travel tech app

7 Useful Apps Every Traveler Should Know About

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Technology continues to make travel easier for millions of people around the globe. New apps offer travelers fresh ways to research a destination, connect with fellow globetrotters, communicate with locals, and track their flights. As a full-time digital nomad , I’ve learned the importance of having the right tools at your disposal when on the road.

Over the past few years, I’ve visited dozens of countries, flown hundreds of thousands of miles, and tested countless apps to find the ones that prove to be the most helpful. And while tools like Meetup, Google Maps, Google Translate, currency converters, and vacation rental , airline, and hotel–specific apps are in fact indispensable on most trips, I find that many of the best travel apps are still undiscovered by my fellow travelers.

Below, seven travel apps that make life on the go markedly easier (and more fun), from real-time flight trackers to photo-sharing gems—all of these apps are free, but some have paid pro versions worth considering. Don’t think these apps are only for full-time travelers—they prove useful for every type of traveler, whether you're in a brand-new destination or back for a return visit.

Discover the best apps for travelers:

Apps for flying, apps for exploring, apps for photo sharing.

My favorite app on this list is Flighty, a must-have for any frequent flier . The free version is fantastic, but I recommend splurging for the premium version, which gives you even more useful information and comes at a reasonable cost of $48 per year. The functionality it provides more than justifies the price.

The free version allows you to input all future flights plus past journeys you've taken within the last year. It provides updated information if any schedule changes occur to upcoming flights and allows you to track all the miles you’ve flown in one place.

The other main benefit is that it allows you to share your flight information with friends and family members who are also on Flighty. They will receive real-time updates about your flight without you having to text them. My parents love to make sure I’m safe so they appreciate getting detailed information about my travels—even while I’m in the air.

Flightradar24 is a favorite app among fellow aviation geeks. It lets you track almost any aircraft you see in the air throughout the day or night. You can track your own flight, a friend's flight, or any plane you see in real-time. It shares plenty of cool data, like the altitude, speed, arrival and departure airports and times, and tail number.

There are tons of eSIM apps on the market, but Airalo is probably my favorite, with digital SIM cards available for dozens of countries. I find it to be the most reliable and offers the best data packages. It can be a little pricey, but it is the best option if you’re only taking short trips. Holafly is another eSIM app that offers unlimited data and works well, but I find the app to be much more glitchy than Airalo and would recommend using the desktop version.

This one is for the planner of the group. Wanderlog merges the best of a bunch of different apps into one. Imagine an app that lets you plan a trip with ease: collaborate with friends as if you’re on Google Docs, manage expense tracking like Splitwise, and have a central place for your reservations, checklists, and more. Tripit is a similar travel planner app, so you can download both and get a feel for which interface you like better.

Been allows you to track the countries you’ve visited and make a wish list of places you can’t wait to cross off your travel bucket list . It gives you information like the percentage of the globe you’ve been to and shows you a world map of your trips. It’s always fun to add in a new country whenever I reach my destination.

This app was introduced to me by fellow nomads I met at a cafe in Montevideo, Uruguay . It automatically tracks your route across the world, allowing you to quickly upload pictures throughout your travels that can be viewed by anyone who has access to your profile. It’s an excellent way to share important moments with loved ones without needing to send photos to each person individually. Users can also create easily accessible guides filled with up-to-date information to help you plan your own trip.

Steller is another app that a friend recently introduced me to, and I’ve quickly fallen in love with it. It uses a combination of AI and user experiences to help you plan trips around the globe. From recommendations of things to see, like the Recoleta Cemetery in Buenos Aires or the Royal Palace of Naples, to full guidebooks created by users, you can get inspired, book experiences, and discover hidden gems within this app.

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Travel Tech: 11 Must-Have Apps for 2024

by The Enlightenment Journey ·

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Introduction: Travel Tech in 2024

As we delve deeper into the realm of travel technology in 2024, the landscape is ever-evolving, offering travelers a myriad of innovative tools and applications to enhance their journeys.

From navigation aids to accommodation booking platforms and communication tools, there is a plethora of must-have apps that can streamline and enrich your travel experience.

Whether you’re a seasoned globetrotter or a first-time traveler, these travel tech tools are designed to make your adventures smoother, more enjoyable, and hassle-free.

Let’s explore the top travel apps you need to have in your digital arsenal for 2024.

1. Navigation: Top GPS Apps

When it comes to navigating unfamiliar terrain, having a reliable GPS app is essential.

In 2024, there are several top-notch options that can help you find your way around with ease.

From Google Maps to Waze and Apple Maps, these apps offer real-time traffic updates, turn-by-turn directions, and even offline maps for when you find yourself in areas with spotty internet connection.

With features like live traffic updates and alternative route suggestions, these GPS apps are indispensable for getting around efficiently during your travels.

2. Accommodation: Booking Platforms

Finding the perfect place to stay is a crucial part of any travel experience, and in 2024, there are numerous accommodation booking platforms that can help you secure the ideal lodging for your trip.

From well-known sites like Booking.com and Airbnb to niche platforms catering to specific types of travelers, such as Hostelworld for budget backpackers or Luxury Retreats for those seeking a more upscale experience, these apps offer a wide range of options to suit every preference and budget.

With user reviews, photos, and detailed descriptions, booking your accommodation has never been easier.

3. Communication: Language Translation Apps

Breaking down language barriers is made easier with the plethora of language translation apps available in 2024.

Apps like Google Translate, iTranslate, and Microsoft Translator allow you to quickly translate text, speech, and even images in real-time, making communication with locals a breeze.

Whether you’re ordering food at a restaurant, asking for directions, or simply engaging in conversation, these apps can help you bridge the gap between languages and enhance your cultural immersion while traveling.

4. Transportation: Ride-sharing Services

Getting around in a new city can be a daunting task, but with ride-sharing services like Uber, Lyft, and Grab available in 2024, transportation has never been more convenient.

These apps allow you to book a ride with just a few taps on your smartphone, eliminating the need to flag down taxis or navigate public transportation systems.

With features like estimated fares, driver ratings, and real-time tracking, ride-sharing services offer a safe and efficient way to travel from point A to point B during your adventures.

5. Currency: Exchange Rate Apps

Managing your finances while traveling is made easier with currency exchange rate apps like XE Currency, OANDA Currency Converter, and Currency Converter Plus.

These apps provide up-to-date exchange rates for various currencies, allowing you to quickly convert prices and make informed decisions about your spending.

Whether you’re shopping, dining out, or withdrawing cash from ATMs, having a currency exchange rate app on hand can help you stay within budget and avoid any financial surprises during your travels.

6. Itinerary: Trip Planning Tools

Keeping track of your travel plans and activities is made simpler with trip planning tools like TripIt, Sygic Travel, and Roadtrippers in 2024.

These apps allow you to create detailed itineraries, store important travel documents, and access maps and directions to your destinations all in one place.

Whether you’re planning a day trip or a multi-country adventure, trip planning tools can help you stay organized, save time, and make the most of your travel experiences.

7. Food: Restaurant Discovery Apps

Exploring local cuisine is a highlight of any travel experience, and in 2024, restaurant discovery apps like Yelp, TripAdvisor, and Zomato can help you find the best dining spots wherever you go.

These apps offer user reviews, ratings, photos, and menus for restaurants, cafes, and eateries in your area, making it easy to discover new culinary delights and hidden gems.

Whether you’re craving street food in Bangkok or fine dining in Paris, restaurant discovery apps can guide you towards unforgettable dining experiences during your travels.

8. Health: Medical Assistance Apps

Staying healthy and safe while traveling is paramount, and medical assistance apps like First Aid by American Red Cross, Doctor on Demand, and GoodRx can provide essential support in case of emergencies.

These apps offer first aid tips, virtual doctor consultations, and medication pricing information, ensuring you have access to medical assistance whenever you need it.

Whether you’re dealing with a minor ailment or seeking urgent care in a foreign country, having medical assistance apps on your phone can offer peace of mind and valuable support during your travels.

9. Entertainment: Streaming Services

Keeping yourself entertained on long flights or train rides is made easier with streaming services like Netflix, Amazon Prime Video, and Spotify available in 2024.

These apps allow you to watch movies, TV shows, and listen to music offline, making it easy to pass the time during travel downtime.

With a wide selection of content to choose from, streaming services can keep you entertained and engaged wherever your travels take you.

10. Safety: Emergency Alert Apps

Ensuring your safety and well-being during your travels is essential, and emergency alert apps like TravelSafe, bSafe, and Safeture can provide valuable assistance in times of need.

These apps offer real-time safety alerts, emergency contact information, and GPS tracking features, allowing you to stay informed and connected in case of emergencies.

Whether you’re traveling solo or with a group, having emergency alert apps on your phone can offer an added layer of security and peace of mind while exploring new destinations.

11. Social: Travel Community Platforms

Connecting with like-minded travelers and sharing your experiences is made easier with travel community platforms like Travello, Couchsurfing, and TripAdvisor forums in 2024.

These platforms allow you to join travel groups, ask for advice, and share tips and recommendations with other travelers, creating a vibrant and supportive community of globetrotters.

Whether you’re seeking travel companions, looking for insider tips, or simply want to connect with fellow adventurers, travel community platforms can enrich your travel experience and foster meaningful connections along the way.

Conclusion: Enhancing Your Travel Experience

In conclusion, incorporating these must-have travel apps into your digital toolkit for 2024 can enhance every aspect of your travel experience, from navigation and accommodation to communication and safety.

By leveraging the power of technology, you can streamline your travel planning, stay connected on the go, and make the most of every moment during your adventures.

Whether you’re a solo traveler embarking on a backpacking journey or a family setting out on a vacation, these travel tech tools are designed to make your trips more enjoyable, seamless, and memorable.

So, download these apps, pack your bags, and get ready to unlock a world of possibilities as you explore the globe in 2024.

Recommended Travel Products

Discover our top picks for travel essentials that will enhance your adventures.

From versatile luggage and travel accessories to essential guides and gear, our collection has everything you need for a smooth and enjoyable journey.

Explore our recommendations to find the perfect travel companions for your next trip.

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Over the past couple of years I've made it my mission to travel any opportunity I could. Whether it meant a short weekend trip to Chicago or traveling around Europe for two months, I tried to take advantage of working a remote job. My latest venture involves moving from New York to London for graduate school. After multiple rounds of trial and error, I can confidently say I've become a pro at tackling the hardest part of every trip: packing.

Yes, I sometimes run into the awful issue of overpacking (you can never be too over-prepared, right?) but by now I have my tech travel essentials narrowed down. My tech travel essentials include everything from headphones to a device that helps you stay safe while walking alone at night. I can't tell you how much I wish I had these products when I first started traveling, they definitely would have saved me a lot of time and money. Below are my top picks for the best travel tech essentials in 2023.

Apple AirTag

Bose 700 noise cancelling headphones, apple airpods pro 2, bagsmart tech organizer, epicka universal travel adapter, anker power bank portable charger, glocalme g4 pro 4g lte mobile hotspot, polaroid go instant mini camera, birdie personal safety alarm, best travel tech: our top picks.

Don't lose your baggage, wallet or keys ever again

With a sleek and lightweight build and Apple's integrated Find My technology, Apple AirTags are a no-brainer for easy tracking - especially for iPhone users.

• Small and convenient
• Can easily track from your Apple device
• Not optimized for Android
• Usually requires a holder

In 2018 my baggage got lost going from New York to Australia; oh how I wish AirTags were a thing then. AirTags change the game when it comes to losing luggage, keys or wallets. It's simple, you attach the tag to any item you fear you may lose, and then you'll be able to track your items wherever you go. You can track your AirTag easily on any Apple device using the 'Find My' feature. AirTags are a great way to never be subjected to lost luggage ever again.

AirTags can't be set up using an Android but Android users can track AirTags using the Tracker Detect app. The app tracks Bluetooth trackers and is compatible with Apple's Find My programming. Although the app helps Androids track AirTags I would recommend looking into other Bluetooth trackers to track your items while traveling.

Listen to music on your next flight in peace with these noise canceling headphones

Block out all the crying babies on the plane with the Bose 700 noise-canceling headphones. With an option to adjust the noise cancelation level and the ability to connect your headphones to the in-flight entertainment systems via aux, the Bose 700 are a travel must-have.

• Can connect to in-flight entertainment systems
• Charging case
• Adjustable noise canceling
• Noise canceling isn't as great as more expensive headphones
• Not as aesthetically appealing as other headphones

Whenever I fly I always make sure to pack a pair of headphones that can be connected to the in-flight entertainment systems, so I don't need to buy a pair of cheap wired earbuds they sell on the plane. I previously owned the Bose Noise Canceling Quiet Comfort 45 headphones which were good enough for the small daily tasks I was using them for but the Noise Canceling 700 headphones are definitely a step-up.

When walking around New York City I've always been weary of headphones that completely cut out all the surrounding noise, but these headphones allow for you to adjust the noise-canceling levels on the Bose Music app which gives users more control over volume levels. Plus, the Noise Canceling 700 allows you to use Alexa and can be used without power. Overall, I'd say the Bose Noise Canceling Headphones 700 are solid noise-canceling headphones and definitely worth the $299 price tag.

Blast music anywhere you go

The JBL Clip 4 proves that good things do come in small packages. The Clip 4 can easily clip onto any bag making it the best speaker for traveling.

• Can clip onto any bag
• Lightweight
• Good sound for the size
• Sound isn't as loud as bigger speakers
• Runs on the more expensive side

If you're in need of a small speaker that you can attach to your bag then the JBL Clip 4 is for you. Although the speaker is small it still produces pretty good sound. I always attach this speaker to my personal item and bring it with me when I go hiking, head to the beach or even when I'm going on a quick bike ride.

For me, this speaker has withstood several hard drops and still outputs decent sound quality. Sure, it's not as bass-rich as a Sonos speaker, but what it lacks in fullness it makes up for in its rugged and portable form-factor, and is still loud enough to blast some music in your hostel when kicking back with your new friends or in your AirBnb.

Listen to music anywhere you go

Prefer earbuds to headphones? Apple's AirPods Pro 2nd generation are easily portable and offer great noise cancelation.

• Can fit in your pocket
• Solid noise canceling
• Water resistant
• Only two noise canceling modes
• Not a super long battery life

If you're looking for something less bulky and more subtle than over the ear headphones, I recommend investing in AirPods Pro 2 . I always prefer to wear my AirPods Pro 2 while walking around in new cities or when going on a run. AirPods Pro easily connect to any Bluetooth compatible device.

The noise-canceling isn't as great as over-the-ear headphones, but you still have the ability to block the majority of the noise out from around you - something that comes in handy when on a noisy flight. Airpods Pro also doesn't give you the ability to adjust the level of noise cancelation, but there are three different options available for user: total noise cancelation, transparency mode and no noise cancelation at all. I love the transparency mode available on AirPods Pro which allows you to partially hear noise around you while still muting the most distracting sounds.

Combat cable clutter

This bag helps me stay organized with several netted pockets perfect for cable holders, slot for your pens and zippered pockets for other accessories.

• Multiple pockets able to hold chargers
• Cheap zipper

Whenever I pack I somehow end up with five million (by my best estimate) charging cables thrown all at the bottom of my bag and then always somehow manage to never bring the one charger that I need. A tech organizer helps tremendously with solving this dilemma. Keeping all of you charging cables, portable chargers, earbuds and more in one place will help you keep track of what you're packing and what you're missing.

Charge your devices from anywhere in the world

Stay charged anywhere in the world with the Epicka Universal Travel Adapter.

• Adapts to AUS, UK and EU outlets
• Multiple USB slots
• Sometimes is too big to fit in round EU outlets
• Doesn't really work with higher voltage items such as hair dryers and flat irons

Different countries have different outlets, which is something I didn't know when I first went overseas. Due to my lack of knowledge and research I was forced to buy an overpriced adapter at the airport. Afterward I went online and found the Epicka Universal Adapter which has since made my international journeys so much easier. The adapter is compatible with AUS, UK and EU outlets; however, sometimes the EU circular outlets make it challenging for the adapter to fit. Overall though the adapter is a travel essential for anyone planning to go abroad.

Convenient charger you can fit in your pocket

With a long battery life and compact size, Anker's portable charger is the perfect charger for your travels.

• Easily portable
• Long battery life
• Only compatible with Apple devices
• Not compatible with USB-C device

Before I got a MagSafe phone case and charger, the Anker Power Bank was my go-to portable phone charger. Unlike other portable chargers this charger can fit in your jean pocket without your pocket busting at the seams. The battery life is pretty long and Anker consistently releases solid, reliable chargers that have never failed me in the past.

The only downside is that for those eyeing a new iPhone 15 model or for Android users is that the Anker charger is not compatible with the USB-C port.

Work online from anywhere

Attention all remote workers: Work from nearly anywhere with this portable Glocal G4 Pro mobile hotspot.

• No SIM card needed
• 9 GB data included
• Can be costly
• 8 GB European data and 1 GB global data

As a remote worker I know the struggle of coffee shop hopping in hopes of trying to get a solid Wi-Fi connection. One time I spent 8 hours working in the lobby of a Four Seasons until the front desk worker had to kick me out since I wasn't a guest there. To avoid further embarrassment I invested in the Glocal mobile hotspot. The hotspot allows you to connect up to 10 devices nearly anywhere you go. If you're traveling somewhere for longer than a month I would look into a more cost-effective option through your phone or internet provider but if you're only going away for a couple of weeks then the Glocal hotspot is definitely worth the investment.

Capture your memories right away

Snap instant photos everywhere you go with the Polaroid Go.

• Instantly print your pictures
• Only compatible with Polaroid Go film
• Film is smaller than other Polaroid film
• Refilling film is expensive

Polaroid cameras are always so much fun to have and add a special touch to every trip. I always have a Polaroid camera on me while traveling so I can capture every memory in an instant and share pictures with those around me. The smaller size of the Polaroid Go compared to previous Polaroid cameras allows you to easily pack it into your personal item or carry-on.

