5 New Travel Startups That Inspire and Organize Outdoor Travel

We are seeing a growing number of startups focused on outdoor adventure travel and peer-to-peer local experiences. Many concepts are creative and many piggyback on trends suggesting that it will be difficult for most to differentiate themselves in an increasingly competitive online travel market.

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>> Localppl  is platform that connects travelers with locals. Tourists can pay locals to accompany them through an experience and ask them about the local culture. The founder is chronicling his experience from concept to execution on the startup's blog, which could be a helpful read for other startup founders.

SkiftTake: There is a growing market for connecting locals and tourists on a peer-to-peer basis, but current P2P experience startups have yet to gain a following that matches other P2P platforms such as home rentals and car sharing.

>> Triporg is an activity suggestion engine and itinerary planner. Users input their preferences and destination and receive the location of attractions and the time it takes to go from one to the next.  The startup is also available as an app and a partner platform.

SkiftTake: Many travelers still map out their own itineraries and few other itinerary builders have taken off suggesting Triporg's growth potential is limited by the reality of travel planning today.

>> Polarsteps is an app that keeps track of users' travel routes while they are on the move. It then transfers routes, locations, and photos to users' Polarsteps profile page where the route is mapped and shared with friends.

SkiftTake: Well-designed and simple to use, it's easy to see how Polarsteps could quickly gain users among the well-traveled and trip boasters. Monetizing the platform is a different story.

>> Pedalyst is a platform where users can share and discuss their passion for bikes, particularly well-designed bikes. The site, which is in open beta, says it will also be a source of inspiration for future bike trips.

SkiftTake: There are certainly already Pinterest pages dedicated to passionate bikers so it will be interesting to see how Pedalyst differentiates itself from other inspiration sites and uses its passionate user base to grow.

>> Adventure Trotters is a platform where adventure-focused travelers can discover, share and book trips that are created by guides and clubs. Users can create their own trips and invite friends or other members to join. Adventure travel providers can list trips, reach out to potential customers, and build their brand.

SkiftTake: There's an increasing number of travel startups entering the outdoor adventure market, suggesting an increased interest in the sector and the competition to match it.