Doing It Again: A Second Fundraising Adventure, This Time in Cambodia
Last year we sent a convoy of tuk-tuks across Sri Lanka and, almost by accident, raised a serious amount of money for a very good cause in the process. It went well enough that we've decided to make a habit of it.
This year, we're teaming up with CAFT, a UK-based charity, for our second fundraising adventure. The destination: Cambodia. The vehicle: still a tuk-tuk, obviously. The mission: get teams behind the wheel (or bar), raise money for a cause they care about, and have the kind of trip that doesn't fit neatly into a "wellness retreat" or "gap year" brochure.
🛺 How It Works
The model is refreshingly simple. A charity partners with us, teams sign up, and instead of asking people to run a marathon or shave their heads, we ask them to navigate a self-drive route across Cambodia in a vehicle with the structural integrity of a biscuit tin. Sponsorship money flows to the cause. Everyone goes home with a story that doesn't start with "so I did the London Marathon."
No spreadsheets of pledged-per-mile. No need to train for six months. Just an adventure that happens to double as a fundraising platform.
Why This Works (According to the Charities Themselves)
Here's what we've learned from the charities we've worked with, and it's more interesting than we expected: this kind of trip fills a gap that traditional fundraising challenges don't.
Not everyone who wants to raise money for a cause they care about can, or wants to, complete a physical challenge. Bad knees, busy lives, or simply zero interest in running 26.2 miles for charity are all valid reasons to sit out a marathon. But plenty of those same people are very much up for the kind of challenge that involves a map, a temperamental engine, questionable navigation, and a team counting on you not to get them lost in rural Cambodia.
It's challenging in a different way. Less lactic acid, more decision-making under pressure. Less "can my body do this," more "can my team and I figure this out together, ideally before dark."
Who Should Get in Touch
If you're a charity looking for a fundraising format that isn't another fun run, we'd like to hear from you.
If you run a community, a club, or a loosely organised group of enthusiastic amateurs who've been looking for an excuse to raise money for a cause you're genuinely passionate about, that works too.
And if you'd rather direct the fundraising toward local charities in the destination itself, supporting Cambodian causes on the ground, we're very much set up for that as well.
This isn't a trip that requires convincing yourself you love hills. It requires a sense of humour, a working knowledge of left and right, and a willingness to raise money for something that matters to you while doing something genuinely memorable.
Learn more at www.caft.co.uk/event/the-great-tuk-tuk-adventure-cambodia/
Interested? Get in touch and let's talk about what a partnership could look like.
Following last year's Sri Lanka trip, this is our second fundraising adventure, and we're already looking ahead to where it goes next! 🛺 💨
Hello, Travel Massive community!
I’m Phelokazi Mbebe, UCT's (University of Cape Town) Vacation Accommodation Manager, with over 16 years of experience in Tourism and Hospitality. I manage several hotels in Cape Town that not only accommodate students but also contribute to the university's third income stream.
My journey includes a master’s degree in Tourism and Hospitality Management and a focus on empowering women through leadership initiatives. I’ve proudly served on the FEDHASA Cape Board for five years where I mentored young professionals in our industry and as a member of the Women in Tourism Association,
I'm excited to share highlights from my recent experience at the Young Professional Youth Day event at ASARA, where I engaged with inspiring individuals and continued my mission of supporting and uplifting others in tourism. Join me as I share this journey and celebrate the power of community and mentorship!
What I love most is the power of collaboration in travel when we share knowledge and mentor one another, we all rise. Can’t wait to learn from you all.
Welcome. Onwards and Upwards
Thank you so much, glad to be back and active on this platform
Hey all!
Chronic traveler, recent college dropout, and all in on my new app, Soar. I'm a designer / ML engineer — started building this for myself.
I've been lucky to learn from people way smarter than me along the way, somehow the former Expedia CEO and ATTA board member Erik Blachford who backed me: www.linkedin.com/posts/stanley-virgint-933b3813b_i-never-thought-id-meet-one-of-my-heroeslet-activity-7298492522740273152-AyJA/
Would love to get feedback from the community and connect with anyone excited about agentic travel experiences.