The smaller size of the Polaroid Go compared to the classic Polaroid camera means that the film needed for the Polaroid Go is a little bit smaller too. The smaller size of the Polaroid Go film allows you to easily fit your photo into any pocket, scrapbook or collage you plan on making post-trip. If you're in search of cute scrapbooks for all of your polaroids, you can choose from a variety of Polaroid scrapbook options on Amazon.

Solo travel safely with Birdie

Traveling alone can be intimidating but the Birdie Personal Safety alarm helps solo travelers feel safe while on the go. Unlike pepper spray or other defense items, the Biride is allowed on all flights and in all countries.

• Can be brought into every country and on planes
• Attach to your keychain
• Can be easily triggered
• Not to be used for actual defense

Solo traveling can be extremely rewarding but also extremely daunting. As a young woman I'm always looking over my shoulder as I walk the streets alone or even when I'm with my friends. The Birdie Self Defense Alarm gives me some peace of mind while traveling alone. All you do is pull the top of the device off and a loud alarm will blare, hopefully attracting attention to you and frightening off anyone trying to cause you harm. Since the alarm doesn't double as a weapon, such as pepper spray, it's allowed on all flights and into all countries. Just a heads-up, the alarm is loud so make sure not to accidentally pull it like yours truly did, causing an extremely embarrassing scene.

MEE Audio Connect Air in-flight Bluetooth audio transmitter

No Bluetooth? No problem

Only brought wireless earbuds on the plane? No worries, the MEE audio transmitter will transmit the audio from the in-flight enetertainment to your bluetooth devices.

• Connects to headphone jack in airplanes
• Connects up to two bluetooth devices
• Sometimes there's a delay in audio
• Needs to be charged

For some reason in the year 2023 most airlines' in-flight entertainment systems are stuck in 2016 and haven't seemed to catch up with Bluetooth technology. I can't tell you the amount of times I got on a flight only to realize I only had my AirPods with me and ended up buying the poorly made earbuds being sold by flight attendants for an exuberant price. The MEE Bluetooth transmitter connects to the headphone jack on the plane then allows you to connect whatever type of wireless device you own. The audio does sometimes lag but overall it's a solid Bluetooth transmitter and makes traveling on long flights a lot easier.

The bottom line: What tech is the best for traveling?

Traveling is expensive - from flights to hotels, there's a lot that needs to be considered when it comes to preparing for a trip - which is why you want to make sure you're investing your money in only necessary tech and additional gadgets. If I were to choose just three items from the list as absolute essentials I definitely would invest in Apple AirTags. Ever since my traumatizing lost luggage experience, I never travel without AirTags anymore. AirTags are the most convenient way to keep track of all your items and eliminates additional stress that comes along while traveling.

We've been getting lost and then found again with the new AirTag, Apple's interwoven ecosystem alternative solution to Tile. For many it'll be the insurance needed when it comes to their bags, keys, and other items.

How I picked the best travel tech essentials

Over the past couple of years I spent a total of three months backpacking Europe, four months living in hostels and apartments in Hawaii and bouncing from state to state visiting friends across the country. Just the other week I flew back home from Hawaii to New York just to leave ten days later for grad school in London. Needless to say I've experienced all the trials and tribulations every traveler experiences at one point or another and found that the tech listed above helped me tremendously on every trip I've gone on. Of course there's much more traveling and learning to be done, but these are the top tech that have served me well so far.

Should I travel with AirTags?

You don't need to attach an AirTag to every single item you own, but I highly recommend attaching one to your checked bags at the very least. AirTags are TSA approved and don't have enough lithium in them to mention, so there's no reason not to get one. You can track your AirTag easily on any Apple device using the 'Find My' feature. Whether you're known for constantly losing your keys or worry about your luggage being lost in the hustle and bustle of things, AirTags are a great way to ease your nerves.

Do travel adapters work with hair dryers?

Most travel adapters aren't voltage adapters meaning they don't typically work well with high voltage items such as hair dryers or vacuums. From my experience of using the Epicka Universal Travel Adapter , it doesn't tend to work with hair dryers but has sometimes worked with flat irons or curling wands in the past. If you're going for an extended trip abroad I would invest in a device that already has the same plug that fits in the outlet of the country you're in. I bought a super cheap hair dryer before moving to London that already has a UK plug, so I didn't have to worry about blowing a fuse with my adapters.

What are the best headphones to travel with?

The Bose 700 Noise Canceling headphones have become not just my travel essential but a daily essential. Currently, on sale now for less than $300, the Bose 700 offer pretty solid noise-canceling and allow you to adjust the levels of noise cancelation on the Bose Music app. I love to travel with the Bose 700 because of the included aux chord that comes with the headphones which allows you to connect the headphones to in-flight entertainment systems. Plus, the case for Bose 700 can charge the headphones. All you need to do is charge the case beforehand, and then you can charge your headphones on the go with just the case.

40 Best Travel Apps for 2024: Plan, Book, Tech, Tickets & More

Home » Travel Style » Technology and Gear » 40 Best Travel Apps for 2024: Plan, Book, Tech, Tickets & More

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Updated: 24th November 2023

During the last decade, how we travel has been thoroughly reshaped. The internet and, more significantly, the smartphone have revolutionised how we plan our trips and explore this planet. Yet, with so many websites, apps, guides and resources now available, it can be overwhelming to decide which travel apps deserve a space on our home screens.

Of course, the travel apps you’ll need to download before your trip will vary depending on where you’re visiting, the type of traveller you are, and your priorities on the road. From those pre-trip essentials, such as finding cheap flights and securing hotel deals, to the boring but necessary tech to manage reservations, money and sometimes even access to the internet, there truly is a travel app for organising everything these days.

Then there are those glorious pocket-size pieces of tech that make our experiences so much richer. Travel apps that allow us to read constellations in the sky above Peru’s Andes, mind-blowing translation software which instantly reads a menu on a long train journey through China , or friend-finding solutions which can connect us with fellow travellers, generous hosts, road trip buddies and even waste-avoiding discount food. Sure, this little device might have taken some of the spontaneity out of our journeys, but there’s no denying that the best travel apps can also enhance our experience while exploring.

Editors note (AI): While I’m sure later in 2024, I’ll update this article again to include some AI travel apps, I haven’t as yet found one I believe is reliable enough. Having tested a selection of itinerary planning AI travel apps using Portugal as a destination (the country I live in, know very well, and write guidebooks for), I’ve received results littered with errors, out-of-date suggestions, or proposals that skip some of the best offbeat experiences in the country — likely because the training material that has been used is also not in-depth or up-to-date. I’m sure when live information integration arrives and things advance this year a few apps will start to stand out. But for now, I’ve skipped any solely AI-powered tools, especially as some seem to have been built exclusively to sell affiliate-linked tours and activities.

In this article...

Best travel apps for flights, lounges and compensation

These are my go-to apps for all things flying. You might also want to consider signing up for cheap flight-finding newsletters so you can get the best deals directly to your inbox.

Skyscanner (free travel app)

For over a decade, Skyscanner has been my preferred travel app for finding flights. While there are plenty of other options these days, such as Kiwi or Kayak, I still always opt for Skyscanner. It has a clean interface, there is no cookie tracking or worries about going incognito, and I nearly always find the best deals here.

Of course, the ‘search everywhere’ feature is always a winner for finding those bargain flights when you are up for going on a trip but don’t really mind where. The app also features ‘Price Alerts’ so you can track fares going up and down and third-party reviews to know how reliable the company advertising the flight is. As a bonus, the Skyscanner travel app now has a ‘Top Deals’ tab for spontaneous trips away alongside additional searches for hotels and car hire. Download on iPhone | Android

If you’ve ever dealt with trying to claim for a delayed flight under EU regulations , you’ll know it can be a challenging process. While there are various protections across the world to ensure compensation when delays or cancellations happen, sometimes it can be a drawn-out and even unsuccessful process. That’s where Colibra comes in, as it takes a different approach and pays out compensation for delays of over one hour or more due to any reason, such as strikes or weather, with the money supposedly hitting your account within 24 hours.

However, it’s good to know that the compensation you’ll receive through Colibra isn’t as high as doing it yourself. Their model works by getting you to download the app and register your flight before arriving at the airport — essentially taking a gamble as you then assign the legal right to Colibra to make the full claim. The advantage is that whether Colibra is successful or not in getting the compensation to them (often, if delays are just an hour or two, there is no cash compensation), you’re guaranteed to get your share of the pot.

The funds for this come from those who have been delayed for over three hours and get compensation via EU rules but take a lower share of their cut from Colibra’s claim, leaving money in the pot for those with shorter delays. There is also a flight booking feature called “Fly Now, Pay If Okay”, which allows you to book flights and pay after flying – thus, if there is a delay of three hours or more, you don’t pay anything. You can read more about how this works on their website. Let’s see if they become one of the best flight booking apps as they expand this feature. Download App

Priority Pass

Frequent flyers who don’t usually fly premium or own a credit card that comes with the benefit of lounge access may want to consider signing up for Priority Pass.

Offering membership to more than 1000 lounges in some 140-plus countries, this travel app, in connection with the Priority Pass Airport Lounge program , allows you and potentially a guest to enjoy all the amenities of a lounge; this usually includes both pre-flight and layovers. There are a few different pricing models, including a lower option with paid entrance to the lounges and a mid-range membership, which allows for ten free lounge visits. Of course, this means if you’re only flying a couple of times a year, it’s most likely not worth it. Sign up here and download the app

Best apps for booking travel by train, bus, ferry or car share

These are some of the best apps for travel planning in Europe; especially helpful if you’re considering an overland trip across the continent to seek out some of Europe’s hidden gems .

Rome 2 Rio (free travel app)

This website really is a leader in finding the best way to travel within or between countries. For example, I didn’t think getting a reliable bus timetable in Sri Lanka was possible until I fired up this trusty app. But where it really excels is when it comes to working out more complicated journeys, especially those that cross borders.

Simply type in your start and end point, and you’ll get a whole list of overland/water/air routes for your trip, often ones that other similar booking sites don’t bring up. The reason for this is that Rome2Rio was created to be a useful resource rather than to make affiliate income (the commission websites make by selling something), and therefore formed one of the most impressive databases of transport options in the world; it even often helps me where Google Maps fails. That said, they have recently started shifting into selling more tickets (also handy), but it seems they still show every option they know. With heaps of helpful info, such as approximate prices, distances, route numbers, and which operators to book with, it’s honestly the travel app I use most, and I can not praise these heroes enough for making multi-country travel so much easier to plan. Download on iPhone | Android

Omio (free travel app)

Omio is one of the best travel apps for planning your travels around Europe, allowing you to book and manage various transport and accommodation options in one interface. They proudly boast of an extensive collection of bookable bus and train options that some other aggregator websites and apps miss.

That said, they don’t cover all operators in every country. So, while this is a handy app for researching, planning and keeping your bookings together, it’s always worth checking local operators too. Often, smaller local players don’t have an integration with travel apps (or don’t want to pay them a commission for taking reservations), so you might need to hunt them out and book directly. Download App

Eurail / Interrail (free travel app)

The Eurail app is a godsend for planning train travel across Europe, as it covers more than 30 countries. While it’s actually designed for Interrail/Eurail pass holders, anyone can access and utilise the planning feature for free. Their travel app particularly stands out when it comes to planning multi-country train trips, often showing far more choices in connections than the other applications and websites I’ve detailed in this section.

For example, I just searched for Lisbon to Paris, and the Eurail planner highlighted all the train connections across Portugal, Spain and France I would need to take. Omio, on the other hand, tells me this journey isn’t possible by train as it sometimes struggles with cross-border rail searches.

While you don’t need to have purchased a pass to use the app, it’s well worth considering buying one if you plan to do a lot of rail travel on the continent over a month or two. If you live in Europe, you should look into the Interrail Pass, while non-European residents will need to learn how to use the Eurail Pass to be sure they get their money’s worth. Either way, their travel app is a great tool to have on your phone, especially as it even works offline. Download iPhone | Download Android

Rail Europe (free travel app)

Acting as an official agent for many of the leading train operators in Europe, Rail Europe is something of a one-stop shop for searching for and booking train travel on the continent and unlike the Eurail app, you don’t need a pass to book your tickets with these guys — hence my inclusion here.

However, not all countries are signed up. For example, in Portugal , you would still need to book with the local CP rail service directly, although much of central and western Europe is covered. Download the Rail Europe App

12Go (free travel app)

While many of my recommendations here are particularly geared up for planning travels around Europe, one of the best websites for researching and booking flights, ferries, buses and trains in Asia is 12GO . They cover a large range of countries, operators and transport options, and you can even book taxis in some countries too. That said, the Android version of their travel app seems to be much better quality than the iPhone version (which is unsurprising given Android holds more than 70% of the market share on the continent), meaning IOS users may find the website more helpful than the app. Download iPhone | Android

FlixBus (free travel app)

FlixBus (and now FlixTrain in Germany) has quickly grown to be one of the biggest inter-country bus operators in Europe. I remember when it first launched, and you’d be on a random local bus that sold tickets through the platform. Nowadays, the majority of the bus routes are operated by the official, modern, and green FlixBuses, although some remain franchises.

While Flix certainly isn’t a luxury option – what is on an 18-hour night bus? – They are fairly reliable and affordable, have toilets, and usually have wifi and plug sockets. Mainly operating in Europe, they also offer limited services in the USA with plans to expand into other markets in 2024. Download App

BlaBlaCar (free travel app)

BlaBlarCar might not appeal to everyone due to safety concerns, but it’s one of the most helpful travel apps for travellers like myself who can’t drive and are reliant on public transport. Sometimes, it’s hard to reach certain places, or you have restricted bus options, and that is where this app can be a life saviour. Think of it as a mix of Uber with normal people driving and pre-planned hitchhiking — it’s essentially a carpooling app which helps drivers split the cost of fuel. If you’re doing a big road trip and are looking to split some costs and share some company, you might even want to add your own trips to the app as a driver rather than a rider.

On the travel app’s simple interface, you search where you are going to and from, like on any other ride-share app, and it will show you any drivers doing the same route on the date you’ve searched for. If you find a good match, you can book a seat in their car and join them on a ride. The price usually is based on sharing the gas. Not only does this help you get from A to B, but it also helps you make new travel friends. I’ve mainly used this in Portugal and Spain, but they cover 22 different countries across Europe & Latin America. Recently, they have started offering bus services in France. Download on iPhone | Android

Best travel apps for accommodation

These are some of the best apps for finding alternative accommodation ideas , hotels, hostels or even free hosts. Just remember, you can often get a better deal directly from a hotel or hostel if you email them directly. This way, they won’t need to pay a commission to the OTA (Online Travel Agency) and can often pass that saving on to you. I haven’t recommended Airbnb here because I’ve seen first-hand how it sucked the life out of Lisbon, but there are a few more sustainable and community-concerned websites that I do love, Faribnb and Ecobnb ; however, as of 2024, they still haven’t launched dedicated apps.

Couchsurfing

Sadly, Couchsurfing is no longer as useful as it once was, which has led to plenty of alternative hosting sites cropping up, such as the free-to-use BeWelcome and women-only Travel Ladies app . However, in terms of membership numbers, Couchsurfing still seems to lead the way — even if it now costs a few dollars a month. There are a lot of complaints from long-term members about how the ethos of the company was destroyed after it went from community-owned to private, yet it still remains one of my favourite resources for both finding cool hangouts and traveller-focused events in new destinations, as well as offering to host, or finding a place to stay while on the road.

That said, the actual travel app isn’t the best (the website is easier to navigate), but it’s still worth having if you’re a member to use the ‘hangout’ and ‘local event’ features. Even though the app was born as a place to offer, or seek, a sofa/bed/room to crash for a night or two, even those who aren’t keen on staying with strangers will find good connections. While the payment model introduced has reduced the number of people active on the platform throughout 2023, I still made plenty of connections in person via the travel app, but mainly in larger cities. Download App

CozyCozy (free travel app)

One of the most interesting and newest accommodation search engines that has cropped up in recent years is CozyCozy , which has both a travel app and a website. I particularly like that it searches not just hotel booking websites but also the likes of Airbnb and VRBO, so you don’t need to run different searches on different platforms to find the best listings or the lowest prices. The filtering for the searches is also quite interesting and helpful. For example, you can look for camping or select the ‘ Unusual Places ‘ tab, which is always interesting for finding a different kind of stay. Think of unique stays such as hiring a houseboat in a marina to call a temporary home, treehouses, or mountain chalets.

The additional filters are also convenient, whether it be free cancellation or accessibility filters, which means not only do you need to search only one website, but you also don’t need to click into individual stays to check they meet your criteria. While CozyCozy only searched in around 40 destinations when it launched, it’s now expanded, with plenty more countries added heading into 2024. Download on iPhone | Android

Booking.com (free travel app)

I used to be a big hotels.com fan due to the book ten nights and get one free, but their app sucks. It’s slow to load, you need great wifi, and I’ve realised that the reward nights for booking ten and then getting an allowance for a free night means the costs are more than rivals. As such, I’ve returned to using booking.com as my go-to travel app for hotel stays. Yes, I know it’s not the best business model for the industry, and often you can get better rates if you email a hotel directly (Booking usually requires that the best ‘public-facing’ price is on their website, something I talk about more in this article on finding luxury travel deals ), but for ease of use and range of accommodation offered, it’s unrivalled.

Two other reasons that Booking is such a catch-all is they now have heaps of Hostel listings (hence why I no longer feel the need to recommend Hostel World) and even plenty of apartment stays, many of which are better value than those I see on Airbnb, particularly because cleaning and platform fees are nearly always included in the final quote.

Booking’s travel app also often has ‘Mobile Only’ pricing, meaning stays can be cheaper on the app than on the website, and after you have booked a certain number of nights, you’ll get access to ‘genius benefits’ such as additional discounts, late checkouts, in-hotel extras and quicker customer service. Having had a few problems in the past — such as hotels not existing or no one available for check-in — I’ve personally always had excellent service in resolving the issue with the support chat, and often an upgrade apology elsewhere at no extra cost. Download App

Best travel apps for tours and tickets

In many destinations, booking tickets for attractions directly is best. However, sometimes you want to book in advance or arrange a tour in a rush, and in those cases, these tour and ticket apps will come in handy.

