Smart Trip Platform: handing the power back to the traveler
The Smart Trip Platform started on April 16, and in the first two weeks we offer our backers a fantastic 25% discount. Just so that you know why now is a great moment to back our project and purchase your TASH tokens on our site https://smarttripplatform.io/ , we are doing a series of posts about some of the innovative features of Smart Trip Platform.
Have you ever worked as a freelancer? Actually, millions of office workers’ dream to become a digital nomad and earning money while in a hammock somewhere in Thailand with a milkshake is very, very far from the truth, but that’s a story for another day. What we want to ask today is, do you know how freelancers find clients? There are large websites where companies and individuals post jobs — a description of what needs to be done, deadline, budget, perhaps some files, stuff like that.
So as a freelancer, you would search for freshly published jobs on a daily basis and write replies: cover letters explaining why you are the best for the task and what your rate is. Clients get dozens of such replies for each job, then choose a freelancer based on his or her going rate, reviews, and so on.
So here’s the question: why hasn’t anyone done the same thing for travel? Why do travelers have to comb through dozens of websites offering more or less the same thing, then write an email to each company, explain what they want, what their dates and budget are, then wait for replies? Sure, it is easier for booking hotels or plane tickets thanks to the existing large databases, but if you’ve ever tried to organize an activity-based trip — a trek, a mountain climb, an expedition — then you know what we mean. Hours spent online searching and negotiating.
Here at Smart Trip Platform, we are always looking for fresh ideas — we even have a special list of cool features that we are going to implement, and it keeps growing — and here is one of them. A traveler on Smart Trip Platform should be able to do exactly what clients at freelancer sites do! Publish a “job”, then wait for replies and choose the best offer!
Imagine you are going to Peru and want to visit the jungle around Puerto Maldonado, in Tambopata National Reserve (which we highly recommend that you do). So you would write an ad along the lines of “Tambopata Reserve, 2 pax, 3–4 nights, around November 1. We are birdwatchers, so want to see as many birds and other wildlife as possible. Not very interested in visiting local villages, etc. Max budget $400 per person”. Then you publish it in Peru — Puerto Maldonado section. No need to search the catalog — just wait for replies!
This means that as a client you will finally be in control. Travel companies in Puerto Maldonado that use Smart Trip Platform will be checking the ad section daily to see such requests — and rush to reply to you with individual offers, already for your dates and with special discounts! All you need to do is to wait a day or two, go through the responses, select the best ones, check reviews published about them on the platform and book. Remember — all bookings will be made using a smart contract, so your money will be safely deposited and paid to the service provider automatically. You won’t have to send any costly bank transfers or Western Union payments.
This system is good for the service providers, too, since they can reduce their spending on generalized advertising and target those users who are definitely interested in their product. For businesses, replying to travelers’ ads will not be free — they will get packages of such messages included in their premium subscriptions, and unlimited replies will be available for an extra fee. Thus, a travel business will be able to customize their membership expenses depending on which services it uses more.
If you are a large jungle trek operator in a popular destination, then you may want to invest in an unlimited messaging package and even put a special person to reply to clients on a full-time basis. However, if you are one of just two or three companies offering similar services in a certain location, travelers will easily find you on the platform — especially if you take an active part in chatroom discussions.
As you see, Smart Trip Platform offers tremendous flexibility and variety. We don’t try to tell you what you need — we want to give you a true choice. If you have any other cool ideas that we could implement, then share them with us on Telegram (https://t.me/st_platform) and Facebook (facebook.com/STplatform/)!