You can download the app here — please feel free to roast me, I love real feedback: apps.apple.com/us/app/soar-travel/id6744338376
Hey Stanley! App looks cool! It links through Google though and I get nervous giving access to Gmail - is this how it pulls in all the bookings?
Thanks Casey! Yes email is what makes Soar work well. We're a google trusted partner and only see travel emails (our system has around ~600 travel platforms we have access to). It pulls only emails sent from this list of ~600 companies. Would love feedback if you have time!
This is very cool, congrats!
Hi everyone, I'm the Founder and Chairperson of ICCTA (Ireland China Culture and Tourism Association), based in Dublin. Our focus is helping destinations and tourism operators better serve Chinese visitors.
We launched a real-time tour guide translation platform that helps local English-speaking guides deliver live Chinese translations to visiting Chinese tour groups through a simple QR-code browser experience, without requiring any app installation.
We intentionally built it to do one thing well: no app, no registration, just scan, listen and follow. Although we're currently using it for English → Chinese, the same approach can be applied to many other languages and visitor experiences.
Our current trial platform is available at go.cits.ie
Here's some more details about the project:
Over the past few years working in tourism, I've noticed something interesting: many people assume the biggest challenge for international visitors is language, but in reality, that's rarely the problem. The real challenge is live commentary. I've seen it happen in two very common situations.
The first is on organised group tours. Most Chinese groups already travel with a Chinese-speaking tour leader, so communication throughout the journey is usually smooth. The challenge begins when the group arrives at a museum, castle, distillery, river cruise, or heritage site and a local guide takes over. That's exactly what should happen — the local guide knows the stories, the history, and the culture better than anyone else, and their commentary is often the highlight of the visit. But it's incredibly difficult for the tour leader to manage a group while translating every sentence in real time. The guide can't stop after every sentence, and the tour shouldn't lose its natural rhythm. As a result, visitors hear the guide speaking, but often miss the stories that make the place memorable.
The second situation is becoming even more common. More travellers now join local walking tours, museum tours, river cruises, food tours, and other English-language experiences directly. Many of them have perfectly good conversational English — ordering food, asking for directions, or checking into a hotel isn't a problem. But live guiding is different. The guide speaks naturally, the pace is fast, the accent is local, and historical references and place names come one after another. Visitors don't fail because they don't know English; they simply can't keep up.
That made me wonder: could understanding be made effortless? Not by changing the guide's workflow. Not by asking visitors to download an app. Not by creating another registration process. Simply by making the technology almost invisible.
So we built a very simple browser-based tool. The guide shares a QR code, visitors scan it — that's it. No app, no registration, no compatibility issues. The guide continues speaking exactly as they always have, and visitors continue enjoying the experience, only now they can follow the story as it unfolds.
Although we originally built it with Chinese visitors in mind, we quickly realised this isn't really about one language. It's about helping international visitors feel included wherever live commentary happens: river cruises, museums, walking tours, visitor attractions, universities, business delegations, conferences — anywhere people gather to learn from someone speaking in real time.
We're beginning to think of it less as a translation tool and more as a browser-based Visitor Experience Platform. Live translation is simply the first use case. The same approach could support multilingual visitor information, guided experiences, event content, educational visits, and many other situations where understanding should feel effortless. Because in the end, visitors rarely remember the technology — they remember the story.
I'm curious how others are approaching this challenge. If you work with international visitors, how do you help them follow live commentary today? I'd love to hear what's working in your part of the world.
Hey - I built SkyHopp.
Background: I am a solo developer, not a travel industry person by trade. The idea came from my own frustration trying to plan a spontaneous trip without a fixed destination. I am genuinely curious what I am missing from the perspective of people who work in travel professionally - happy to take any feedback, including the critical kind.
Most flight search tools assume you already know where you want to go.
You pick a destination, enter your dates, and compare prices. That works well if you've already decided on Rome, Barcelona or Athens.
My problem was usually the opposite.
Most of my trips start with a budget and a few free days, not with a destination. I kept opening the same flight websites and checking one city after another just to answer a simple question:
"Where can I actually fly for my budget right now?"