Get Your Guide (free travel app)

Offering tickets to attractions around the world and a huge range of tours and attractions on their website , Get Your Guide also now has a handy app where you can make use of those tickets without the need to print anything — and I genuinely believe it’s better than competitors like Viator, though recently I have also started to use Tiqets for some museums that were better deals than GYG. I first started using this when I went to Milan to skip the lines for the Duomo rooftop, and if you have ever spent ages waiting to get into a big-ticket attraction, you’ll know how handy those fast-track tickets can be.

Likewise, when you’re planning a trip, it’s a good place to get some inspiration and see what activities are around. Recently, I was looking at stuff to do near home in Portugal and only found out about mountain Quad Bike tours from the app — so it can be a handy research tool too. New users of the app get a host of discounts and exclusives, such as discounts on luggage storage and partner bookings. Download App

TourRadar (free travel app)

TourRadar is another tour booking app, but it covers lots of big operators, such as G Adventures and Intrepid, alongside small local companies. This makes it a great search engine and one of the best travel apps for finding and booking multi-day tours, as they all appear in one place. While GYG is going to be helpful while travelling in general, the TourRadar app is a great resource for finding and booking a group or private tour before arrival. Download App

Best travel apps for maps, road trips, camping and hiking

These are some of the best apps for travelling overland, whether you’re in an RV, hiking, camping, or just looking for the best way to get from A to B.

Roadtrippers

For those who are planning an epic road trip across the USA, this travel app is a great starting point. You can punch in up to 100 stops when planning your route, and the app provides interesting suggestions for other places to pause on the way. Additionally, it allows you to collaborate with friends to pull plans together; it’s a super helpful pre-trip tool. Then, while on the road, the app provides live traffic updates, ensuring you don’t wast valuable vacation time. Download App

Google Maps (free travel app)

I’m not gonna lie: I find the recent November 2023 update to Google Maps frustrating. There seems to be more clicking and a more complicated interface than before. However, it’s still an absolute must for me when travelling, mainly because of the vast database of reviews, photos and public transport options — especially in destinations where it’s linked with public transport GPS to show you bus or train locations — that it provides. I also appreciate that when I’m travelling somewhere without a data connection, I can select which parts of the map to download to my phone to use offline. It’s a staple for me; I just hope in 2024, they revert back from this slightly more clunky interface. Download on iPhone | Android

Maps.Me (free travel app)

Sometimes, Maps.Me is the superior choice, and this can be especially true in more offbeat destinations. I was especially impressed at how much more helpful this travel app was compared to the big players when I visited Oman and Tajikistan.

The maps are downloadable, so you can be offline and still use them anywhere, but the best thing is they are powered by OpenStreetMap, which is open-source, so anyone can update details and add new openings and finds. Often, people also had helpful points for trails and viewpoints. This community aspect (rather than Google’s more curated, business-centric approach) ensures that not only is this one of the best travel apps for navigating more remote destinations, but it can often be the most helpful on certain types of trips. Download on iPhone | Android

While nothing can usually beat a local walking guide’s knowledge, the All Trails app comes pretty close. Hosting a huge database of official — and not-so-official — walking routes, reviews and crowd-sourced paths, this travel app can really help you explore more of a destination on foot or by bike. The free version is okay, but for those often hiking in new destinations, the paid additions may be handy.  Go Janutly is another excellent app to have if you’re looking for local walking trails and routes. Download App

What3Words (free travel app)

This is a unique map that gives a three-word name to every spot in the world. If you are travelling to more remote places where street names aren’t a thing or streets don’t exist, this can help you to get there. Likewise, in case of an emergency, it can be used to give a very precise location to emergency services. When I first listed this travel app here a few years back, it was very niche, but now, as we enter 2024, even delivery companies and guidebooks are using it. Download on iPhone | Android

Best app for travel itinerary management: TripIt (free travel app)

TripIt is a super handy piece of kit that will even auto-scan your emails and compile all your travel plans into one place. If you are a frequent traveller, this can become a super handy PA in your pocket.

The free version is still one of the best travel apps for most average people planning a trip, but if you are often on the road, the business upgrade will make things much more streamlined, compiling all of your plans into one place. Download on iPhone | Android

Best travel apps for documenting (and inspiring) your trip

Beyond the normal suspects, such as TikTok, Instagram, or even starting your own blog, there are a few travel app newcomers for documenting and keeping track of your travel.

Framey (free travel app)

So, if you have become as fed up with Instagram as I have, then you might be seeking a photo-focused app to document your travels and inspire your future trips, and Framey does exactly that. No more endlessly scrolling through random reels; Framey’s feed is the perfect place to share your photos with specific locations and find inspiration from your friends or travel ambassadors/creators. The search function also works great, so you can scan your next travel destination and find quick, bite-sized information underneath fantastic visuals or scroll through ‘collections’, bringing together everything in one place.

While on the road, it’s also a helpful travel app to find your way to key sights and great photo points around your location, thanks to the inbuilt map feature, which pins photos on an easy-to-use road map. Both during and before your trip, you can easily save your favourite finds to your own collections so you don’t miss or forget that perfect spot. Download on iPhone | Android  

Visited App (free travel app)

Simple and easy to use, VisitedApp is one of the best travel apps for country counters to keep track of everywhere they have been. Simply add in your visited destinations, and you can see them both on a list view or a highlighted map. The inspiration section, which works a little like Tinder where you swipe left or right depending on if you want to add it to your ‘wishlist’ is a nice feature as it doesn’t just focus on countries as a whole but also cities, national parks, and regions — with nice photos for inspiration — so you can use it both for documenting where you have been but also where you still want to go.

There are also specific categories for various types of travel, such as Art Museums and Wonders of the World, so you can keep adding to your lists of places you have visited and want to visit. The paid pro version allows you to record the places you have visited in even more detail, such as specific cities or regions. Download on iPhone | Android

Best apps for backpackers and solo travel

These are some of the more useful travel apps if you’re travelling solo or as a backpacker.

Radical Storage (free travel app)

One of the biggest hassles when backpacking is finding a place to stash the bags, especially if you’re not able to check in early or are just stopping somewhere for the day before taking the bus or train. Radical Storage is one of many new handy travel apps (others include Luggage Hero and Bounce) that will help you find a pre-booked place to store your bag if the local bus or train station does not have an option. Usually, the fees are pretty decent, and both times I’ve used it, I’ve had no problems, although sometimes the storage options can be a little obscure, and the exact location isn’t always displayed until after booking. Download App

Travello (free travel app)

Travello has made some significant inroads in the travel world over the past few years and has even been named one of the top apps by the Apple store — it’s come a long way since I first met the founders back in 2016. Still, this will mostly come in handy if you’re travelling in Australia and, to a lesser extent, New Zealand and Asia.

But what is it? Well, think Tinder, but for travellers. With a well-developed interface, this travel app will help you find other travellers with similar interests who are already in or heading to the same areas. You can also search the noticeboard for your upcoming plans and arrange shares/swaps in advance. Recently, they have expanded into selling tours and travel experiences through partners, so you can also book activities directly in the app too, and discounts are applied depending on how many ‘points’ you’ve earned through activity within the app community. Download on iPhone | Android

Meetup (free travel app)

Meetup is great whether you’re travelling or not; I’ve used it to attend events in my home city before. It will help you connect with fellow travellers nearby to attend group events and activities, which can be searched and filtered by interests. If you’re travelling and seeking new connections and people to share experiences with — but don’t want to get Couchsurfing — this is a useful app to have on your phone while travelling. Download App

Top travel apps for staying connected

VPN, eSIM, internet-only mobile numbers — the web has provided a whole new world of ways to stay connected while travelling, and these are some of the most handy travel apps to ensure you don’t get lumped with a hefty data roaming bill.

HolaFly eSim

An eSim is a virtual sim card and provides an alternative to having to buy a new sim card at each destination. There are many benefits to this, such as speed, ease and forward planning, although the costs can sometimes be more than buying a local card. I’ve written a detailed guide to the pros and cons in this eSim for Europe guide . However, HolaFly is my go-to choice, especially since they have started offering some unlimited data packages in certain destinations. Get a 5% discount with my code: DANFLYINGSOLO when you sign up, then Download the App

A VPN is handy for security, but in some places, like when I went on a tour through China, it is essential to keep you connected to all your favourite apps that may be blocked in other countries. I would love to recommend an underdog here, but ExpressVPN is the best and most consistent I have used, so they are the winner. A free alternative is Windscribe , which I’ve found useful in many situations, though sometimes it’s unreliable and doesn’t always work. Enjoy a free trial of ExpressVPN via their website

WhatsApp (free travel app)

I feel like everyone should know and use WhatsApp, but I’ve discovered that plenty of folks in the USA still don’t rate it — though perhaps that’s changing since Meta brought it into the Facebook family.

An end-to-end encrypted communication app, it provides all the benefits of iPhone devices, such as calls, video chat, and messaging over data, but it is open to Android users as well. But the reason this is one of the most helpful travel apps is that in many regions (particularly in some Asian countries), nearly everything is organised through WhatsApp. From booking guest house stays in Indonesia to arranging tour guides in Kazakhstan, without this app, I’d have missed out on a lot of local experiences you won’t find on the big travel aggregators. Download on iPhone | Android

I haven’t personally used Rebtel, but a good friend in the USA recommended I include it in this article as it offers cheap international calls (via actual phone numbers, so it is a good alternative to internet calling) without always needing an internet connection. Thus, it’s a handy app to have if you’re going to be travelling and need a way to call physical numbers rather than communicating through WhatsApp. Signup is required to download the app

Best apps for language translation and learning

These are some of the best language learning apps to master some basics before arriving at a new destination. Of course, these are quite generic, so if you want to take a deeper dive into a specific language, such as learning Spanish online , you’ll likely want a more in-depth course. 

Duolingo (free travel app)

I spent all of 2022 using Duolingo Plus (the paid version of the app) and covered the first half of the Spanish course and all the (Brazilian) Portuguese courses. For me, the adverts in the free version are now really annoying, and I didn’t love the recent redesign; however, as far as free language travel apps go, Duolingo remains one of the best if you have a little patience.

I like the fact it is more like a course in the palm of your hand than a list of jumbled words. It uses repetition and reviewing to make sure you have grasped it and mixes audio learning with visual prompts. You aren’t going to become fluent here, but you will have more than enough to get by. They also have a relatively wide range of languages, although some courses, such as French and Spanish, are more in-depth than others. Download on iPhone | Android

I seem to go through phases with different language apps, dropping in and out when travelling, but now, having moved to Portugal, I’m using language apps not just for a short trip but to support myself in learning a brand new language, Portuguese.

Drops is a relatively new language app, and my favourite thing about it is the different mediums it uses to support learning words. You get both written and audio words, but also visual graphics to help support the learning. You also have complete control over the phrases that you go through this process with, so if you are already confident with certain words, you can tick them off, and they won’t show up in the lesson format. Another thing I love about Drops is their commitment to lesser-known languages and preserving traditional and regional dialects, such as Samoan and Ainu. Download on iPhone | Android

Google Translate (free travel app)

Okay, so it might not be teaching you a language, but it is undoubtedly one of the absolute BEST travel apps that you absolutely must have on your phone. Be sure not just to download the app itself before your trip but also to download the language of the country you’re visiting. Then, the translations will continue to work offline. But it gets even better, as you don’t actually have to type; pointing the camera at a menu or an info board at a translation will near-instantly give you the image back in your own language. The app will even work with voice translations, and I can’t tell you how happy it has made me to be able to talk to locals on night trains in Uzbekistan or hold a basic conversation while hitchhiking in Georgia. Honestly, it’s the best thing Google has ever created. Download on iPhone | Android

Best travel apps for money management

These are some of the best travel apps for money management, whether it’s splitting bills, sending transfers, or working out the exchange rate.  

This super handy and simple travel app will help you keep track of costs on a group trip. I’ve used this on a few of my non-solo travels now, and it’s as easy as tapping in the costs as you go along, so you can easily divide and balance who owes who what at the end of the trip. It is much easier than manually keeping tabs on different people’s payments, and it takes the stress out of talking about money when you just want to make the most of being on the road. Download App

Wise (formerly TransferWise)

A complete game-changer in sending money abroad, the (Transfer)Wise app works uniquely. Rather than physically sending your cash overseas, they have bank accounts in multiple countries, which reduces conversion costs. Say you want to send money from Germany to the UK; you add the money into their German account, and someone else’s money, which is being held in the UK account, goes to yours. Given how low the fees are and the savings you can make when withdrawing cash from certain ATMs, it’s an excellent travel app to have. Another solid alternative is Revolut, which is particularly good if you want to set up a joint account with someone while travelling. Download App

XE Currency Exchange (free travel app)

This is a great and lightweight travel app to keep track of various currencies in your pocket in real time; it also works offline as long as you have updated your rates before leaving the internet connection. XE also has a new premium feature which will alert you when a rate hits the target you have set — handy if you want to withdraw or convert a big amount. Download on iPhone | Android

Best travel apps to improve your trip and experience

These are some of the best apps for travel which will enhance your experience. From stargazing and pollen counts to tracking the time of the month, these are some nice additions to make for a better travel experience.

Too Good To Go

This isn’t so much a travel app, but it is amazing, both for travellers and also in day-to-day life. To combat food waste, it offers businesses the chance to sell their products that may be going out of date or the day’s leftovers at a heavily discounted price to minimise food waste. Not only are you getting some great food at great prices, but you are also helping the environment. For those seeking sustainable travel tips , this could be helpful in a few ways.

Say you are staying in self-catering accommodation; you could order a ‘magic bag’ of discounted fruit and vegetables to help you cook and collect them at the end of the day. Or, perhaps you fancy a hotel-style buffer breakfast but aren’t staying in a hotel? Then you can look for hotels nearby, and often, there is something to collect around 11 am. When I lived in Granada, I would often do this to get a cheap carry-out brunch. You’ll also find restaurants on the app, so if you don’t mind eating later than usual, you can often find delicious meals that are going spare for a fraction of the price of a takeaway. Sadly, the app mainly works in European countries, Canada and the USA. Download on iPhone | Android

Weather Bug

While nearly all smartphones come with basic weather apps, Weather Bug takes it to a whole other level. Whether you suffer from hay fever and want to know the pollen count or need to keep track of lighting and storm warnings, this is a one-stop-shop for all things weather. There’s a whole host of different map options, 18-day forecasting and plenty more nifty additional features, and given how much the weather can impact your trip, it’s a handy travel app to have on hand. Download on iPhone | Android

Flo (free travel app)

Trying to make this list as broad as possible, my dear friend Vicky suggested this travel app, which is especially useful for long-term travellers. In her words: “It monitors when your period is and sends you alerts so you can plan it with travel. It’s SO useful when you’re on the go and don’t know what day it is”. Download on iPhone | Android

SkyView (free travel app)

I started digging this app when I got into night photography, but it’s a staple for anyone who has an obsession with the stars. Simply point it at the sky, and it will tell you which constellations are in the viewfinder. If you want to start photographing the Milky Way, this is a great travel app to get on your phone. Download on iPhone | Android

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I have been recently making photo books of my adventures with an app called Inkifi, their website is . They aren’t as well publicised as some of the other big print apps but their products are innovative and second to none.

great list, thanks for sharing :) i couldnt travel without apps :D there is one app i can recommend checking out, its called “ATM Fee Saver” and it shows atms around with no or low fees for withdrawing money. its super helpful i found :)

hi there – great article. Thought I’ll also share – I came across this app ATM Fee Saver – it gives atm fees and withdrawal limits in some 30-40 countries, it was super helpful, much needed these days. Helped me calculate my own fees also for my amount. Never seen anything like this before – should defo be on your list also, it will helps lots of other international travellers like me!!!

Being techy types as well as keen travellers here are a few different apps that my husband and I like to use:

* TripMapper: great for building our travel itineraries and keeping track of our budget. It also has interactive ‘inspiration’ itineraries you can download and customise which is super helpful.

* Dataman: to keep on top of our data. Our plans give us roaming, but it’s less than our typical monthly amount, so we just set the data cap to our roaming limit when we’re away.

* Surfshark: we got an excellent deal on a multi-year plan. It has been pretty good, and the unlimited device feature works really well for us as we have too many internet-connected devices.

* Flighty: for checking the status of our flights. It’s a beautifully designed app, too.

Thank you so much for that type of information. before this blog i know only about two google and apple . you share a lot of information with us thanks

Nice piece of information specially for those who wants to explore the world by him/her self. I also used to travel and looking for advice which is handy while traveling. Usually, I have few pre-installed apps which are enough for me like Google Maps is the only maps who acts as travel explorer for me in every way like tourist places I need to go, nearby hotels I need to stay, restaurants etc.

How come Xnspy didn’t make the list? It is such a cool app and its GPS location tracking and geofencing works in real-time. If you are traveling with kids and plan to split up and explore, you must get this app. You won’t regret it.

Like your list. Its got some of usual suspects, but the apps for handicapped plus meeting locals are great gems.

I’ve just come across this neat mobile app: potty poche. It highlights visiting the south of France: Languedoc and Provence, with the unique added feature of a public toilet locator for the places to visit; a necessity for France. And it identifies those that are handicap accessible plus has five language versions.

The app categorizes seaside towns, historic Cathar sites, beautiful and perched villages, famous french village movie venues, as well as practical guides to the lavender fields, favorite market towns, and places associated with famous painters.

I found the app on Apple and Google play stores

Very descriptive article it is…!! I usually use the google translate app for travel purposes. It is the best app from the above list. Thank you for the best suggestion I will try other apps also.

There are so many programs do download. I think it would be nice, if someone will made one platform for using all of these benefits on an app. I don’t have all of them, I use usually Airbnb, Skyscanner, Google maps or Maps.me and NordVPN Teams for mobile security. Till now it’s enough for my trips, maybe in the future I will need more, who knows!

Thanks for thelist. It helps me to get an overview about other travel apps. I’m also working on my own on a travel app in my freetime, which helps to create travel routes with AI. If you like it, you can maybe add it to the list :) https://yourtravelroute.com/

Greets David

I recommend “Leap” for planning and budgeting a round the world trip. Also helpful for digital nomads and full-time travellers.

