Skift Take

Rather than reinventing the travel experience, startups today are providing the insights and tool necessary to make the current experience easier and more effective.

These five travel startups are making travelers and the companies that serve them smarter by giving them access to tool for connections, data insights, and more effective searches.

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>> Mews Systems is a mobile property management solution for small hotels, hostels and B&Bs. Users can review their performance, check status of checked-in/out rooms and housekeeping schedule, and manage arrivals and departures.

SkiftTake: New technology is giving smaller properties more nimble, affordable tools with which to manage their bookings and workforce, in turn increasing efficiency and guest experience.

>> Glassy.Pro is a tool and community for surfers, specifically those that travel in order to find the best waves and meet like-minded peers. The app rates surf spots and specific sessions, lets users challenge on another, and facilities location discovery.

SkiftTake: This is a tool that can be used in a surfer’s backyard or as they travel around the world. Its niche focus on one sport will help the app build a large user base.

>> SmartDepart is a hotel booking sites that collects data from 10 booking websites including pricing, reviews and amenities. Users can drag hotels into a comparison interface or have the website’s decision algorithm make a decision for them.

SkiftTake: There are many hotel booking websites that attempt to streamline or simplify the decision booking process, but taking market share away from major players is harder than it would appear.

>> Hidden Hostels is a curated hostel booker that only shares properties located off the beaten track, away from traditional tourist centers.

SkiftTake: There are many curated hotel booking sites based on design, ambiance and location, but not many for the hostel sector.

>> Tip Like a Local is an app that advises travelers how much to tip while traveling in a new destination. The app suggests local percentages for more than 60 countries.

SkiftTake: Tipping practices are one of the cultural differences that (good) tourists always come up against in a new destination. An app that quickly solves that problem is helpful; however, might not be profitable for the founder.

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Tags: skiftseedlings, startups

Photo credit: Tip Like a Local is an app that advises travelers how much to tip while traveling in a new destination. Tip Like a Local

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