After doing that more times than I'd like to admit, I decided to build something that answers that question first.
SkyHopp is a simple map that shows flight prices from your departure airport to every destination we have fare data for. You can set a budget, filter for direct flights, and browse what's available instead of searching one route at a time.
The prices come from Travelpayouts and are cached, so it's not trying to replace a booking engine. The idea is simply to help people discover destinations first, then book through one of our travel partners.
I launched SkyHopp a few months ago as a solo side project, and I'm still adding new features and improving it every week.
I'd love to hear what people in the travel industry think. Do you see more travellers starting with a destination, or are more people becoming flexible and deciding where to go based on price?
Try it out at skyhopp.app — thanks for your feedback!
Great concept, but how is it supposed to work?.. I ran at least 10 searches, and after the redirect, 0 search mathced the same price that was proposed from skyhopp's site.
I would suggest you try to optimize for a higher match rate between your offer and the merchant site's offer, otherwise if users try it a couple of time but it never works, people may discard it as a tool, since it's not delivering the expected added value.
Just my constructive feedback :)
Thanks for the detailed feedback - this is a real limitation and you're right to call it out.
SkyHopp pulls prices from the Travelpayouts Data API, which returns cached "lowest observed fare" data rather than live inventory. It's designed for discovery - "can I get from Belgrade to Bangkok for under EUR300?" - not as a price guarantee. By the time you click through, the booking site is showing live availability, which has changed.
The gap is real and I'm not going to sugarcoat it. A few things that contribute:
Cached API data can be hours to days old depending on the route
Merchant sites (Kiwi, Aviasales) show the next available seat at that price class, which may already be sold.
Multi-airport city codes (PAR = all Paris airports) create routing mismatches
What I'm working on: replacing the most prominent displayed prices with fresher data on high-traffic routes, and adding clearer "from" labeling so the expectation is set before the click.
Your core point stands though - if the price shown and the price found are consistently disconnected, the tool loses its purpose. Appreciate you testing it thoroughly rather than just writing it off.
Interesting! ;-)
I love that I can search by budget and direct flights :)
That was the core idea behind the app! Nice to hear that you like it :)
I would also like to have "airline" as a search factor or filter. I don't necessarily want the cheapest flight.
Airline filters are something that I will work on in the future, thanks for mentioning it! The tricky part is making it actually useful - the current data layer returns one cheapest fare per destination, so a naive airline filter would hide destinations the carrier clearly serves, which would feel broken. I want to do it right rather than ship something that confuses people.
Maybe have a price range (or the option to choose a price range along with the option for cheapest) instead of just the cheapest?
Yeah, that is a good suggestion and I will add it, thanks!
I think this is a great idea and it would especially be interest to young travellers who want to travel but may not have a big budget to do so.
Thanks Chongyang! That's exactly the spirit behind SkyHopp - set your budget, see what's actually reachable. No endless searching, no sticker shock. Glad it resonates!
Great concept. Looking forward to trying it.
Thanks! Feel free to share your thoughts afterwards :)
Hi Nemanja,
Thanks for sharing SkyHopp with our community and welcome to Travel Massive. Congratulations on what you've built!
Many years ago I created a travel startup that tracked sale airfares in Australia, and presented a similar map to help people see where they could travel. I sourced my data from airline websites (not OTAs) and deep linked directly to their booking engines. This partly solved the availability problem that Yasser mentioned. It was a fun project but I learned that you need a lot of traffic to monetize airfares, so I eventually moved on to other things (including building Travel Massive!)
The questions I would ask are:
1. How does your product differ from similar features offered by KAYAK or Google flights?
2. How can you acquire enough traffic to monetize very low conversion of flight search?
3. How can you build your product to not be dependent on one data source?
You need some good answers to the above to turn this from a fun side project to an investor friendly startup.
Also, there's nothing wrong with a fun side project that earns a bit. It really depends on what you want to achieve and what you enjoy working on.
In terms of my own flight search needs, I'm yet to find a good website that can either:
A) Show me "long way there" options (eg so I can explore a new country) in out of the way routes. Eg Sydney to London via India or South Africa.