I have found your article very informative and interesting. I appreciate your points of view and I agree with so many. You’ve done a great job with making this clear enough for anyone to understand.

Thanks for sharing this. This helps me a lot. :)

I am a big fan of Airbnb, and I think the good thing is I can go anywhere with my Chinese card. That’s the main reason for me to choose that App. I think your article is really useful for traveler. Thanks!

Nice list! One app which I use a lot is Leap. I heard about it from a movie on a German couple traveling the world. They basically used it to find out how much money they will need for their world travel depending on the countries where they want to go. I got inspired by them to travel the world so I have started using the app as well. It has a financial planner so I hope I will have my savings ready soon :-)

Thanks for the tip Asha!

Wow! I really enjoyed reading this post a lot because whenever I travel in a different country I tend to get lost. A couple summers ago, I went abroad to Spain and got lost many times! One of the apps I saw on this list was Google Translate, which I totally used all the time when I lived with my host mom. WhatsApp was another one I used all the time and I would agree it is very important when you are in another country. One of the favorite apps I read about on this post is Weather Bug because it seems very useful. A lot of the time my usual weather app was not accurate so this app would definitely be beneficial. I liked how you split up each up by using numbers to differentiate each app. It made it very easy to read!

Hey! you should check out Jetzy! its a travel app, and connects you with locals as well as people from all over the world! i think its pretty cool :)

i m still amazed why Make My Trip is not included in the list. No doubt that the apps which you mentioned above are great but we cant ignore make my trip too.

Great list. But what about Sygic Travel? It has offline maps and virtual reality videos… I am missing it here. I can activate you a Premium licence Daniel, if you want. Let me know. :)

Each country have their own favorite travel App. I prefer to use Tripoto while travel and it gives me good ideas about various places and things to do ! Thanks for sharing such a wonderful list !

This is a great post! Apps are so useful for every day life, but for travelling they can really make the experience much smoother and cheaper. Apps like skyscanner are a must for going around the world on a budget and making your travelling hassle free!

Awesome list. I have been hearing only good things about Skyscanner and Rome2Rio looks like heaven sent with all the local transport timings around the world. Herepin seems like a nice startup as it might make it easier to connect with fellow travelers rather than posting on Social Media and asking “who’s around”. A very useful list, thanks.

rome 2 rio just keeps getting better and better and has so much info not even google maps can pull up – god send! :)

Thanks for the great list, these are super handy – didn’t know about half of these. Another app I’d really recommend is Postsnap ( https://www.postsnap.com ), it’s a postcard sending app that’s perfect for sending travelling snaps back home when you’re abroad. Great to be able to use your own photos and write a personal message.

Sounds like a cool app!!

Thanks for this great list! We would like to add Tourlina – the first women-only travel app

Awesome, cheers Dan. I have just downloaded Rome 2 Rio and also the currency one.

Hope they came in handy. Rome2Rio is a lifesaver in some countries.

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Best travel tech: 9 essential apps, gadgets and tips

Whether you're about to hop on a plane or still in the planning stages, we've got tips and travel tech that can enhance your next trip.

Anyone can go on a trip, or plan the right stops to avoid tourist traps and find great food, but the best frequent fliers can do even better with the right travel tech tips. On a recent trip to Tucson, I managed to use a simple list-making app to become a better packer, and I'm already using a new app to plan my upcoming trip to London.

But I'm just one man, so I've also enlisted the help of Tom's Guide senior writer and resident travel expert Caitlin McGarry, who brought me up to snuff on some major tips. So, travellers, here are our top nine tricks for how to be a better techy traveller. Oh, and we haven't tested it yet, but this global power adapter is pretty intriguing because it offers USB-C charging.

Use and revise packing templates

Travelling is all about selective packing, as you can't bring your whole life with you wherever you go. This is why I made a template in the Things productivity app, where I list out every single thing I could need on a trip.

Then, about a week before I leave, I duplicate said template and re-name it based on the trip I'm going on. Then, I edit the items based on the number of days I'll be there, and how I'll need to dress.

This way, no charging cables or toiletries kit get left behind at home. And on a recent trip in Tucson, I made edits to the template while I was there, as I learned about things I'd wished I'd packed for the heat, such as shorts (duh, I know). — Henry T. Casey

Low Battery Mode

This one's easy. On certain days of your trip — especially the first and last — you probably find yourself wishing your phone had a little bit more juice. The best way to enable this is to turn on low battery mode (a setting found by swiping down from the top right corner on an iPhone and from the top of an Android phone ).

MORE: Smartphones With the Longest Battery Life

This setting disables background activities, such as downloading emails or grabbing new podcast episodes, which you can do on your own when you need to. Sure, one of our best portable charger picks can help (more on that later) but this will keep your phone going when it's inconvenient to plug in.   — Henry T. Casey

Track pricing

You probably use a website to search for flights, but apps such as Kayak can send you notifications for flights that you won't want to miss. Also, if you're not committed to specific travel dates, try Google Flights for following pricing trends. — Henry T. Casey

"Hey Siri /Google/ Alexa , remind me to check-in."

I never remembered to check in 24 hours before a flight until Siri reminded me to do so. Just asking your digital assistant to remind you to check in, though, hours before your flight is sort of a minor tip, something I can throw in to make this hit an odd number.   — Henry T. Casey

Traveling overseas?

Grab a SIM card when you land at the airport. International data plans are way cheaper than racking up roaming charges. — Caitlin McGarry

Suitcases with built-in battery packs

Increasingly popular (see: Away ), these bags may look traditional, but pack a valuable piece of travel tech. The power bank it keeps hidden under a flap is a lifesaver when you’re at the airport and everyone else is hogging the three plugs at the gate. Just remember to remove the battery from the suitcase before you board the plane. — Caitlin McGarry

Mobile Passport Control app

Download this app ( iOS , Google Play ) from the U.S. Customs and Border Patrol and fill in your details to expedite your entry back into the U.S. You can go through a special express line at customs and save yourself a ton of time. — Caitlin McGarry

Consider the unlimited data plan

When you're on the road and in control of the AUX cable, the ability to stream any song into a car stereo feels like a superpower. — Henry T. Casey

Merge your Maps and Calendar apps

You could use Google Maps and your calendar app of choice, and switch back and forth between them, but that's got a little too much friction for my preference. Instead, I'm intrigued by the Monarch Trips app which combines scheduling and maps in a clean, elegant package. It's also got a ton of suggestions for where to go.

And if you can convince others to download it, you can collaborate on future plans together. Much more visual and useful than a shared Google Doc. The only issue is that it's iOS only right now, so this is a no-go for Android. — Henry T. Casey

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Henry is a managing editor at Tom’s Guide covering streaming media, laptops and all things Apple, reviewing devices and services for the past seven years. Prior to joining Tom's Guide, he reviewed software and hardware for TechRadar Pro, and interviewed artists for Patek Philippe International Magazine. He's also covered the wild world of professional wrestling for Cageside Seats, interviewing athletes and other industry veterans.

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The 28 Most Innovative Travel Tech Startups Around the World

Asian travel tech startups

Middle east travel tech startups , american travel tech startups, european travel tech startups, latam travel tech startups.

Although it suffered tremendously during the pandemic, the travel industry keeps going forwards. In 2020, the entire sector lost more than 60 million jobs and $4.5 trillion . However, it’s coming back to its feet, and some projections indicate that it will again become one of the fastest-growing sectors. It’s expected to reach a market size of $1.5 trillion and a growth rate of 8.5% by 2027 .  

One reason for such incredibly fast recuperation is travel tech. There are hundreds of innovative travel tech companies focused on delivering powerful solutions to help travel companies achieve operational excellence, generate new revenue streams, and stay above the fold even during the most challenging times.

Here is the list of the most innovative travel tech startups you should know in 2022.

The Asian travel tech startup market is quite dynamic, with new startups emerging regularly. We’ve found the following five startups to be the most innovative.

Website: https://www.airalo.com/  

Product/service description: Airalo is a travel tech startup that offers eSIMs. eSIMs are a great alternative to SIM cards, and they are supported by cutting-edge smartphones. The company’s offer currently includes over 190 eSIMs cards.

Stage: Series A

Year of foundation: 2019

Founders: Abraham Burak and Ahmet Bahadır Özdemir

Funds raised: $7.3M

Why have we included it in the list?

Airalo has secured its position on our list because it enables people to easily stay connected when traveling without spending a fortune on high roaming bills. It offers dedicated apps for both Android and iPhone users.

Website: www.travelflan.com  

Product/service description: TravelFlan is a comprehensive platform leveraging cutting-edge tech, including AI and Big Data, to deliver outstanding experiences to travelers and travel companies.

Year of foundation: 2015

Founders: Abel Zhao

Funds raised: $7 million

We included TravelFlan on our list because it’s a great example of a small team being able to achieve a lot. In just a few years, the startup delivered an inventory aggregator and processor, a big data analytical engine, a supply chain and inventory management system, and a voice- and text-based AI personal concierge. 

Website: www.yanolja.in/ko/  

Product/service description: Yanolja is one of the most successful travel tech startups in Asia. It delivers an easy-to-use mobile app for hotel reservations. The company uses AI and VR to delight its users.

Stage: Venture – Series Unknown

Year of foundation: 2005

Founders: Lee Sujin

Funds raised: $1.9 billion

Yanolja is on our list because the company continues to seek new solutions beyond mobility tech to help the travel industry move forward. The most recent Yanolja strategy was to leverage IoT to create a cloud-based hotel management solution.

Website: www.be-spoke.io  

Product/service description: Bespoke is a startup focused on leveraging AI to deliver a powerful chatbot to travelers. The chatbot can make reservations, offer personalized recommendations, and answer many questions.

Stage: Series B

Founders: Akemi Tsunagawa

Funds raised: $2.6 million

Bespoke is one of the best AI-enabled chatbots with multilingual capabilities in the travel sector. The startup even enabled the Japanese government to use it during the pandemic to deliver critical information to travelers and residents.

H2O Hospitality

Website: www.h2ojapan.co.jp  

Product/service description: H2O Hospitality is among a few startups that have successfully built an in-house automation solution to streamline the management of accommodation facilities. 

Stage: Series C

Founders: John Lee

Funds raised: $48.9 million

What we love about this startup’s tech is that it’s capable of automating all processes through a PMS without any additional human resources on site. That enables the startup to guarantee lowered operational costs.

There are a dozen Middle East-based travel tech startups, especially in Israel. You can find the most innovative ones below.

Website: mize.tech  

Product/service description: Mize offers profit optimization solutions to facilitate higher profits . Using big data enables hotel booking businesses and hotel resellers to easily manage post-booking revenue and become more competitive in their markets. 

Stage:   Series B

Year of foundation: 2016

Founders: Dor Krubiner, Guy Levitan, and Omry Litvak

Funds raised: $4.4 million

Mize is on our list because it helped revolutionize revenue management as we know it . Instead of optimizing the selling-side and pre-booking processes, it enables companies to do buy-side and post-booking revenue management.

Website: www.upstay.tech  

Product/service description: UpStay offers hotels a new way to generate additional revenue streams. This easy-to-adopt upselling platform enables hotels to capture more pre-arrival sales, including additional ancillaries and room upgrades.

Stage: Pre-Seed

Founders: Tzafrir Blonder

Funds raised: $1 million

UpStay doesn’t only unlock new revenue streams, but it’s also completely automated. The staff doesn’t have to do anything, as UpStay works in the background of the existing hotel system. More importantly, it ships out with support for Channel Manager, Booking Engine, and PMS integration .

Website: www.ekar.ae  

Product/service description: ekar is a revolutionized car rental service. Using geo-location and other advanced mobile technologies, ekar delivered an app that enables travelers to benefit from a daily car rental service. 

Founders: Ravi Bhusari and Vilhelm Hedberg

Funds raised: $17.5 million

We included ekar in our list because it uses the latest tech to enable travelers to book and access cars for personal driving use safely and securely. Every car in their network is equipped with tech that enables travelers to unlock and lock them with their smartphones.

Website: www.guesty.com  

Product/service description: While Guesty started small back in 2013, today, it’s one of the world’s leading property management solutions. The platform comes with easy-to-use features to enable property managers to streamline and automate their processes.

Stage: Series E

Year of foundation: 2013

Founders: Amiad Soto and Koby Soto

Funds raised: $284.5 million

Guesty is on our list because it is the first end-to-end property management solution for short-term rentals. The company successfully delivers all the nifty features, such as a unified inbox to help managers streamline bookings and check-in & check-out date management.

Website: www.reTravel.io  

Product/service description: ReTravel is a startup aiming to help travel agencies with their upselling and cross-selling efforts. The startup’s marketplace features everything a travel company needs to personalize its offer and attract more travelers. 

Year of foundation: 2020

Founders: Nir Gurevich and Revital Kristal

Funds raised: N/A

We added ReTravel to our list because it uses modern technologies such as AI and ML and delivers a solution that travel companies of any size can afford. The level of personalization goes so far that the platform can offer the right product to the right customer via the perfect channel.

Website: www.air-dr.com  

Product/service description: Air Doctor is a connection technology that enables travelers to find and use medical services wherever they are. The company offers its services online, thus enabling anyone who wants to use them to do it on the go as long as they have an internet connection.

Founders: Efrat Sagi Ofir, Jenny Cohen Derfler, Yam Derfler, and Yegor Kurbachev

Funds raised: $30.9 million

While Air Doctor doesn’t use cutting-edge technologies, it does provide innovative perks to travelers. Given that travelers are more concerned about their health after the Covid pandemic, Air Doctor’s vast medical network of physicians can encourage travelers to book packages and be more relaxed.

The American travel tech startup scene doesn’t fall behind its Asian and Middle East counterparts. The market is quite diverse, with startups leveraging tech to achieve all sorts of objectives. Here are the top five travel tech startups in North America. 

Website: https://www.safetywing.com/

Product/service description: This is one of the unique tech travel startups, more precisely, insurtech travel startups. SafetyWing specializes in providing health and medical insurance to remote individuals and businesses. 

Year of foundation: 2017

Founders: Hans Nyvold Kjellby, Lona Alia, Sarah Beyahte Sandnes, and Sondre Rasch

Funds raised: $47.1 million

This innovative insurtech startup has reserved its spot on our list of travel tech startups because it creates freedom for travelers . Its innovative approach to travel insurance enables travelers across borders to get travel and medical incident insurance even while abroad.

Mogul Hospitality

Website: https://www.mogulhospitality.com/  

Product/service description: Mogul Hospitality is a next-gen platform to enable companies to easily identify and contact top talent in the industry. Its focus is on enabling travel and hospitality brands to build trust and thrive on the unique values they offer to their clients.  

Stage: Seed

Founders: Alexander Mirza and Yvonne Choi

Funds raised: $3.1 million

We’ve added Mogul Hospitality to the list because it packs some really powerful features, including talent acquisition and data analytics, service profit chain management tools, and experiential training and learning platform. 

Website: www.hopper.com  

Product/service description: Hopper is a travel tech startup that came up with the travel app. The app uses big data and predictive analytics to make relevant and affordable travel recommendations to its users. 

Stage: Secondary Market

Year of foundation: 2007

Founders: Frederic Lalonde and Joost Ouwerkerk

Funds raised: $633.7 million

Hopper is a perfect example of a well-aged travel tech startup. We added it to our list because they were among the first startups to recognize the value of big data and the future of smartphones. Today Hopper mobile app helps thousands of travelers worldwide to find the best hotel and flight deals. 

Website: https://www.tentrr.com/  

Product/service description: Tentrr is one of the few travel tech startups that truly revolutionized how people interact with campsite-related travel products without reinventing the wheel. Tech-wise, the company uses a simple website with advanced location-based search functionality. It enables people to book campsites on private land. 

Founders: Eloise Bune and Michael D’Agostino

Funds raised: $17.8 million

While Tentrr doesn’t use new tech, we added it to our list because it revolutionized the campsite booking process. By enabling landowners to interact directly with travelers, Tentrr successfully facilitated local economic growth throughout the country, secured new revenue streams for landowners, and promoted natural locations.

Website: www.snaptravel.com  

Product/service description: Snaptravel is a travel tech startup that built its solution around AI. Their platform leverages AI to identify relevant, affordable hotels and flights for every traveler . Snaptravel’s price-conscious users can also use the platform to book accommodations and transport.

Founders: Henry Shi and Hussein Fazal

Funds raised: $101.4 million

Snaptravel is an excellent example of how a travel tech startup can create astonishing results when thinking out of the box. In fact, Snaptravel used its message-driven platform to create Snapcommerce, which is a platform that enables users to find the products they need at the most affordable prices.  

The European travel tech startup market is blooming. There are dozens of startups in this niche offering a wide range of solutions to companies in the sector. The following five emerge as the top ones when it comes to innovation. 

Travel Perk

Website: www.travelperk.com  

Product/service description: The team at Travel Perk has come up with a comprehensive platform for business travel booking and management. This startup, with headquarters based in Barcelona, offers an end-to-end solution for the business travel needs of any company. 

Stage: Series-D

Founders: Avi Meir, Javier Suarez, Ron Levin

Funds raised: $408.2 million

It’s great to have a platform that allows you to book and manage business travel – and Travel Perk does it in a very convenient and intuitive way offering deep insights into travel spending. It also allows users to get information on their companies’ carbon impact updated in real-time.

123Comapre.me

Website: https://123compare.me/en/  

Product/service description: 123Compare.me is a travel tech SaaS company focused on creating a perfect conversion rate optimization solution for the hospitality industry . It enables travelers to easily compare prices on official websites and OTAs, thus enabling them to get the best deal.

Stage: Pre-seed

Founders: Jordi Serra and Pau Ferret

Funds raised: Approximately $250.000

We decided to add 123Comapre.me to the top travel tech startup list because they offer a sophisticated solution that compares direct booking and OTAs’ prices in real-time. It’s one of the few travel tech solutions that promote direct booking.

Website: www.lodgify.com  

Product/service description: Lodgify startup entered the market with one goal – to simplify marketing for vacation rental product providers. They came up with a comprehensive SaaS platform for vacation rental property managers and owners.

