8 Top Travel Sites You Might Not Use (But Should Be)

By Stride Team

October 12, 2016

In the world of travel, the ways to book and share experiences are endless. Over the past decade, hundreds of new ways to connect with people around the world, and new ways to make travel easier and more accessible, have surfaced.

Among them are 8 exciting new and innovative companies, shaking up the way travelers can see the world.

We recently asked some of these companies about their products and who they most appeal to.

Here’s what they had to say:

1. WeTravel

wetravel

What traveler challenges are you solving?

We realized that there are thousands of people in the world that independently organize group trips. They offer authentic group travel experiences, which travelers love and seek out. However, the organizers struggle to promote their trips, to collect funds, and to manage participants. This is why we created WeTravel, a platform for independent trip organizers which allows them to manage and promote any group trip.

Who is WeTravel great for?

WeTravel is great for anyone organizing a group trip, whether you are a yoga teacher leading retreats, an independent Safari tour guide, or a student administrator organizing student trips. Built to simplify large group trips, our platform provides organizers with pre-departure tools to collect funds and organize logistics. The type of trip varies from yoga retreats, student trips, bachelorette trips, dance trips, company retreats, and sports team travel.

2. Rome2rio

rome2rio

What traveler challenges are you solving?

Rome2rio is a travel search engine that aims to answer the question "What is the best way to get from A to B?". Unlike our competitors who concentrate on one type of transport or one region of the world, Rome2rio aims to have the most complete global route information available for air, rail, bus, ferry, and car. This means that you have all the information you need to figure out the best way to get to your destination.

We are doing this by utilizing data feeds, partnering with transport businesses and collecting hard-to-find route information via our on-ground experts all around the world.

Who is Rome2Rio great for?

Rome2rio suits any traveler who is looking to travel via ground transportation. We find that we are most popular with people traveling in Europe due to the many different ways you can get around. It is often easier, cheaper and quicker to avoid flights in Europe and use trains or buses instead.

3. Hitlist

hitlist

What traveler challenges are you solving?

Hitlist’s mission is to inspire and enable people to travel more by alerting you when there are cheap flights to places you want to go. We provide a beautiful browsing experience and learn a user’s preferences over time so that we can generate personalized recommendations of what and when to book.

Studies have shown that those who travel more have higher levels of ‘generalized trust’, or faith in the goodness of humanity. Getting people to travel more increases peace, stability, and understanding at a macro level. This is why we’re building Hitlist: we make travel more affordable so more people can travel.

Who is Hitlist great for?

Hitlist is great for everyone who has some flexibility on where or when he or she travels. You can be as broad or specific as you like on what you're doing: you can choose to be notified about any destination anytime, or as specific as an alert for flights to your cousin's wedding in Hawaii in mid October. We save our users time and money… and hope that they spend that time and money taking an extra trip.

4. Boatsetter

boatsetter

What traveler challenges are you solving?

Boat ownership is expensive (initial financial outlay, maintenance and upkeep, fuel, repairs and dockage). Additionally, boat owners on average use their boats around 14 days/year and young people (millennials) are more drawn to experiences than material things. It's no surprise that growth in boat sales has been decreasing over time.

Boating is an amazing experience that does not have to be limited to those who own a boat or those who want to sit shoulder to shoulder on a commercial charter. We wanted to create a world where anyone could have that private boating experience without the responsibility of ownership.

Boat captains are key to our product and as such have found a new source of income and the freedom that comes with setting their own schedules and remaining land based if they choose.

Who is Boatsetter great for?

We have a large percentage of millennials enjoying our product but a Boatsetter rental can really be enjoyed by anyone at any age. Boat rentals range from pontoon boats to yachts to sailboats and lots of options in between. Rentals that include a captain require no previous boating experience or knowledge, so anyone can go boating!

5. Hipcamp

hipcamp

What traveler challenges are you solving?

Our overall mission is to get more people outside and, more specifically, to inspire the next generation of people who are passionate about exploring AND protecting our lands. Spending time outdoors has proven health benefits and fosters a deeper connection to the awe inspiring, wild world out there. And we’re firm believers that people will only protect what they connect to and care about.