B) Cheap long return flights with valid fare classes (eg Y class) for mileage run from an origin point. This would be great for FF to get their status for lowest cost/mile.
Hope all the above is helpful feedback and keep on building!
Best, Ian
Hi Ian,
Thank you, this is genuinely useful feedback, and your background makes it all the more valuable.
1. How SkyHopp differs from KAYAK/Google Flights
Those products are destination-first: you already know where you want to go, and you're checking the price. SkyHopp is built for a different moment - when you don't know where you want to go yet. You set a budget, pick your home airport, and the map shows you everything reachable. The question it answers is "I have €200 and a free weekend - where can I go?" rather than "how much is London to Paris?"
Google Flights does have an Explore feature, but travel discovery isn't what Google Flights is built for - it's a price comparison tool at its core, and Explore shows. SkyHopp is built around that discovery moment from the ground up. That's the whole product, not a tab buried inside something else.
2. Monetizing low flight conversion
You're right that flight affiliate alone won't scale without massive traffic. That's why flights are just the entry point - the goal is a full travel platform where users can book everything they need for a trip: accommodation, insurance, SIM cards, transfers. Flight search gets people in the door; the rest of the journey is where the monetization compounds.
On traffic - the app launched in April and impressions are already trending toward 30,000+ in July, and I have meaningful referrals coming from AI search engines like ChatGPT. Still early, but the growth curve is real.
3. Data source dependency
Fair challenge. Currently single-source on Travelpayouts/Aviasales. The plan is to integrate additional providers - KAYAK, Skyscanner, etc.. - to diversify data coverage and reduce that dependency. I've already reached out to KAYAK about their API. Short term it's a known risk; medium term it gets solved by layering sources.
On your own needs - these are actually interesting:
Your point A (long-way-there / stopover discovery) is something I haven't seen done well anywhere. It's on my radar as a potential differentiator.
Your point B (mileage run finder) is a niche I haven't targeted - but frequent flyers are a passionate, vocal audience who share tools publicly. That's the kind of organic growth that compounds. Something I'll dig into in the near future.
I agree with your comments in general, these all are known issues/risks, but I am working on improving what I can, some things will take time as positions on google grow, there are potential collaborations with some travel influencers in the pipeline as well, and I have a clear roadmap with what I want to do at certain thresholds (impressions/visits...). We will see how it all goes :)
Thanks for taking the time, let me know if you have more questions!
Nemanja
It looks promising. I’m probably not the right ICP, as my travel habits are quite different, but I can clearly see the value for solo travelers and budget-conscious customers. I tried it, and my main suggestion would be to speak with someone from the travel industry(specifically from this field) who can help you build a smoother and more intuitive flow based on real customer experience.
I like the idea. Feel free to ping me, and I’ll be happy to connect you with the right people. :)
Thanks :)
HERE'S THE NEXT 5 UPCOMING EVENTS:
Join London Travel Massive Content Creators for a Summer Social and Timewalk Exhibition Preview - in partnership with Stay22 and Visit Cascais
Drinks on a super yacht, time travel, and a weekend in Portugal are up for grabs.
London Travel Massive is gathering the city's best travel creators for one unmissable evening. After a welcome reception, you'll be among the very first people to step inside the Timewalk Exhibition at Immerse LDN, with an exclusive VIP preview the night before it opens to the public.
And the perks don't stop at the preview: one lucky attendee (plus a guest) will win a long weekend in Cascais, Portugal, courtesy of Visit Cascais. You'll also get the inside track on Travel Massive's Top Creators list and how to land a spot on it.
📍 Location: Starting at the Sky Lounge at the Sunborn Yacht - Registration 16:00 - 16:30. Royal Victoria Dock, London, E16 1AA - 2 minutes walk from Custom House station.
🗓️ Date: Wednesday, 22nd July 2026
⏰ Time: Registration 16:00. Finish 18:00.
✅ Spots are strictly limited - Apply to attend by joining the waitlist.
- Be sure to have a completed Travel Massive profile (photo, bio, links).