Year of foundation: 2012

Founders: Dennis Klett and Marco De Gregorio

Funds raised: $6.6 million

Lodgify secured its position on our list because it makes a huge difference for vacation rental owners and managers when it comes to marketing and management properties. Its intuitive dashboard enables users to establish an online presence, facilitate online booking, and synchronize data across all online platforms. 

Website: www.questoapp.com  

Product/service description: Questo enables travelers to explore cities in a brand-new way. The startup has created an app that enables creators to come up with engaging city exploration games. The app currently supports both Android and iPhone devices and features over 100 city exploration games. 

Founders: Alexandru Govoreanu

Funds raised: $1.8 million

We’ve added Questo to our list because it enables travelers worldwide to experience cities like never before. The app is quite engaging as it offers games centered around a wide range of themes such as movies, local legends, books, and historical facts. 

The Hotels Network

Website: www.thehotelsnetwork.com  

Product/service description: The Hotels Network’s innovative approach to growth hacking enables hotels to attract more guests and increase bookings through a direct channel. The platform leverages several technologies to allow hotels to personalize online booking journeys for all guests individually. 

Founders: Juanjo Rodriguez, Laura Martinez Celada, Marc Rollan Serrano

Funds raised: $15.2 million

What we love about the Hotels Network is its well-planned and comprehensive platform. It comes with all the features hotels need to attract and engage new potential guests. It also uses predictive personalization to deliver memorable experiences to potential guests, thus increasing conversion rates and boosting direct bookings.

If you want to see what’s going on in the Latam travel tech startup niche, you need to check out the following companies.

Website: www.tripyeah.com  

Product/service description: TravelYeah is a startup that offers a comprehensive travel meta optimizer. The company uses AI, ML, and sophisticated algorithms to process thousands of data points and create personalized and the most optimal travel itineraries for travel agents.

Year of foundation: 2020 

Founders: Elias Musalem, Fernando Ordonez, and Miguel Rodriguez

Funds raised: $14 million

We’ve added TripYeah to our list because the startup uses next-gen technologies to create next-gen solutions. Their travel meta optimizer is one of its kind in helping travel agents create itineraries that reflect the unique needs and preferences of travelers.

Website: www.travelx.io  

Product/service description: TravelX specializes in providing online travel services. But there is one thing that makes their services unique. The startup uses blockchain technology, thus making its retailing and distribution platform transparent, secure, efficient, and decentralized.

Year of foundation:   2021

Founders: Juan Lafosse

Funds raised: $10 million

TravelX has secured its spot on our list because the startup revolutionizes travel product distribution and retailing . Thanks to blockchain, travel companies can easily tokenize their travel and transportation product inventory to facilitate sales across borders while reducing costs and generating more revenue . 

Website: https://travel.rappi.com/  

Product/service description: Following great success, Columbian startup Rappi decided to tap into a new vertical by launching Rappi Travel startup. Rappi allows users to book flights to destinations worldwide through an Android or iPhone mobile app. 

Year of foundation: 2020 Rappi Travel (2015 Rappi)

Founders: Juan Pablo Ortega, Sebastian Mejia, Felipe Villamarin, Guillermo Plaza Roche, and Simón Borrero

Funds raised: $2.2 billion

We’ve added Rappi Travel to our list because the startup’s team seems to never settle down with an achievement. Instead, they always look for new innovative solutions to help the tourism sector recuperate and provide additional support to travelers. 

Website: https://www.onfly.com.br/  

Product/service description: Onfly is a startup that delivers next-gen solutions for business travel. It also offers solutions for travel expense management and credit cards. Its focus is on small and medium businesses in LATAM. 

Founders: Marcelo Linhares

Funds raised: $390,000

Business travel is an important aspect of business management for many companies. And we’ve added Onfly because it offers companies everything they need to manage their business travels through one platform. 

Website: https://arrivedo.com/  

Product/service description: Arrivedo leverages cutting-edge technologies to create and curate content for travelers. It enables travel companies to drive user engagement rates by offering them a way to tell a story about every destination in their offer. 

Founders: Alonso Franco and Rodrigo Lopez

Funds raised: $3.9 million

We added Arrivedo to the list because it’s a perfect example of how to leverage popular technologies to delight travelers. The app curates every guide, ensuring that only the most complete and engaging guides are available to hotels, travel agencies, and tourism boards. The content is dynamic, and users can access it through a map easily embeddable on a website or in an app.

Website: https://pinguim.app.br/  

Product/service description: Pinguim is a tech and tourism startup devoted to changing the way people interact with travel packages. The app leverages AI to help connect people who share common travel goals and those that want to have the same experiences and same destinations.

Stage:   Seed

Founders: Renata Franco

Funds raised: $195,000

Pinguim has secured its spot on our list because it offers something brand new to people who enjoy traveling. Thanks to the AI and easy-to-use app, travelers can now meet like-minded people and explore the world together. 

Local Adventures

Website: https://localadventures.travel/  

Product/service description: Local Adventure is a travel tech startup that specializes in offering accessible solutions to enable clients to easily plan and book their trips. The company also offers innovative fintech solutions to help clients get access to more flexible arrangements.

Stage : Seed

Founders: Daniel Peña, Moises Vera, and Sebastian Nicolas Rodríguez Romero

Local Adventures is on the list because it doesn’t just offer any travel experience to travelers. The company tropicalizes and validates experiences using technology to ensure only the best ones are available to clients. The company has also helped LATAM tourists get access to international travel packages.

According to CB Insights, the global travel tech startup space lost over 30% of funding in 2020 . Nevertheless, some startups managed to attract tech investors by embracing innovation. 

The 25 startups you had the chance to discover above are on our travel tech market map . While each one brings unique value, they all have one thing in common – they help recuperate the travel sector . 

As you can see, these startups use both proven and emerging technologies to achieve various goals, from improving the traveling experience to enabling travel companies to capture more profit and generate new revenue streams.  

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Cristóbal Reali, VP of Global Sales at Mize, with over 20 years of experience, has led high-performance teams in major companies in the tourism industry, as well as in the public sector. He has successfully undertaken ventures, including a DMO and technology transformation consulting. In his role at Mize, he stands out not only for his analytical and strategic ability but also for effective leadership. He speaks English, Spanish, Portuguese, and Italian. He holds a degree in Economics from UBA, complementing his professional training at Harvard Business School Online.

Mize is the leading hotel booking optimization solution in the world. With over 170 partners using our fintech products, Mize creates new extra profit for the hotel booking industry using its fully automated proprietary technology and has generated hundreds of millions of dollars in revenue across its suite of products for its partners. Mize was founded in 2016 with its headquarters in Tel Aviv and offices worldwide.

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The 27 best travel gadgets in 2023

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For today's traveler, a packing list includes not only their daily wear and toiletries, but also tech gadgets: a phone, maybe a laptop or tablet, and possibly a smartwatch. You may also be wondering, what other gizmos are worth lugging around? As it turns out, there's a lot to consider. 

Whether you're on a long-haul flight, a never-ending road trip, or just jetting around your destination, there are plenty of travel-appropriate tech gadgets that can make your next trip a breeze. 

From gear to ensure you're charged up to a TSA-approved massage gun to ail the aches of travel, here are our favorite travel tech gadgets and accessories to ensure you're ready for anything that comes your way.

For keeping an eye on your valuables, put a Tile Pro or Apple AirTag in your checked baggage. We recommend Tile because it works for both Android and Apple devices, while utilizing the Tile user network to help you locate things that are much further away.

On the flipside: Apple's AirTag offers the same features, but only works with Apple devices. The AirTag connects to the Find My app built into every iPhone and iPad, which theoretically means it taps into a wider network of users to locate your item. Whichever you choose, consider a tracker in your luggage as personal insurance.

Insta360 X3 Camera

Sure, the best camera is the phone that's in your pocket, but if there's a reason to bring along an additional shooter, make it the the X3. This 360-degree camera works alongside a companion app on your phone and captures everything surrounding you. No longer will you need to choose what to frame. But what makes this camera truly fun are the special effects you can create, which will make your vacation photos and videos stand out from the crowd.

Sony WH-100XM5 Headphones

If you want the latest and greatest in over-ear noise-canceling performance, it's the Sony WH-100XM5s . The XM5s sport an updated design with a narrower headband and wider earcups for a roomier fit. The drivers have been updated and the ANC (active noise cancellation) performance has been kicked up a notch thanks to two processors and eight noise-canceling microphones, up from the four microphones found on the previous-gen XM4s. Speaking of the XM4s, they're still a great option and cost $50 less .

Beats Fit Pro

The Beats Fit Pro was released back in 2021, but they continue to be one of our favorite wireless earbuds. It packs the same features you'd get in the AirPod Pros, but in a more secure, sweat-resistant package. This year, Beats introduced three new eye-catching colors: coral pink , volt yellow , and tidal blue . 

Panasonic ErgoFit Wired Earbuds

It's a good idea to have a pair of wired earbuds to toss in your bag for a flight, especially since most in-seat entertainment systems have yet to roll out support for Bluetooth. And while there are plenty to choose from, Panasonic's ErgoFit is a tried-and-true budget pair you won't regret. Available in more than 15 colors, these earbuds are as basic as you can get, but they'll get the job done for under $20. Just note that you'll need a Lightning adapter for Apple devices .

Anker 622 Magnetic Battery

If you own an iPhone 12 or newer and want to take advantage of MagSafe technology, this portable battery pack from Anker has a capacity of 5,000mAh, which is more juice than Apple's MagSafe battery pack , which is rated at 1,460mAh. The 622 is capable of wirelessly charging your phone at a max of 7.5 watts, but its best feature is the travel-friendly built-in kickstand. If you're looking for more power, Anker also sells a 10,000mAh version . 

For more picks, check out our guide on the best MagSafe battery packs . 

Mophie 3-in-1 Travel Charger with MagSafe

Apple stans will appreciate Mophie's 3-in-1 charger , which has dedicated charging spots for the iPhone, Apple Watch, and AirPods. We're not sure what we like more: the convenient carrying case or that it comes complete with a 30W USB-C wall adapter.

Fujifilm Instax Mini 12

 The Instax Mini 12 is Fujifilm's newest camera, and just like its predecessor, it's a one-button instant camera that's so easy to use that even kids can operate it. The Instax Mini 12 improves on the lineup's winning formula by adding a new lens that you can twist to enable "close-up" mode. The entry-level instant camera works with Instax Mini film , which is widely available. Plus it runs on replaceable AA batteries, so you'll never have to worry about running out of power.

Anker 747 Charger

If you're a frequent traveler, you need a multiport charging hub. And Anker's GaNPrime-powered 747 Charger is one of the best you can buy right now . With three USB-C ports, one USB-A port, and 150W charging capacity, this compact charger can charge multiple devices — laptops, tablets, smartphones, or other small devices — quickly and all at once. And thanks to GaNPrime technology, the 747 is  smart enough to identify how many devices are connected and how much output each device needs.

Native Union Belt Cable Universal

When it comes to cables, it pays to have a spare just in case you lose one. For that, we recommend this universal cable from Native Union. Measuring at 6.5 feet long and made from braided nylon, the cord can quickly transition between micro-USB, USB-C, and Lightning connectors.

Bellroy Tech Kit

A dedicated tech bag can turn the roost of cables, cords, and techy accessories you travel with into a well-organized mobile workstation. While you should shop around to find a tech organizer bag that suits your particular needs, the Tech Kit from Bellroy is a quality option. It features a soft-shell body for added structure and protection, along with loops, pockets, and compartments to neatly store your essentials. It's also available in a compact size .

For more options, check out our guide on the best tech organizer bags . 

Nimble Champ Portable Charger

The Champ Charger is one of Nimble's smallest and lightest power banks, but it still packs a punch. It's designed to top up smaller devices, and supports up to 15W of charging through one USB-A port and one USB-C port. The battery's 10,000mAh capacity is enough to charge your phone or tablet for a weekend of use. Bonus: Nimble is a certified B Corp with a commitment to sustainable consumerism currently unmatched in the consumer tech industry, from using non-traditional materials and plastic-free packaging, to its free e-waste recycling program.

DJI Osmo Mobile 6

Unfortunately, nobody wants to watch your vacation videos if they're nauseatingly bouncy, no matter how beautiful the scenery is. To capture rock-steady footage with smooth pans and tilts — think Hollywood-style cinematography — put your phone into what is the best gimbal for consumers. It's easy to operate, and the built-in telescoping pole lets you capture selfies with a wider view.

Moft Invisible Laptop Stand

When you're on the road, ergonomics is a challenge. Moft's "invisible" laptop stand is an ultra-thin portable stand that won't add any weight to your laptop, and only takes a second to put into action. It has two elevation angles (15 and 25 degrees), which you can adjust to whichever is more convenient for your sitting posture. Moft also sells stands for other devices, including the iPad and iPhone .

Epicka Universal Travel Power Adapter

If you're jet-setting across the world, a universal travel adapter is a must. And you won't find one that'll meet most simple charging needs than Epicka's all-in-one adapter. This handy plug is designed for phones, laptops, and other smaller devices. The retractable prongs allow it to work in more than 150 countries, and it has six charging ports: four USB ports, one USB-C port, and one universal AC socket. 

Backbone One Mobile Controller

For gaming on the road, we recommend the Nintendo Switch . But if you're looking for an alternative with even better portability, we highly recommend the Backbone One Mobile Controller, which can turn gaming on your iPhone or Android phone into a first-class handheld console experience. The Backbone One gives you joysticks and buttons, so it's comfortable for long playing sessions, and it works with mobile titles as well as cloud-gaming services like Xbox and PlayStation Remote Play.

Yogasleep Rohm Travel Sound Machine

With Yogasleep's Rohm Travel Sound Machine , you can rest easily wherever the road takes you. It features three modes: bright white noise, deep white noise, and "gentle surf." And unlike other portable sound machines, it's powered by a rechargeable battery instead of disposable batteries. If you're looking for something more baby-friendly, the Hushh Compact Sound Machine features a soft LED night light and child-safe locks.

GoPro Hero 12 Black Action Camera

If you can only pack one camera for travel, make it the new GoPro Hero 12 Black. An evolution of the already impressive Hero 11 Black , it's small enough to fit in the tightest corners of a bag, yet it is on par with much larger cameras, thanks to 12 generations of innovation. This latest version of GoPro's storied Hero camera can shoot high-dynamic-range video for improved contrast and coloring, a wider field-of-view lens to capture more of a scene, and Bluetooth support for headphones. Plus, it has the best in-camera stabilization yet. It's built to withstand bumps, drops, and splashes, and a great smartphone app lets you upload your footage to social media wherever you are.

Kensington Privacy Screens

When you think of tech privacy while traveling, you might think of VPNs , which allow you to connect to the internet through a secure server so you can work securely and remotely. But for added security, don't overlook privacy screens. Kensington sells a number of reliable privacy screens  — some attached with magnets, others by an adhesive, depending on your laptop or tablet — that reduces viewing angles and filters blue light .

Etekcity Luggage Scale

Overweight baggage fees can cost an arm and a leg and who knows what else, and they're especially tricky when traveling internationally. Etekcity's luggage scale is reliable and accurate, plus it's ultra portable and weighs under five ounces to easily fit in your bag.

TwelveSouth AirFly

A tiny dongle that lets you use your wireless headphones for in-flight entertainment? How smart. TwelveSouth's AirFly plugs into the audio jack so you can hear airline TV screens using your own personal headphones. And with more than 20 hours of battery life, it could last even the most long-haul flights. If you've got a travel companion, the AirFly Duo lets you connect two pairs of headphones at once. And for car rides in older vehicles, the AirFly Pro lets you stream from your phone to the stereo's aux-in port.

Logitech K380 Keyboard

Logitech's K380 keyboard is an excellent portable set of keys that has a small footprint that will make working even in the most cramped spaces a little more comfortable. It connects to any device that supports Bluetooth and pairs with up to three devices, which is perfect if you're switching between a laptop, tablet, and phone. It's ultra quiet, and can last two years one just two AAA batteries.

Ultimate Ears Wonderboom 3

The newest ultra-portable speaker from Ultimate Ears, the Wonderboom 3 is a 360-degree speaker that should fulfill your travel needs. It has battery life of up to 14 hours on a single charge. There's an "Outdoor Boost" mode that cranks up the bass, and it can float if you throw it in water. This is a versatile little speaker that can also pair with another Wonerboom speaker for stereo sound.

Kindle Paperwhite

Easily one of the best Kindles you can buy right now , the 11th-generation Kindle Paperwhite includes a larger 6.8-inch, high-resolution display, adjustable warm lighting, responsive page-turning, and USB-C charging. The base Paperwhite comes with 8GB of storage, which should be plenty for most people (that's around 3,000 e-books).

Hypervolt Go 2

A must-have for preventing and easing the aches and pains of traveling, the Hypervolt Go 2 weighs just 1.5 pounds and lasts up to 3 hours on a single charge. With three speeds and two interchangeable heads, it can do wonders for a stiff neck, sore muscles, back pain and more. It's also surprisingly quiet. The Go 2 is TSA-approved, as long as it's packed in your carry-on. Unfortunately, it doesn't come with a travel case. 

Manfrotto Pixi Mini Tripod

Whether it's for timelapses, self-portraits, or video calls, a phone tripod can be surprisingly handy when you're on the go. Manfrotto makes some of the best travel tripods in the world, and its Pixi Mini Tripod folds up small (you can also use this tripod as a grip) and weighs less than a pound. Unlike some tripods, the Pixi Mini can be used with different types of phones thanks to its universal clamp.

Roku Streaming Stick 4K

If you're not traveling with a streaming stick, you're missing out on a simple travel hack. You can plug it into your hotel room or Airbnb's TV and stream your favorite movies and shows. Roku's Streaming Stick 4K is well-suited for travel, and will give you great picture quality, whether streaming in HD, 4K, or HDR. Just don't forget to bring the physical Roku remote.

You can purchase logo and accolade licensing to this story here . Disclosure: Written and researched by the Insider Reviews team. We highlight products and services you might find interesting. If you buy them, we may get a small share of the revenue from the sale from our partners. We may receive products free of charge from manufacturers to test. This does not drive our decision as to whether or not a product is featured or recommended. We operate independently from our advertising team. We welcome your feedback. Email us at [email protected] .