Getting more people outside really starts with access; access to land, but also to information about that land. We don't think finding somewhere to camp should be such a time consuming, convoluted and confusing process, which is why we started Hipcamp.

We are committed to making getting outside fun, easy, and as simple as selecting what, when, and where you want your camping experience to be. Need a campsite by the beach next weekend where you can bring your dog? We got you! Beyond providing information on public campgrounds, Hipcamp has evolved into a platform that connects private landowners to campers, unlocking access to hundreds of new lands for people to play on – while also helping landowners keep their lands private, wild, and free from potential commercial development.

Who is Hipcamp great for?

Hipcamp is great for anyone who loves getting outside! Whether you're looking for places to camp along your next big road trip, or are trying to plan a quick and easy weekend getaway with the whole family, Hipcamp features a whole range of camping experiences across the country.

6. Tripping

tripping

What traveler challenges are you solving?

Finding a vacation rental has historically been a trying and time-consuming task, requiring visits to multiple sites, calls to local property management companies, back-and-forth conversations with property owners… And all you wanted to do was find a great place to spend some time away.

That’s where Tripping.com comes in. We consolidate inventory from the world’s leading vacation rental sites into one simple search, making it easy for you to sort through results based on your specific needs. In short: Tripping.com is the easiest way to find the perfect place for your next getaway.    

Who is Tripping great for?

While the answer is really anyone looking for a place to stay on vacation, there are a couple of groups that are served particularly well by Tripping.com. The first is families looking to book either their summer vacation, spring break, or winter holiday.

Our ability to sort through all the available properties that match their needs (number of rooms, pet friendly, etc…) saves a ton of time and hassle for the parent who ends up planning the trip. The second group is friends looking to book weekends away.

Whether it’s a ski cabin, a beach house, or somewhere like Napa Valley wine country, we make it easy for someone to narrow in on the perfect place to get everyone together for a great weekend away, once again filtering by the amenities they know they want.

7. Hipmunk

hipmunk

What traveler challenges are you solving?

Hipmunk was founded with a singular goal in mind: to take the agony out of travel. Our site and mobile apps help save time and money by comparing top travel sites to show the perfect flight or hotel at the lowest price. Hipmunk offers the most comprehensive travel search, from commercial flights, trains, and charter flights to hotels and vacation rentals through Airbnb.

The unique display makes it easy to visually compare results to choose the best option. Additionally, Hipmunk's new A.I.-powered personal travel assistant, Hello Hipmunk, provides instant planning and booking recommendations via email.

Who is Hipmunk great for?

Hipmunk’s primary audience is frequent travelers, and our customer base is largely high-income and middle class professional millennials and families. These young professionals travel for work and are active vacationers. They are unafraid to spend money on travel, especially on experiential travel; our customers value authentic experiences above all else.

8. Travelstride

stride team

What traveler challenges are you solving?

We realized that there was no reviews-focused marketplace for travelers seeking multi day guided travel and adventure tour experiences. While meta search has long been a proven model for other travel verticals, such as flights and hotels, no one had yet solved the search needs for more complex trips like multi-day tours.

The site currently has over 8,000 amazing trips and 20,000+ reviews. Using Stride's easy search, comparison, and reviews features, travelers spend minimal time and effort searching to find the best vacation experience for their style. Stride is the modern alternative to selecting from a limited set of options presented by a travel agent, either traditional or digital.

Who is Stride great for?

Travelers of all ages are increasingly more curious and want to explore new destinations, and yet, stay in their comfort zone and minimize logistical hassles. This idea of ‘experiential’ travel is different for each person – from relaxing on a river cruise on the Danube to trekking the Inca Trail to Machu Picchu, to stargazing on an unforgettable Iceland trip.

We think about the adventurous spirit broadly and aim to make authentic world travel more accessible for everyone, regardless of age, though catering specifically to an older market.

More than ever, baby boomers, who now have the time and financial resources to take longer vacations, are searching online for travel. The types of experiences they are attracted to, be it cruising or an educational tour, usually involve a guide and the comfort of having logistics taken care of. 


 

Feeling inspired? Start your search below to find your perfect professionally planned trip on Travelstride or check out the above apps and websites!

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