Here's how the evening unfolds:
🥂 First up, our welcome drinks reception at the Sunborn London Yacht Hotel. Head to the super yacht's Sky Lounge, pick up your registration, grab a drink, and get stuck into conversations with fellow creators in our community about your travel plans and collaborations.
👋 Next, we'll hear from Matthew Gardiner, our London Travel Massive director about our recent 2026 Travel Creator Economy Report which surveyed 500 creators and travel brands on the US$200 billion creator economy and what insights we learned.
🤩 We'll then take a quick stroll to the Timewalk Exhibition at Immerse LDN just 2 minutes away for an exclusive VIP preview - the night before it opens to the public. You'll be among the very first people to experience one of London's most anticipated new immersive attractions.
Win a Trip to Cascais, Portugal
Our event partner Visit Cascais are inviting one very lucky attendee (plus a guest) to the Portuguese Riviera for a long weekend to remember. The prize includes:
🏨 3 nights at a 4-star hotel for 2 in beautiful Cascais
🚤 A 2-hour solar boat trip along the stunning Cascais coastline
🧑🍳 A 4-hour private traditional Portuguese cuisine cooking workshop
✈️ £100 towards your flight (prize does not include flights)
About the Timewalk Exhibition
Timewalk is an immersive, multi-sensory journey through ancient civilisations, including Göbeklitepe, Babylon, Egypt, Maya, and Rapa Nui. The experience uses large-scale 360-degree projections, spatial audio, and cinematic storytelling to bring human history to life. Learn more at timewalkexhibition.com/london/
Spaces are limited. Register your interest in attending now.
⏰ Be the first through the door: VIP preview before public opening day.
📸 Experience 360° projection, spatial audio, ancient worlds.
🎁 Win a weekend in Cascais. 3 nights, a solar boat, and Portuguese cooking.
Questions about this event? Please email your event host: Matthew Gardiner, Director of Travel Massive London: matthew@travelmassive.com
Please note: when you register for this event (which must be done in advance) we will be sharing your details with Stay22 and Visit Cascais. There will also be photography at the event.
We look forward to seeing you!
🚀 About Stay22
Stay22 gives creators a smarter way to monetise travel content across blogs, websites, and YouTube. It offers quick setup, clear performance tracking, and a way to start earning without rebuilding the content you already have. Learn more at tmsv.co/stay22
About Visit Cascais:
An elegant blend of 19th-century architecture and traditional Portuguese charm, Cascais is a veritable paradise for those seeking endless culture, sun and sand. The historic wealth of Cascais’ royal past is still visible on every winding cobbled street, with grand palaces and extravagant villas dotted in between boutiques and classic eateries. A yet undiscovered region of Portugal that is just 20 minutes by train from Portugal’s capital of Lisbon, the charming cultural town of Cascais and neighbouring palatial Sintra offer a welcome escape for a more refined, relaxed escape.
Learn more at www.visitcascais.com
About Immerse LDN
Immerse LDN is the UK’s largest immersive entertainment district, located on the ExCeL London Waterfront at the Royal Docks. The kilometer-long waterfront destination features world-class, interactive exhibitions spanning TV, film, music, art, and gaming. Learn more at immerseldn.com
About the Sunborn London Yacht:
Located less than a minute's walk from ExCeL London, the Sunborn London is a floating super-yacht hotel docked in Royal Victoria Dock: www.sunbornlondon.com
🌍 About London Travel Massive
Travel Massive London is the largest community within the Travel Massive network, uniting creators, startups, brands, and innovators in Europe's travel capital. Join the chapter at: www.travelmassive.com/posts/london-travel-massive-979884824
Link to event pageJoin us for our monthly travel meetup to discuss the latest news in travel, credit cards, and loyalty programs.
This month's event location is Hillside Hangout in Mt Juliet. It’s a laid-back spot with an outdoor patio featuring a playground and open space for kids to play while the adults talk travel.
Link to event pageJoin Travel Massive and Stay22 for the official launch of the 2026 Travel Creator Economy Study
Everyone has opinions on the travel creator economy. Now we have the data.
Be part of our LIVE webinar with Travel Massive and Stay22 as we unveil the 2026 Travel Creator Economy Study and explore the hard data behind what creators earn, what brands actually want, and where the real opportunities are hiding.