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• Tech Essentials

The 22 Best Travel Tech Essentials of 2024

Here’s all the gear you need to make your travel experience better from tablets to headphones.

In This Article

• Our Top Picks
• Tips for Buying

Frequently Asked Questions

• Why Trust T+L

Travel + Leisure / Alli Waataja

We live in a technologically advanced society, and that means we usually bring some sort of gadget with us wherever we go, even if it’s just a phone. Some provide entertainment — like tablets, eReaders, and headphones — while others can make journeys more convenient or comfortable instead (such as luggage trackers, folding keyboards, and portable sound machines). To help you discover what your packing list could be missing, we've compiled a list of our favorite tech-related items whether you’re traveling for fun or business.

Best eReader

Amazon kindle paperwhite.

It has a 10-week battery life.

You need to pay a fee to get rid of the ad-supported lock screen.

One of the biggest players in the eReader game, the Kindle Paperwhite hits all the marks when it comes to features you need in a digital book. It has a 6.8-inch glare-free display screen with adjustable warm lighting for reading in the dark (say, on a plane at night), with a monumental battery life of 10 weeks and storage capabilities up to 16 GB. It's also water-resistant for poolside reading. And, don't forget to pair your Kindle with a protective case .

Best Earbuds

Bose quietcomfort earbuds ii.

The highly effective active noise cancellation technology drowns out annoying ambient sounds.

Our testers noticed inconsistent battery life after six months of use.

When we tested these Bose earbuds, we were impressed by a number of features, including effective active noise cancellation (ANC) technology, quick Bluetooth connectivity, and a lightweight fit. We also love that each pair comes with three sets of rubber earpieces, each a different size to accommodate multiple ear shapes and sizes. And, as for sound quality, Bose can't be beat, whether you're listening to music or taking a call. Though the headphones are pricey, we think these features make them worth the cost.

Best On-ear Headphones

Apple airpods max.

The ANC works particularly well for phone calls or Zoom meetings.

The only way to turn them off is by putting them in their carrying case.

These days, it's not good enough for a pair of headphones to simply deliver good sound — it needs to block sound, too. The Apple AirPods Max Wireless Over-ear Headphones do the trick with their ANC technology, which we found to be top-notch in tests. We also loved the intuitive nature, which can quickly and easily be controlled by buttons on the earpiece. But the one flaw here is that to turn them off, you must put the headphones in their carrying case. We'd appreciate a simple power button next time!

Best Power Bank

Tg90° portable charger.

It's the size of a credit card and has built-in cords.

It only holds approximately 1.5 full charges for most phones.

Portable charges come in all shapes and sizes, but if it's portability and convenience you seek, your best bet is to purchase this handy little device. Roughly the size of a credit card (albeit thicker) and weighing just 4.32 ounces, the TG90° Portable Charger is easy to toss in your bag or in your pocket. At 6000mAh, it holds less than two full charges for most phones, but it works perfectly when you need some juice in a pinch. Best of all, it has built-in Lightning and USB-C cords attached, so you don't need to waste space with extra cords.

Best Adapter

Epicka universal travel adapter.

It has six ports for maximum charging capabilities.

It's only an adapter, not a converter, so it can't handle high-energy tools like hair dryers.

A travel adapter is a must-have tool for all international travelers, since socket shapes vary in different parts of the world, making it possible to work from anywhere . This one by Epicka is our tester favorite — it can be used in more than 150 countries, making it a practical all-in-one device. It has an impressive six ports for chagrin: four USB-A, one USB-C, and 1 AC socket. So no matter what type of charger you're using, you'll be able to plug it into this adapter. As a bonus, it comes in four colors so you don't have to choose the standard black of so many tech items.

Best Wi-Fi Hotspot

Netgear nighthawk m6 pro.

It's unlocked, so you can use it on most major cell networks.

It's very expensive for occasional use only.

Portable Wi-Fi hotspots can be useful when you're traveling somewhere without a guaranteed internet connection, but do note that you'll usually need cell service to operate them. NETGEAR's Nighthawk M6 Pro is unlocked, so you can use it on any major cell network by adding a SIM card — and it taps into both 5G and the new Wi-Fi 6E to offer the highest speeds possible. You can also use a wired connection if you happen to have an ethernet cable.

Best Luggage Tracker

Eufy smarttrack link.

It's less expensive than an AirTag.

It isn't Android-compatible.

Apple AirTags might seem to run the show, but in our tests , we preferred Eufy's SmartTrack Link. For one thing, it's cheaper than an AirTag. And for another, it still works with the Find My app on iPhone just like an AirTag. Simply activate the device with the app, then put it in your checked suitcase, and you'll be able to track your bags as they make their journey through the airport and into your plane's cargo hold.

Best Projector

Nebula by anker solar portable projector.

It's compact yet still offers high-quality images and sound.

The power cord is quite short.

No, you probably won't need a portable projector on every trip you take. But if you're heading to a beach house or in a cabin in the woods, it could be a fun way to have a family movie night — particularly if your vacation rental lacks a big TV. If you're using your projector outdoors , note that we found this device to have a 3-hour battery life, which should work for most movies. Otherwise, you'll want to bring an extension cord to plug it in, as its built-in cord is just two feet long.

Best Smart Sunglasses

Ray-ban meta headliner.

You can't beat the video, photo, and audio quality.

The battery life isn't the best among smart glasses.

We've always been fans of Ray-ban sunglasses, but these smart glasses take the game to the next level. Within these frames, which have a slightly different shape than Ray-ban's classic Wayfarer, is a 12-megapixel camera with an ultra-wide lens to capture photos and videos that you can upload onto other devices like digital picture frames — and you can even live stream directly to Facebook or Instagram. There are five built-in microphones to capture audio, whether that's during a video recording or a phone call for extra-clear sound. The audio output quality is excellent, too, for both music and calls.

Best Digital Notebook

Rocketbook core.

You can scan a QR code to save your entries in an app.

It takes some getting used to a digital notebook rather than a traditional one.

Digital notebooks might not have the nostalgia factor of a traditional notebook, but they are pretty handy if you do a lot of journaling or doodling while you're traveling. This way, you won't have to lug around multiple notebooks if you're planning a longer trip . With Rocketbook Core, you can write or draw on the pages of the notebook with a Pilot pen , then scan a QR code to upload to an app. Once you're ready to start fresh, you can just wipe down each page with a slightly damp microfiber cloth (included). This is the full-size model, but there's also a mini size available if you'd prefer something more travel-friendly.

Best Laptop

Apple macbook air 13.6” laptop.

If you need to work on the road, this is lightweight yet reasonably powerful.

The base model only has 8GB of RAM.

If you're an Apple person, the newest MacBook Air is the best device for travelers. It has the ultra-fast M2 processing chip which is 1.4 times faster than the previous model, the M1. And, as an Air, it's lighter than the standard MacBook or MacBook Pro models which is always helpful when traveling. However, what we really love about the newest MacBook Air is that it's returned to a magnetic charging port, so you don't have to worry about accidentally ripping out your charging cable or pulling down a laptop if you trip over the cord.

Best Tablet

Apple 10.9 inch ipad (9th generation).

Since it's not the newest model, it's usually on sale.

It's best for entertainment rather than intense productivity.

Some planes aren't equipped with built-in in-flight entertainment systems, which means you should probably bring a tablet on your next trip . We're partial to the Apple iPad, specifically, not the latest model for one simple reason: it's usually on sale. Unless you plan on working from your iPad, in which case you'd probably want to upgrade to something more powerful or even a laptop, this one will do just fine for things like watching movies and shows. It'll still work for other tasks where a screen larger than a phone comes in handy, like sending email, making notes, and even taking photos.

Best DSLR Camera

Sony alpha 7r v.

It takes both excellent stills and video, thanks to its 61 megapixels and 8K video quality.

Lenses must be purchased separately.

For those seriously interested in photography and videography, you can't go wrong with the Sony Alpha 7R V. Ultimately, it has extremely high-quality imagery and video that works on a professional level. We're also impressed with its smart features, including fast Wi-Fi, real-time auto video tracking, and accurate subject recognition. And, for travelers, it's fairly lightweight for a DSLR, and it has a long battery life. Just know that it’s on the more expensive side if you’re just dabbling and the price does not include any lenses.

Best Point-and-shoot Camera

Sony rx100 iii 20.1 mp premium compact digital camera.

It's highly portable.

It's pricey for a point-and-shoot, though it does offer superior quality.

For more casual travel photographers, a point-and-shoot camera like the Sony RX100 III is an easier-to-use, more-travel-friendly option than a DSLR with much higher quality than a smartphone. It's still a smart camera, with built-in WiFi, a touch screen, and continuous autofocus to use in video mode, but it's far smaller and more lightweight than a DSLR. One feature we particularly like is its zoom — the built-in Leica lens has a 24–720-millimeter zoom range.

Best Portable Speaker

Ultimate ears wonderboom 3.

It offers bold sound for such a compact size.

It can be tricky to connect with other Wonderboom speakers (for surround sound).

Headphones are great for solo listening, but if you're with a group, you're going to need a portable speaker. We love the Ultimate Ears Wonderboom 3, first and foremost, for the small size and loud, crisp sound, but, second, for its waterproof and dustproof nature. That means it's perfectly fine to take this on a more rugged journey into the woods or to a beach party, or toss it in a backpack without concern. If you want to amplify the noise, you can connect it to multiple Wonderboom speakers, though we found the process a little bit complicated.

Best Portable Monitor

Asus zenscreen go 15.6" ips lcd fhd monitor.

It has a 3.5-hour battery life.

It's portable, but heavier than other portable monitors.

Nothing beats a multi-screen set-up in your office, but bringing multiple screens on the go isn't realistically feasible. Or is it? Enter: the portable monitor. ASUS ZenScreen is a 15.6-inch screen with an adjustable kickstand that can easily be set up as a second monitor with its included adapters. Or you can use it as a larger screen to stream from your phone, thanks to wireless mirroring capabilities with Apple, Android, and Google. Perhaps most impressively, it can run on battery power alone for up to 3.5 hours.

Best Folding Keyboard

Samsers foldable bluetooth keyboard.

It can be used for various devices, including your phone.

The included stand is only designed for phones, not tablets.

For people who have to type lengthy emails, articles, or notes during their travels, sometimes the touchscreen keyboard of your phone or tablet doesn't cut it. If you'd like to leave your laptop behind but still have full typing capabilities, you'll want to pack this foldable Bluetooth keyboard . It's super compact, lightweight, and long-lasting (up to 40 hours of use on a single charge), but it unfurls to a full keyboard size.

Best Mini Photo Printer

Canon selphy square qx10 compact photo printer.

The photos are printed with a peel-off adhesive backing.

You can only print square photos.

Turn any camera into an instant camera with this portable photo printer. The Canon Selphy QX10 prints images on 2.7 x 2.7, adhesive-backed photo paper, making it easy to stick them into a notebook or onto a wall. If you download the Canon Selphy app, available on both iPhone and Android, you can even create multi-photo layouts and add effects, filters, and stickers to your images before printing.

Best Portable Sound Machine

Babelio white noise machine.

It's truly pocket-sized — and cheap!

You can't add your own sounds, as they're all pre-programmed.

Can't sleep without white noise? Bring this teensy portable sound machine with you on your next trip. There are 15 sound options on the device, which rain from white and pink ambient sounds to natural sounds like waves and rain. The battery will last the whole night (charged by a USB-C port), or you can set a timer for 30 or 60 minutes to automatically shut the sound machine off.

Best Headphone Adapter

Twelve south airfly pro.

It connects wireless headphones to in-flight entertainment systems.

Sometimes there's a slight lag in the audio.

While many headphone-wearers have cut cords and opted for wireless earbuds or headphones, in-flight entertainment systems on planes are still largely wired (though cabins are slowly debuting wireless audio capabilities!). Not only are they wired, but they're only compatible with a traditional 3.5-millimeter headphone jack. Fortunately, there's AirFly, a device that transmits audio from that jack to your wireless headphones via Bluetooth. It has up to 20 hours of battery life, which pretty much covers every flight in the world.

Best Tech Organizer

Bagsmart cable organizer bag.

There are multiple loops and pouches for cables, as well as pockets for memory cards.

It's not particularly small, so if you only have a few items to store, you might want to pick a more petite model.

Cords tend to get tangled in transit, so keep all your chargers nice and tidy with a tech organizer . This one has a variety of pouches and loops that can be used to keep your cords separate, as well as pockets for other small tech gizmos, like a Lightning to USB adapter or lightning to audio jack adapter. There's a spot for everything in this organizer, which makes it a touch bulky. You can always opt for a smaller version if you don't think you'll fill this one.

Best Laptop Backpack

Solo re:define backpack.

It has a compact silhouette but a sneakily large interior.

We noticed a zipper fraying after four months of use.

If you're traveling with a laptop, you'll definitely want some sort of bag or carrying case to store it in. Because laptops can be fairly heavy — or at least feel heavy after lugging them around all day — we recommend a laptop backpack. In our tests , we ranked Solo's Re:Define Laptop Backpack quite highly, praising it for its slim look yet surprisingly spacious interior. Then, of course, there's a padded laptop pocket that can fit devices up to 15.6 inches in size. With its sleek look, we think the bag is great for both students and commuters, but it'll also fare well on leisure trips, too.

Tips for Buying Travel Tech Essentials

Prioritize convenience, entertainment, or both.

Typically, travel tech essentials should either make things more convenient as you travel, or provide entertainment on a long day or during downtime at your destination. Of course, exact purposes vary but, before deciding to buy (or pack) any travel tech items, consider their portability as well as how much use you’ll get out of each pick as space is often limited on the go. If you're shopping for others — say a host or hostess gift — consider what will be the most functional for the way they travel.

Plan for your organizational needs

Remember that you're going to have to store your travel tech somewhere so have an organizational plan in mind for the items you plan to bring. You can do this with bags with numerous pockets, such as easy-access ones where you can stash things you might need to take out frequently, such as your passport or headphones. Or you can store important items in smaller bags that go into bigger ones such as a cord organizer or travel pouch .

Consider your mode of transportation, your destination, and your itinerary. Are you packing essentials for a road trip , or taking a plane or train? If you have limited space, you may want to watch movies on your phone with a pair of earbuds. If you plan on taking long train rides or red-eye flights, on-ear, noise-canceling headphones may be an item you’ll want to leave space for in your bag. If you’re traveling for long periods and plan to work, a laptop or tablet and portable keyboard can come in handy, and if you know you’ll have a bunch of travel tech items, having some sort of organizer or a backpack with ample pockets will be key.

It's advisable to avoid bringing delicate and heavy items — the hardier and more lightweight, the better. Plus, remember that not all items can be taken on the road, specifically on planes. Lithium batteries and portable power banks, for example, cannot be stored in checked bags and must be brought with you in the cabin.

When flying, travelers commonly appreciate bringing headphones, headphone adapters, and portable entertainment like a tablet loaded with shows or movies or an eReader.

Why Trust Travel + Leisure

T+L contributor Stefanie Waldek is a freelance travel writer with a decade of experience. She flies 200,000 miles a year and spends months in remote destinations like Antarctica and the Arctic. so being fully prepared with tech essentials is part of her travel routine. For this article, she evaluated various pieces of travel tech to enhance a traveler's journey, taking into account personal experience, T+L tester insights, and customer reviews.

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10 Most impactful travel technology companies in 2024

1. travelperk.

• Headquarters: Barcelona, Spain
• Other office locations: London, Birmingham, Edinburgh, Berlin, Chicago, Boston, Miami
• Number of employees: 1,200
• Funding: Raised a total of US $513 million

Ready to revolutionize your business travel management? Simply book a demo and we'll show you how.

2. getyourguide.

• Headquarters: Berlin, Germany
• Other office locations: 18 global offices, including Vienna, Bangkok, New York  City, Dubai, and more
• Number of employees: 700+
• Funding: Raised a total of US $878 million over 11 rounds

3. Tripadvisor

• Headquarters: Needham, Massachusetts, United States of America
• Other office locations: 18 global offices, including New York City, London, Milan, Seoul, Sydney, Tokyo, and more 
• Number of employees: 2,845
• Funding: Raised a total of US $303.3 million over 5 rounds

4. Booking.com

• Headquarters: Amsterdam, Netherlands
• Other office locations: Manchester, Tel Aviv, Singapore, New York, Shanghai
• Number of employees: 23,600

5. Hotel Engine

• Headquarters: Denver, Colorado, USA
• Other office locations: Glendale, Colorado
• Number of employees: 500+
• Funding: Raised a total of US $81 million over 2 rounds

6. Lighthouse (formerly OTA Insight)

• Headquarters: London, UK
• Other office locations: Singapore, Ghent, Berlin, London, Dallas, Denver, Sydney
• Funding: Raised a total of US $115 million over 6 rounds
• Headquarters: San Francisco, California, United States of America
• Other office locations: Los Angeles, New York City, Berlin, Paris, and more
• Number of employees: 6,907
• Funding: Raised a total of US $6.4 billion over 30 rounds

8. Blablacar

• Headquarters: Paris, France
• Other office locations: Madrid, Warsaw, Kyiv, São Paulo
• Number of employees: 600
• Funding: Raised a total of US $565 million over 11 rounds

9. Timeshifter

• Headquarters: Water Mill, New York, USA
• Other office locations: Southampton, New York, USA
• Number of employees: 11-20
• Funding: Raised a total of US $4.9 million over 3 rounds
• Other office locations: Prague, Beijing, London, New York
• Number of employees: 300
• Funding: Raised a total of US $480 million over 8 rounds

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Thayer Ventures and Derive Ventures Form New Travel Tech Investment Platform

Sean O'Neill , Skift

September 16th, 2024 at 9:17 AM EDT

Thayer, the best-known VC firm that invests in travel startups, is essentially merging with a newer fund called Derive. The deal is being pitched as a way to "drive innovation in travel tech," which is VC-speak for "we want to make money off the next big thing in travel apps."

