Why I'm Building The Travel Planner: Plan, Organise and Manage Every Trip in One Place

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

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.