💻 LIVE Webinar (Online)
🗓️ Date: Wednesday, 29th July 2026
⏰ Time: 2 PM–3 PM BST (9 AM NYC / 3 PM Berlin / 9 PM Singapore)
✅ RSVP is essential. Register on this event page
👉 Join us LIVE for the event, plus a recording will be provided to all participants
With a US$200 billion total addressable market size, the travel creator economy has become one of the most influential forces shaping travel marketing, storytelling, and consumer decision-making. Yet there remains limited industry data on how creators and travel brands work together, what drives successful partnerships, and where the biggest opportunities and challenges exist.
Drawing on current insights from 500 creators, tourism boards, PR agencies, hospitality brands, tour operators, and marketing professionals worldwide this LIVE webinar will reveal the key findings and data from our comprehensive study.
You'll Hear From
• Matthew Gardiner, Webinar host and Director at London Travel Massive
• Felix Contant, Creator Partnerships at Stay22
• Kash Bhattacharya, Founder and Editor of the BudgetTraveller
• Carae Hilcher, Travel Blogger at Girl on a Zebra
What You'll Learn:
• The current state of the travel creator economy in 2026
• How creators and travel brands are collaborating today
• Key challenges facing both creators and travel businesses
• What travel organizations look for when selecting creator partners
• Opportunities to improve collaboration, transparency, and campaign performance
Who Should Attend?
— Travel Content Creators: Bloggers, influencers, journalists, photographers, videographers, YouTubers, podcasters, newsletter publishers, and digital storytellers looking to better understand industry trends and strengthen brand partnerships.
— Travel Industry Professionals: Destination marketing organizations, tourism boards, PR and communications agencies, marketing teams, hotels, accommodation providers, tour operators, experience providers, and travel brands seeking data-driven insights into creator collaborations.
Why Attend?
Whether you're a creator building new partnerships or a travel brand investing in creator marketing, this LIVE webinar will provide valuable research-backed insights to help you make better decisions, build stronger relationships, and achieve better outcomes. You'll also have the opportunity to ask questions, and discuss what the findings mean for the future of travel creator-industry collaboration.
About the Research
The 2026 Travel Creator Economy Study is a global research initiative led by Travel Massive supported by Stay22 and industry partners. The study was created to help establish a clearer understanding of the travel creator ecosystem and provide helpful benchmarks for both creators and travel businesses. By bringing together perspectives from across the industry, the research aims to support more effective partnerships and outcomes for everyone involved. Get your copy today at:
✅ Secure your spot today. Be among the first to access the findings and join the conversation shaping the future of the travel creator economy.
— We look forward to seeing you!
About Stay22
🚀 Stay22 gives creators a smarter way to monetize travel content across blogs, websites, and YouTube. It offers quick setup, clear performance tracking, and a way to start earning without rebuilding the content you already have. Learn more at tmsv.co/stay22
About Travel Massive
🌍 Travel Massive is the world's largest community of travel industry professionals, connecting people across the travel ecosystem in over 100 cities. If you're a creator in travel, then you'll fit right in around here. We're the OG of travel blogger meetups, connecting over 10,000 content creators with brands and destinations.
Link to event pageWe're excited to be discovering the new 25Hours Hotel The Olympia. Join us for a social and networking evening with Sydney Travel Massive and friends. Expect a warm welcome from our host in The Mulwray, their late-night cocktail and wine bar and a site visit of the hotel.
🏨 Venue: The Mulwray, 25Hours Hotel The Olympia, Paddington
📍Location: 11 Oxford Street, Paddington (maps.app.goo.gl/DmGWwSJ35eivC53cA)
🗓️ Date: Thursday, 20th August 2026
🕕 Time: 6pm onwards
🪩 Dress Code: A little different from our usual, feel free to dress it up, think your stylish friend's living room
🥂 Welcome drink on arrival, charcuterie
🏨 About the venue: 25hours Hotels are quirky and sophisticated, The Olympia blends the charm of its art house theatre roots with modern design. The Mulwray is their late-night venue with low lighting, rich textures, and Sydney's best cocktail and wine selection.