Sean O'Neill

• How does Thayer Investment Partners plan to support startups in the travel tech industry?
• What are the main goals of the Thayer Investment Partners platform?
• How does the merger between Thayer Ventures and Derive Ventures impact their investment strategy?

Select a question above or ask something else

• Thayer Ventures and Derive Ventures have created Thayer Investment Partners to drive innovation in travel technology.
• The new platform will focus on a full-service venture capital approach, covering various investment stages and types.
• Thayer Ventures has invested over $300 million in travel startups, while Derive Ventures manages over $45 million in assets.

Thayer Ventures and Derive Ventures have joined forces to create Thayer Investment Partners, a new investment platform aimed at fostering innovation in travel technology. The platform will adopt a comprehensive venture capital approach, supporting various types of investments and stages of funding. Thayer Ventures has previously invested over $300 million in travel startups, and Derive Ventures manages over $45 million in assets.

Thayer Ventures and Derive Ventures have tied up to create Thayer Investment Partners, an investment platform aimed at driving innovation in travel technology, Skift learned on Monday.

Why it matters : No other traditional U.S.-based venture capital firm has invested more capital in travel startups over the past decade than Thayer Ventures. The quasi-merger comes as the travel industry grapples with emerging opportunities in AI and the adoption of cloud-native technologies.

Key Details

• Chris Hemmeter from Thayer Ventures, along with Tyler Carrico and Mike Scott from Derive, will serve as managing partners.
• The merger aims to offer a full-service venture capital approach, covering both vertical and horizontal investments, business-to-business and consumer, and early to late-stage funding. The fund will consider startups nearly anywhere except in China, where it lacks expertise.

Between the lines : The effective merger with Derive will help sustain Thayer’s momentum for another generation.

“Tyler and Mike are young guys,” said Hemmeter, co-founder and managing partner at Thayer Ventures. “So there’s an element of building legacy into this business and clearly signaling to the marketplace in no uncertain terms that this is not an enterprise based on a personality, but is something that will endure.”

What to watch : The San Francisco-based platform is expected to launch a fresh investment fund in the coming weeks.

By the Numbers

• Thayer Ventures has deployed more than $300 million in capital across four active investment vehicles.
• Derive Ventures, founded in 2022, manages over $45 million in assets.
• The formation of TIP doesn’t affect the management of previous funds launched by Thayer Ventures and Derive Ventures separately. These funds have together invested in over 45 startups.

What They’re Saying

• “We offer more than just a venture fund and have the flexibility to support entrepreneuers across their journey,” Hemmeter said. “We do our work between the boarding meetings, not at the board meetings. An element of our alpha comes from the connections we can make, opening doors to help startups with business development, sales, and strategy.”
• “Access is just a huge part of the venture capital game, such as for sourcing deals and having the ability to invest in deals that you want,” Scott said. “By being a consolidated, larger platform, that just inherently benefits everyone and investment benefits our financial investors, our strategic partners looking for insights, and our entreprenuers looking for investors that are complementary.”
• “Across all deals we look for three things,” Carrico said. “First and foremost is the management team. Second is what is the TAM [total addressable market]? And third will the company have enough firepower and runway to hit its next milestone and next funding?”

The New World of Travel Startup Funding

Skift has covered hundreds of travel startup funding rounds over the past few years, and we’ve spoken with numerous founders and investors about the state of venture capital. They all tell a similar story: There’s money to be had, but the bar is much higher now.

Have a confidential tip for Skift? Get in touch

Tags: derive ventures , investments , startups , thayer , thayer ventures , the prompt , travel technology , venture capital

Photo credit: Chris Hemmeter, managing director of Thayer Ventures, speaking on-stage at the Skift Data and AI Summit in June 2024 in New York City. Skift

TechBullion

Unlock iran’s hidden treasures: 6 must-have travel apps for your persian adventure.

Iran, a land of ancient wonders and modern marvels, is rapidly becoming a hotspot for adventurous travelers. But navigating this diverse country can be challenging without the right tools at your fingertips. Enter the world of Iranian tourism and travel software – your digital key to unlocking the treasures of Persia. In this comprehensive guide, we’ll explore the top apps that will transform your Iranian journey from daunting to delightful, with a special focus on MrBilit , the cornerstone of Iranian travel tech. Whether you’re planning a pilgrimage to Isfahan’s stunning mosques or dreaming of stargazing in the Dasht-e Kavir desert, these innovative solutions will be your trusted companions every step of the way.

List of the Best Iranian Tourism and Travel Software

• MrBilit: Your One-Stop ravel Booking Powerhouse

At the heart of Iran’s travel tech revolution stands MrBilit, an indispensable platform for both local and international travelers. This comprehensive service offers:

Seamless booking for domestic and international flights

Extensive hotel reservations across Iran and globally

Bus and train ticket reservations for efficient intercity travel

User-friendly interface with both English and Persian language options

Competitive pricing and regular promotional offers

MrBilit’s strength lies in its ability to cater to diverse travel needs, making it the go-to app for planning your Iranian adventure. Whether you’re hopping between cities or exploring remote areas, MrBilit ensures you have all your travel arrangements in one place.

What sets MrBilit apart is its deep understanding of the Iranian travel landscape. The app offers exclusive deals with local hotels and transportation providers that you might not find on international platforms. It also provides detailed information about visa requirements and travel restrictions, which can be particularly helpful for foreign visitors navigating Iran’s unique travel regulations.

For those looking to explore Iran’s lesser-known destinations, MrBilit shines with its curated selection of accommodations in smaller towns and rural areas. This feature allows adventurous travelers to easily plan trips off the beaten path, all while having the security of a reliable booking platform.

• Snapp: The “Uber of Iran” Revolutionizing Urban Transport

Complementing MrBilit’s comprehensive travel booking services, Snapp has revolutionized urban transportation in Iran’s major cities. Key features include:

On-demand ride-hailing services with various vehicle options

Integrated food delivery service (Snapp Food)

Grocery and pharmacy delivery options

English language support for international users

Cashless payment options for convenience and safety

Snapp’s versatility makes it an essential app for navigating Iran’s bustling urban centers with ease, perfect for when you’ve arrived at your MrBilit-booked destination. The app’s user-friendly interface and reliable service have made it a favorite among locals and tourists alike.

One of Snapp’s standout features is its commitment to safety. The app includes an SOS button for emergencies and allows users to share their ride details with trusted contacts. This can be particularly reassuring for solo travelers or those new to the country.

• IranRoutes: Your Personal Guide to Persian Pathways

Once you’ve used MrBilit to reach your destination, IranRoutes becomes your guide to exploring Iran’s diverse landscapes:

Detailed maps and guides for hiking trails and nature spots

Information on historical sites and cultural attractions

User-generated content and reviews for authentic insights

Offline functionality for remote area exploration

Regular updates with new routes and destinations

For outdoor enthusiasts and cultural explorers alike, IranRoutes is the perfect companion to MrBilit, helping you discover the hidden gems near your booked accommodations. The app’s offline functionality is particularly useful in remote areas where internet connectivity might be limited.

IranRoutes also stands out for its community-driven content. Travelers can share their own experiences, photos, and tips, creating a rich tapestry of information that goes beyond standard guidebook fare. This feature allows you to discover authentic local experiences and off-the-beaten-path attractions that might not be covered in traditional travel resources.

• Alibaba.ir: Comprehensive Travel Services at Your Fingertips

While MrBilit excels in transportation and accommodation bookings, Alibaba.ir offers additional services to round out your travel planning:

Domestic and international flight bookings (a good alternative to compare with MrBilit)

Hotel reservations across Iran and worldwide

Tour packages for popular Iranian destinations

Visa application assistance for international travelers

24/7 customer support in Persian and English

Use Alibaba.ir alongside MrBilit to ensure you’re getting the best deals and most comprehensive travel packages. The app’s tour package options can be particularly useful for first-time visitors to Iran who want a more structured travel experience.

Alibaba.ir also offers a unique feature for cultural immersion – the ability to book local experiences and workshops. From traditional carpet weaving classes in Kashan to cooking workshops in Shiraz, these offerings allow travelers to engage more deeply with Iranian culture and traditions.

• Tap30: Another Reliable Ride-Hailing Option

While similar to Snapp, Tap30 offers some unique features that make it worth considering:

Competitive pricing, often with lower fares than traditional taxis

Option to schedule rides in advance

Female-only drivers available for women passengers

In-app chat feature for easy communication with drivers

Integration with local events and attractions for seamless transportation planning

Tap30 provides a solid alternative for local transportation, especially useful when exploring the cities you’ve traveled to using MrBilit’s services. The app’s scheduled ride feature can be particularly handy for early morning flights or planned day trips.

Tap30 also emphasizes environmental responsibility, offering options for shared rides and promoting the use of bicycles for short trips in some cities. This eco-friendly approach aligns well with the growing trend of sustainable travel.

• Trippin: Social Travel Planning for Iran

Trippin is the perfect companion app to use alongside MrBilit, offering:

Collaborative trip planning features for group travel

Itinerary sharing and inspiration from other travelers

Integration with social media for easy sharing of your Iranian adventures

Local insider tips and hidden gems

Community forums for asking questions and getting advice

Trippin’s community forums are a goldmine of information, where you can connect with experienced Iran travelers and locals. This feature can be invaluable for getting up-to-date information on travel conditions, local customs, and off-the-beaten-path recommendations that might not be covered in traditional guidebooks.

Embracing these innovative Iranian tourism and travel software solutions, with MrBilit at the core, can transform your Persian adventure from challenging to unforgettable. From booking your journey with MrBilit to exploring hidden gems with IranRoutes and connecting with fellow travelers through Trippin, these apps put the rich tapestry of Iranian culture and landscapes at your fingertips.

you plan your trip, remember that while technology can enhance your experience, the true magic of Iran lies in its warm hospitality and millennia-old traditions. These apps serve as bridges, connecting you more deeply to the land and its people. They can help you navigate the complexities of travel in Iran, from finding the best flight deals with MrBilit to discovering a hidden teahouse in Tehran with local tips from Trippin. Download these apps, starting with MrBilit as your travel cornerstone, pack your sense of adventure, and get ready to uncover the wonders of modern Persia. Your journey through this enchanting land awaits – are you ready to unlock its secrets? With these digital tools in hand and an open heart, you’re well-equipped for an Iranian adventure that will leave you with memories to last a lifetime.

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 If You Use These 7 Apps, You’re a Tech-Savvy Road Tripper

Planning a road trip is one of the most exciting adventures you can undertake, but it is so much easier with the right tools. Having vanlifed for two whole years and racked up miles across almost 40 states over a decade, I’ve learned a thing or two about hitting the open road.

As much as you probably don’t want to add to the clutter on your phone’s homepage, the secret to a successful road trip often lies in the apps you have at your fingertips. At least if you don’t want to accidentally miss out on lesser-visited attractions or save some serious cash.

So, here are the 7 best travel apps for road trips that experienced leather tramps swear by, and you should too.

1. Roadtrippers

One of the first things you’ll likely need when planning a road trip is a good old-fashioned map. But not just any map: Roadtrippers offers so much more than just directions. It allows you to plan your route and search for off-the-beaten-path attractions, landmarks, restaurants, and accommodations along the way, all while keeping track of your mileage and estimated fuel costs. You can even save maps offline if you lose service on those remote back roads.

With its easy-to-use interface, you can plan your entire trip by plotting your start and end points, then adding any points of interest along the way. This app provides detailed information about each location, including user reviews, photos, and sometimes even a bit of local lore.

It’s like having a personal travel planner in the palm of your hand! Plus, it’s free (up to a point) and available on iOS and Android devices. Trust me; this app will become your new best friend on the road.

To Download: Click here

 📖 Read Also: 11 American Places So Surreal, You’ll Think They’re Photoshopped

2. GasBuddy

Gas prices can add up quickly on a road trip, especially if you’re not careful. That’s where GasBuddy comes in handy.

This handy app helps you find the cheapest gas prices along your route, updating in real time thanks to user-submitted data. With millions of people constantly feeding in information, you can be confident you’re getting the best deal on fuel wherever you are in the country. You can even filter by amenities such as restrooms and convenience stores to find a good pitstop.

Not only does GasBuddy help you save money, but it also provides additional features like trip cost calculators, fuel logbooks, and even a rewards system where you can earn free gas!

 📖 Read Also: Not Worth the Gas! 9 Overrated Tourist Traps in the US to Steer Clear

3. Get Upside

GetUpside is a fantastic app that lets you earn cash back on everyday purchases, including gas, groceries, and even dining. Here’s how it works: simply check the app for participating locations near you, make a purchase as you normally would, and then upload a picture of your receipt to earn cash back.

One of the standout features of GetUpside is its ability to help you save money on fuel. Using the app, you can find gas stations along your route offering cash back on your purchases. This means you’ll save money every time you fill up your tank.

What makes GetUpside especially great for road trips is its user-friendly interface and the sheer ease of earning rewards. Instead of hunting for coupons or membership discounts, you can effortlessly track your savings and cash back directly through the app.

To Download Get Upside: Click here and use promo code 4GKZ3 for a 15¢/gal bonus gas cashback.

4. Atlas Obscura

If you love exploring unique, lesser-known spots, then Atlas Obscura is an app you absolutely need on your road trip. Instead of only ticking off the popular tourist spots, you’ll find yourself marveling at bizarre museums, secret gardens, and intriguing landmarks that most travelers overlook.

Dedicated to uncovering the world’s hidden wonders, Atlas Obscura has over 20,000 listings worldwide. Each listing has detailed information, fascinating stories, and directions to the site.

You can also save places that interest you onto lists, making it easy to plan your itinerary and share with friends. With its community-based approach, users can submit their own recommendations.

 📖 Read Also: 18 Weirdest Roadside Attractions Across West America

5. AllTrails

If you plan on doing any hiking for your road trip or in your home state, AllTrails is an essential app. AllTrails has an extensive database of over 100,000 hiking routes worldwide, complete with detailed trail maps and descriptions.

You can search by location or filter through specific criteria like difficulty level, distance, or elevation gain. The app also includes reviews from other hikers, photos of each trail, and downloadable maps to use offline. You can also track your progress and record your own experiences.

 📖 Read Also: The Top 8 Hardest Hikes in US National Parks and Why They’re Worth It

6. iExit Interstate Exit Guide

Ever wonder what amenities are available at upcoming exits on the highway? With iExit, you’ll never have to guess again. This app gives you a comprehensive guide to what each exit offers, whether it’s gas stations, restaurants, hotels, or even a quick grocery stop.

It categorizes each type of service so you can see at a glance what’s available and how far it is from your current location on the interstate. You can search for specific amenities or browse through general categories to find exactly what you need. It also includes real-time traffic updates and weather conditions for your route.

7. Freecampsites.net

This doesn’t come in app form, but the website Freecampsites.net is a must-know for any budget-conscious road tripper searching for free or low-cost camping spots. With a comprehensive map of campsites across the United States and Canada, users can easily find a spot to park their RV, pitch a tent, or even camp out under the stars.

This app lists over 40,000 free and cheap campsites where you can filter by price or amenities to find the perfect spot for your overnight stay. Each listing includes user reviews, photos, and detailed information about the campsite’s facilities. People even report the cell service’s strength or whether it was non-existent.

Freecampsites.net is a fantastic addition to your road trip toolkit because it cuts down on accommodation costs and introduces you to beautiful, off-the-beaten-path locations you might have otherwise missed.

To Visit the Website: Click here

 📖 Read Also: 14 Western US State Parks That Rival Any National Park

Final Thoughts: Best Travel Apps for Road Trips

With these must-have travel apps, your road trip will be better than ever. From saving money on gas and earning cash back to finding unique destinations and the perfect campsite, these apps have really helped me on my trips, and I hope they will for you, too!

Looking for more travel inspiration? Read our latest blog post to discover some of the strangest roadside attractions in the Western USA!

Before you Close That Tab…Looking for More Inspiration?

• The Top 8 Hardest Hikes in US National Parks and Why They’re Worth It
• 11 Dreamy Lakes in West USA That Will Take Your Breath Away
• 9 Overrated Tourist Traps in the US to Steer Clear of During Your Next Road Trip

Catherine, a seasoned travel writer, has lived in 4 different states and explored 36 states and 28 national parks. After spending two years embracing van life, she's now dedicated to sharing her vast knowledge of day trips across America. Catherine's other works has been referenced in major publications like MSN, Self, and TripSavvy.

• 22 Surprising Facts About California to Boost Your Trivia Game
• 14 Uniquely American Things That Baffle Foreigners
• 15 Red Flags to Watch Out For When Booking Hotels
• 15 Hidden Nevada Destinations To Add to Your Post-Vegas Bucket List

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Uncover the Next Wave of Travel Technology in 2025 & Beyond

Discover the transformative impact of AI, IoT, biometrics, and more on the tourism sector. This outlook provides an in-depth overview of 30 practical use cases and introduces 10 cutting-edge startups reshaping tourism. Equip yourself with the knowledge to stay ahead & sustainably grow your business!

The tourism industry is innovating to tackle overcrowding, resource management, and evolving traveler expectations while opening avenues for growth through travel technology. These technologies, including AI, augmented reality (AR) and virtual reality (VR), big data and analytics, and more enable personalized travel experiences, immersive destination tours, and data-driven decision-making. Startups across the globe are leveraging these emerging technologies to advance the sector.

For instance, TrustLink offers passive liveness detection technology that enhances security and reduces fraud through biometric integration. Similarly, Truely offers an eSIM solution for uninterrupted mobile service across multiple countries. As these advancements reshape the landscape, innovation managers, product developers, and business developers must adapt quickly to remain competitive in a rapidly evolving market. This article offers valuable insights into the latest technological trends and practical solutions to integrate into business strategies and navigate the future of tourism.