👉 Spaces are limited, RSVP is essential
Looking forward to seeing you on Thursday August 20th
Link to event pageJoin Top Travel Innovators, Creators, and Marketers at Travel Massive Asia Conference 2026, in Da Nang, Vietnam on August 21-22.
Travel Massive Asia Conference 2026 will be hosted across two days in Da Nang (Friday 21st to Saturday 22nd August) with a focus on innovation, creation, and marketing in travel, featuring: expert-led workshops, industry panels, founder interviews, a startup pitch competition, tourism and creator masterclasses, and community activations.
See our full speaker lineup (updated 17 July) for 2026: www.travelmassive.com/posts/join-us-at-travel-massive-asia-conference-2026-updated-790035485
The Conference for Travel Innovation, Creation, and Marketing
Day 1 (Conference) will be hosted on the final day of HorecFex (20-21 August) — the premier technology event for the tourism and hospitality industry in Vietnam which attracts over 4,000 attendees including senior hospitality executives and features 80 exhibition booths from local and international vendors.
Day 2 (Masterclasses) will take place at Namia River Retreat, a five-star villa resort, wellness and meeting space in the historic town of Hoi An — a UNESCO World Heritage Site, featuring small-group tourism and creator masterclasses led by experts from the Travel Massive network, followed by an exclusive after party to celebrate two days of learnings and new connections.
🏝️ The conference will be hosted at the Ariyana Convention Centre, a 5-star conference facility built for the 25th Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation (APEC) summit, located in the centre of the beachfront Ariyana Danang Tourism Complex.
🇻🇳 Da Nang is the largest city in Central Vietnam and a regional hub for Vietnam's fast growing tourism market, which welcomed a record 21+ million international tourists in 2025 and is the 3rd largest travel destination in South East Asia. Vietnam's top inbound source markets include the United States, China, South Korea, Japan, Australia, India, and Russia.
👉 This is an exclusive event for: travel industry professionals, tourism operators, travel startups, verified travel creators, influencers and KOLs, and relevant industry experts and media.
🤩 This is your opportunity to learn from and meet with like-minded professionals and founders from across the tourism, hospitality, and online travel sectors in South East Asia and beyond. We look forward to welcoming you!
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Tickets and Registration
General Admission Tickets to Travel Massive Asia Conference 2026 Da Nang (21-22 August) are now available to purchase and includes entry to HorecFex Hospitality Exhibition and Forum (20-21 August). Some restrictions apply:
• Morning workshops on Day 1 are limited to 100 seats.
• Masterclasses on Day 2 are subject to group capacity and availability.
To secure your spot at Travel Massive Asia Conference 2026 Da Nang:
✅ Sign in to your Travel Massive profile, or create an account (it's free)
✅ Purchase a ticket using the "Buy Ticket" link on this event page
✅ Book your flights and accommodation to attend (see FAQ for tips)
Tickets are non-transferrable. You can get a full refund 30 days prior to the event.
FAQ: Where to stay / how to get there:
• Day 1 will be hosted at the Ariyana Convention Centre in Da Nang, Vietnam.
• Day 2 will be hosted in Hoi An town at Namia River Retreat.
• The official hotel is Furama Resort (a 10 minute walk to the convention centre).
• There are many hotel options nearby the convention centre and in Da Nang city.
• Fly direct to Da Nang International Airport (DAD) from international hubs including Singapore, Bangkok, Kuala Lumpur, Taipei, Seoul, Tokyo, or transit via Ho Chi Minh City (Saigon) or Hanoi.
• Bus and train from HCMC (Saigon) to Da Nang (allow a full day, at least).
• Get an Electronic Visa for Vietnam at evisa.gov.vn (for US and other citizens)
• We recommend to extend your stay to explore nearby sights and Central Vietnam!
Questions or need advice? Contact us at asia@travelmassive.com
Check out highlights from our 2025 conference: www.travelmassive.com/posts/photos-from-travel-massive-asia-conference-2025-in-da-nang-vietnam-401401759
Link to event pageTIS2026: 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 pageHere's the 10 latest classified ads:
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