Key Takeaways

• Personalized Travel Recommendations
• Dynamic Pricing
• Customer Service Chatbots

Startup to Watch: ZYTLYN Technologies

• Virtual Tours of Destinations
• AR Guides and Information
• Immersive Travel Booking

Startup to Watch: AR Trails

• Market Trend Analysis
• Customer Preference Insights
• Operational Efficiency Optimization

Startup to Watch: Konzup

• Biometric Check-ins
• Enhanced Security
• Personalized Guest Experiences

Startup to Watch: TrustLink

• Secure Booking and Payment
• Identity Verification
• Customer Loyalty Programs

Startup to Watch: LynKey

• Sustainable Accommodations
• Eco-friendly Transportation
• Energy-efficient Tourism

Startup to Watch: BehaviorSMART

• Cloud-based Booking Systems
• Customer Relationship Management
• Personalized Services

Startup to Watch: Triparound

• NFC-based Contactless Payments
• Wi-Fi in Tourist Attractions
• Connectivity for Travel Apps

Startup to Watch: Truely

• Smart Hotels
• Travel and Tour Management

Startup to Watch: LiXiA

• Customer Service Robots
• Robotic Guides
• Automated Transport

Startup to Watch: Senxeed Robotics

Tourism industry faqs, what are the challenges facing the tourism industry.

The tourism industry needs to align consumer behavior with sustainable practices. The “say-do-gap” where travelers prefer sustainable options but do not consistently act on them, remains a hurdle. Further, geopolitical instability, such as conflicts and economic downturns, poses risks to tourism in affected regions. Climate change and the increasing frequency of extreme weather events also present long-term challenges that require coordinated global efforts to ensure the sector’s resilience.

Is the tourism industry growing?

The tourism industry is experiencing growth driven by global demand for travel and the easing of COVID-19 restrictions. International tourist arrivals have almost returned to pre-pandemic levels, and the industry’s contribution to global GDP is expected to grow from 9.1% in 2023 to 11.4% by 2034 .

This growth is also fueled by the increasing role of tourism in creating economic opportunities and addressing unemployment, particularly in developing regions. Moreover, as consumers prioritize sustainability, there is a rising demand for eco-friendly travel options, which is reshaping the industry’s offerings.

How We Identify Emerging Technologies & Startups

The data in this report originates from StartUs Insights’ Discovery Platform, covering 4.7 million global startups, scaleups, and technology companies, alongside 20000 emerging technology trends. Our platform makes startup and technology scouting, trend intelligence, and patent searches more efficient by providing deep insights into the technological ecosystem. Utilizing the trend intelligence feature, we analyze industry-specific technologies for this report, detect patterns and trends, and identify use cases along with the startups advancing these areas. Further details and capabilities are accessible via the website.

10 Emerging Technologies Impacting the Future of Tourism [2025 & Beyond]

1. artificial intelligence.

Artificial intelligence (AI) streamlines operations and enhances guest experiences. Machine learning enables tourism companies to analyze large datasets, and uncover patterns to inform decision-making and trend forecasting. Natural language processing (NLP) allows AI systems to understand and respond to customer inquiries in real time. These technologies create more efficient, personalized, and responsive tourism services.

3 Practical Use Cases of Artificial Intelligence in Tourism

• Personalized Travel Recommendations: AI analyzes past behaviors and preferences to offer custom suggestions on activities, dining, and local attractions that align with tourists’ unique interests.
• Dynamic Pricing: AI algorithms monitor real-time data, including demand and competitor pricing, to dynamically adjust rates for flights and accommodations.
• Customer Service Chatbots: AI-powered chatbots handle inquiries, facilitate bookings, and offer personalized support to improve service efficiency and customer satisfaction.

Swiss startup ZYTLYN Technologies provides AI-powered travel demand predictions to enhance decision-making and optimize operations. Its platform uses global proprietary data, such as travel, macroeconomic, health, and event indicators, to deliver precise daily predictions at the city-pair level. The startup’s machine learning model continuously retrains and ensures accuracy and reliability in route development, capacity allocation, and marketing efforts. Through its web application, ZYTLYN Technologies offers real-time insights and enables businesses to navigate changing market conditions and maximize profitability without relying on customer data.

2. Augmented Reality & Virtual Reality

AR overlays digital elements in the real world that allow tourists to enrich their surroundings with real-time information and virtual objects via smartphones or smart glasses. VR, on the other hand, creates fully immersive environments that enable them to explore destinations in simulated settings through VR headsets. These technologies utilize advanced 3D modeling, location-based data integration, and spatial audio to provide hyper-realistic travel experiences.

3 Practical Use Cases of AR & VR in Tourism

• Virtual Tours of Destinations: Travelers explore locations from their homes through immersive virtual tours and gain a realistic preview of attractions and landmarks before booking.
• AR Guides and Information: AR provides real-time information through smartphones and enriches sightseeing by overlaying cultural insights, historical facts, and navigation details onto physical landmarks.
• Immersive Travel Booking: VR allows travelers to virtually explore hotel rooms and amenities, making them more confident in booking decisions.

Armenian startup AR Trails offers an AR app that enhances travel experiences with interactive digital content. It allows travelers to explore global trails with location-based audio, video, and 3D models. The AR Trails Creator’s Studio provides tools and a 3D model generator to create and sell personalized AR trails. The startup’s platform connects travelers with creators and delivers insights and immersive exploration.

3. Big Data & Analytics

In the tourism industry, big data enables the analysis of vast datasets to optimize decision-making and improve traveler experiences. Predictive analytics tools and machine learning algorithms process data from sources like social media, booking platforms, and geolocation data to identify patterns and trends that offer insights into traveler behavior and preferences. Data lakes and cloud-based platforms manage the immense volume of structured and unstructured data to facilitate real-time processing and scalability.

3 Practical Use Cases of Big Data & Analytics in Tourism

• Market Trend Analysis: Tourism companies use big data and analytics to predict market trends, optimize pricing strategies, align offerings with emerging travel patterns, and maintain competitiveness.
• Customer Preference Insights: Big data & analytics provide insights into individual preferences by analyzing behavioral data that allows businesses to deliver personalized experiences and improve customer satisfaction.
• Operational Efficiency Optimization: By identifying inefficiencies and optimizing resource allocation, tourism businesses reduce costs and improve service delivery.

Brazilian startup Konzup develops Konzup Hub , a big data platform that delivers actionable insights and data-driven solutions for companies in the tourism sector. The platform aggregates data from various sources, including travel trends, customer behavior, and market conditions, to provide precise and dynamic analytics. It integrates algorithms and machine learning to predict market trends, optimize pricing strategies, and enhance customer experiences.

4. Biometrics

Leveraging technologies such as facial recognition, fingerprints, and iris scans, biometrics enhances security and streamlines processes. Tourism operators integrate unique biological traits to reduce manual checks and make travel more efficient and secure. This tourism technology is increasingly present throughout the traveler’s journey, from check-ins to border security, and provides convenience.

3 Practical Use Cases of Biometrics in Tourism

• Biometric Check-ins: Facial recognition and fingerprint scans enable travelers to bypass traditional registration, which reduces wait times and enables seamless identity verification.
• Enhanced Security: Biometric systems strengthen security by allowing only authorized individuals access to restricted areas and minimize the risk of identity fraud.
• Personalized Guest Experiences: Hotels recognize repeat customers through biometrics and customize amenities to personalize guest experiences.

Indonesian startup TrustLink offers passive liveness detection technology for identity verification processes. This solution analyzes subtle biometric signals in real time to ensure the individual being verified is physically present and not using a spoofed identity. It operates without requiring active user interaction, which minimizes disruptions during the verification process. TrustLink’s solution reduces fraud, streamlines check-ins, and ensures compliance with security standards within the travel industry.

5. Blockchain

Blockchain enhances security, transparency, and efficiency in transactions and data management within the tourism sector. Distributed ledger technology (DLT) enables decentralized networks to record transactions securely and tamper-proof. Smart contracts automate agreements and ensure that specific conditions are met before completing transactions. Further, blockchain-powered tokenization allows the digital representation of assets like loyalty points or bookings to facilitate secure transfers between users.

3 Practical Use Cases of Blockchain in Tourism

• Secure Booking and Payment: Blockchain enables secure transactions using smart contracts to reduce fraud risks and offers real-time transparency in bookings without intermediaries.
• Identity Verification: Blockchain stores traveler credentials on an immutable ledger to enable real-time identity verification at checkpoints.
• Customer Loyalty Programs: Blockchain-based loyalty programs provide a secure, transparent way to earn and redeem rewards across multiple platforms and improve customer engagement.

British Virgin Islands-based startup LynKey creates a blockchain-powered ecosystem that enhances transparency, efficiency, and user engagement in the tourism and property sectors. The platform tokenizes luxury resorts, properties, and services that allow transactions through smart contracts. The startup’s blockchain technology provides secure, immutable records of ownership, bookings, and payments and creates a trustworthy environment for investors and travelers. The LYNK Wallet supports holding LYNK tokens and NFTs and offers transfer and swap features within the ecosystem. Further, LynKey’s NFT Marketplace offers a platform for smart tourism that allows buying and selling travel products, services, and experiences as NFTs using the LYNK token.

6. CleanTech

As the tourism industry faces pressure to lower its carbon footprint, cleantech provides innovative solutions that drive energy efficiency and resource conservation. Renewable energy technologies generate clean power for resorts and tourism facilities to reduce dependence on fossil fuels. Energy-efficient systems, including smart grids and building automation, optimize energy consumption in real time and improve operational efficiency.

3 Practical Use Cases of CleanTech in Tourism

• Sustainable Accommodations: Incorporating energy-efficient systems like solar panels and waste recycling allows travelers to enjoy eco-friendly stays without compromising comfort.
• Eco-friendly Transportation: The use of electric vehicles and alternative fuels reduces carbon emissions and makes travel more sustainable and environmentally friendly.
• Energy-efficient Tourism: The adoption of smart energy management systems (EMS) in tourism facilities optimizes energy consumption and reduces operational costs and environmental impact.

Bulgarian startup BehaviorSMART develops beSMART , a behavioral science-based platform to enhance sustainability in the tourism sector. The platform leverages behavioral insights and provides actions tailored to various businesses, such as destinations, hotels, restaurants, and service providers. The startup guides businesses to set sustainability goals and follow personalized journeys. BehaviorSMART adjusts recommendations to fit specific business needs and measures the impact of business and supplier actions.

7. Cloud Computing

Tourism companies leverage cloud computing for managing data and operations. Infrastructure-as-a-service (IaaS) offers on-demand computing power and storage that enables businesses to scale resources as needed, especially during peak season. Platform-as-a-service (PaaS) streamlines application development and deployment to offer innovative digital services for travelers. Additionally, cloud-based data analytics platforms process large volumes of data in real-time to enhance decision-making and operational efficiency.

3 Practical Use Cases of Cloud Computing in Tourism

• Cloud-based Booking Systems: Tourism operators use cloud-based booking systems to manage reservations in real time and provide customers with instant confirmations and updates.
• Customer Relationship Management: Cloud computing advances CRM systems and enables tourism companies to analyze customer data and deliver personalized marketing and services.
• Personalized Services: Cloud-based data analytics allow tourism businesses to customize travel packages and offer real-time recommendations based on customer preferences.

US startup Triparound provides a travel planning SaaS platform that streamlines itinerary creation and management for travel agencies and professionals. The platform consolidates all aspects of trip planning, including accommodations, activities, transportation, and dining, into an interface. Its key features include real-time collaboration, integration with third-party services, and multiple trip management. Triparound delivers tailored, organized travel plans to improve productivity and customer satisfaction.

8. Connectivity Technologies

Connectivity technologies enable communication and interaction across devices, locations, and platforms. 5G networks provide ultra-fast data speeds and low-latency connections to enhance real-time service delivery for travelers. Wi-Fi 6 improves connectivity in high-traffic areas and ensures uninterrupted access and better performance. As connectivity advances, tourism operators increasingly leverage these tools to create a more connected travel environment.

3 Practical Use Cases of Connectivity Technologies in Tourism

• NFC-based Contactless Payments: NFC technology enables tourists to make fast and secure contactless payments at key tourism touchpoints, including museums, attractions, restaurants, and transportation hubs.
• Wi-Fi in Tourist Attractions: Wi-Fi connectivity at tourist sites provides visitors with access to information and enables data collection for visitor management and marketing strategies.
• Connectivity for Travel Apps: Travel apps rely on 5G networks, private wireless infrastructure, beacon technology, and more to deliver real-time updates, location-based services, and personalized recommendations.

Singaporean startup Truely offers Switchless , a travel eSIM solution that provides mobile connectivity across multiple countries without the need for physical SIM cards. The startup’s technology enables travelers to download and activate eSIM profiles directly onto their devices. It allows them to access local networks at competitive rates. Truely’s eSIM eliminates the hassle of swapping SIM cards and ensures uninterrupted mobile service while traveling. Truely manage multiple eSIM profiles on a single device and allows switching between different carriers and data plans.

9. Internet of Things

IoT sensors and smart devices collect and transmit data in real-time for automated control of environments like hotels and airports, and services such as check-ins and smart ticketing systems for attractions and events. Cloud-based IoT platforms manage this vast amount of data to ensure integration with other systems and facilitate predictive maintenance, energy management, and personalized services.

3 Practical Use Cases of the Internet of Things in Tourism

• Smart Hotels: IoT automates room controls in smart hotels and allows guests to manage lighting, temperature, and security through mobile apps.
• Personalized Guest Experiences: IoT collects data on guest preferences to tailor services, such as adjusting room settings or offering personalized recommendations.
• Travel and Tour Management: IoT provides real-time updates on transportation schedules and tour availability to reduce wait times and enhance the overall travel experience for tourists.

Australian startup LiXiA develops a real-time situation awareness platform that enhances decision-making capabilities for tourism organizations. The platform aggregates and analyzes data from multiple sources, including IoT devices, sensors, and public feeds, to deliver a clear, actionable overview of current conditions. LiXiA’s technology offers real-time alerts, predictive analytics, and detailed reporting to keep travel operators informed and prepared for changing situations.

10. Advanced Robotics

Humanoid robots equipped with AI-powered natural language processing assist travelers in various settings, providing information such as directions and travel updates, along with personalized services like tailored recommendations and room service assistance. Autonomous robots leverage sensors, machine vision, and navigation technologies to handle operational tasks like cleaning, luggage transport, and delivery within hotels and airports. Further, robotic process automation (RPA) streamlines backend operations to optimize workflows and improve efficiency.

3 Practical Use Cases of Advanced Robotics in Tourism

• Customer Service Robots: Deployed in hotels and airports, customer service robots handle check-ins, inquiries, and navigation to offer 24/7 support and improve the guest experience.
• Robotic Guides: Museums and tourist attractions use robotic guides to provide interactive tours, offer consistent information, and engage visitors with dynamic presentations.
• Automated Transport: Self-driving shuttles and luggage handling robots reduce wait times, improve safety, and make travel logistics easier for passengers.

Japanese startup Senxeed Robotics offers a robot ambassador solution to enhance customer engagement and service in environments like hotels, airports, and retail spaces. The technology uses AI-driven robots to interact with customers and provides information, assistance, and personalized experiences. The startup equips its robots with features such as natural language processing, facial recognition, and real-time data integration to ensure intuitive and responsive interactions. Senxeed Robotics’ robots also learn and adapt to customer preferences to improve service quality over time.

Outlook for the Tourism Industry

Industry growth.

The tourism industry, growing at an annual rate of 2.86%, continues to expand globally. It has over 170K+ companies and employs 13.5 million people with an increase of over 746000 employees in the last year. The average number of employees in these companies is 11 individuals, which reflects the sector’s broad capacity for growth.

Patents & Grants

Innovation drives the industry, as evidenced by more than 59000 patents and 4500 grants that showcase a commitment to advancing travel technologies.

For more actionable insights, download our free Travel Innovation Report .

Investment Landscape

Investment remains strong, with the average funding round totaling USD 3.8 million. Leading investors, including Lanzadera , Techstars , SMU Business Innovations Generator , Fuel Ventures , and Andalucía Open Future , play a critical role in supporting innovation and expansion. Investment rounds range from pre-seed and seed to early-stage VC, series A, angel, and equity crowdfunding which ensures companies receive financial support at various stages.

Global Footprint

Globally, the industry’s key hubs include the US, India, the UK, Canada, and Australia, with major operations centered in cities such as London, New York City, New Delhi, Sydney, and Mumbai.

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The Bahamas Travel Advisory

Travel advisory january 26, 2024, the bahamas - level 2: exercise increased caution.

Updated with additional water safety information.

Exercise increased caution in The Bahamas due to  crime . 

Country Summary : The majority of crime occurs on New Providence (Nassau) and Grand Bahama (Freeport) islands. In Nassau, practice increased vigilance in the “Over the Hill” area (south of Shirley Street) where gang-on-gang violence has resulted in a high homicide rate primarily affecting the local population. Violent crime, such as burglaries, armed robberies, and sexual assaults, occur in both tourist and non-tourist areas. Be vigilant when staying at short-term vacation rental properties where private security companies do not have a presence.   

 Activities involving commercial recreational watercraft, including water tours, are not consistently regulated. Watercraft may be poorly maintained, and some operators may not have safety certifications.  Always review and heed local weather and marine alerts before engaging in water-based activities. Commercial watercraft operators have discretion to operate their vessels regardless of weather forecasts; injuries and fatalities have occurred. Due to these safety concerns, U.S. government personnel are not permitted to use independently operated jet-ski rentals on New Providence and Paradise Islands.   

Never swim alone, regardless of your age or level of swimming skills.  Keep within your fitness and swimming capabilities. Be mindful of sharks when swimming and engaging in water activities, as there have been recent fatal and non-fatal incidents involving sharks.  Be aware of weather and water conditions and heed local warnings. 

Read the country information page  for additional information on travel to The Bahamas. 

If you decide to travel to The Bahamas:  

• Do not answer your door at your hotel/residence unless you know who it is.  
• Do not physically resist any robbery attempt.  
• Enroll in the Smart Traveler Enrollment Program (STEP)  to receive Alerts and make it easier to locate you in an emergency.  
• Follow the Department of State on Facebook , Twitter , and Instagram .  
• Review the Country Security Report  for The Bahamas.  
• Prepare a contingency plan for emergency and medical situations.  Review the Traveler’s Checklist .  
• Visit the CDC page for the latest Travel Health Information related to your travel.

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