Introducing our proposition for an audio app called “SoundTours”

In the context of the workshops of the “Advertising and Public Relations” Lab of the Department of Communication, Media and Culture of Panteion University of Political and Social Sciences, we were invited to create an audio app under the supervision of the head of Marketing, Communication & Digital Strategy at Antenna Music, Domnika Skreta.

Our team, TrendIT, consists of Rodica Moroi, Zoe Karvela, Christina Giannopoulou, Maria Agiovlasiti and Charis Skarlatos. If you want to read more about our team or our previous projects you can find our previous article here.

So…

Did you know that hundreds of tourists are unable to find a tour guide on time for their desired tours of the places they visit due to their huge demand?

As Covid slowly starts to become a distant memory in our lives, many people have returned to their travels, resulting in a huge increase of incoming tourism all around the world (69% more specifically). Solo travelling is one of the latest trends with photos floating all over social media.

Regarding our team’s path to brainstorming and designing our application, we started with seeing what the market missed and the gap that needed to be filled. What we noticed was that there are a lot of services offering pre-recorded guided tours, but a lack of real-time, interactive and personalised guided tours is, also, observed.

So, what was our proposal?

We came up with the idea of an app that offers live audio tours for all travellers that want to visit archaeological sites and museums around the world with the benefits that this has regarding travellers’ scheduling, while also paying serious attention to the client’s likings for the guided tour. The app will offer travellers the ability to book through the app the tour guide they want, thereby resolving the problem of limited availability of knowledgeable tour guides. The booking can be made until the very last minute, if a tour guide is available, so that no traveller misses out on the incredible experience of live guided tours.

How does SoundTours work?

Firstly , users need to make a personal account and sign up to the app in order to have more personalised material. SoundTours has an informative side where the customer will be able to explore, read or listen to information about museums, attractions and sightseeings. In terms of reservations, users will be able to use filters such as the day and time they want their tour. Depending on this, they will see which tour guides are available at that moment and learn more about them from their bio, profile and reviews from previous online guided tours. Moreover, customers will be able to choose the language of the tour and the information provided in the application. After that, users will be prompted to make an online booking for the tour guide they prefer and the attraction they are going to visit. Having made the booking, tourists will receive an email -from the tour guide- with a password for the call, as well as his/hers fellow travellers, if there are any. The participants’ limit for a guided tour will be 6 persons.

Okay so far, but what about the day and time of the tour?

The tour guide will be able to know the customer’s geolocation through the map on the app. In this way, the tour guide will adjust the tour based on what the customer is seeing at that moment. For the remote audio live tour to begin, the tour guide needs to call the customer(s) through the app with the password they have received. After the tour is finished, the customer can write a review, regarding the tour guide’s service. Lastly, the payment of the tour will be made at the time of booking, while there is a possibility of free cancellation four days before the tour -in this case the money will be returned to the client’s account.

Who will be our customers?

An American who just arrived in Athens and wants to visit Acropolis Museum the very next day or a pregnant woman who needs to keep working due to the expenses of birth…would fit. And so many more. We developed a Customer User Journey for the better understanding of our audience, their thoughts and feelings and, of course, our opportunities! Check it out here!

Υes, but why would I invest in something like that, what are the advantages ?

Apart from the availability of tour guides,the whole experience will be more personalised. Specifically, there will be an interacting way of touring since the tour will be adjustable to the client’s liking. Also it’s more suitable for them since it can be in their native language and they will have immediate communication with the guide. What is more, our remote audio live tours are cheaper than the average. They eliminate expenses the customers have to pay on normal tours, such as the “free time”, where the tour guide is still getting paid. Also our live audio tours provide flexibility in terms of scheduling. That means that customers can choose from a range of available time slots that suit them. Not to mention that our app provides knowledgeable tour guides who are experts on the specific location, or subject matter. Last but not least, we have to admit that it is more direct than pre-recorded tours. The customers can ask questions and have them answered at that moment.

Regarding the tour guides, we offer remote work opportunities generally but also during physical limitations (e.g maternity leave). Soundtours gives them the opportunity to earn extra income and of course create personal branding.

Let’s take a look on our Go to Market Plan!

We aim to target not only travel enthusiasts and solo travellers, but also tour guides who want or need to work remotely, students, educators and individuals that love history and culture. Our thought about the launch of the app is that this could happen in February of 2024. We want to promote it through Paid Ads on Social Media and websites about travels and tours. Outdoor Marketing will also be an option for us since we want to boost user engagement through this app. You may ask why we want to do that ? Because we vision an innovative way of remote guided tours.

But wait, there is more…What about our Value Proposition?

Our value proposition lies in offering travellers a cost-effective tour experience, and introducing innovative guided tours. With our platform, we aim to meet most of travellers’ needs, by offering easy, quick, flexible and more economical procedures. Our goal is to turn each traveller’s pains to gains.

You may ask how we are going to develop a sustainable business model, so keep reading!

Our startup’s business model aims to disrupt the industry by introducing innovation and new opportunities. Through our app and web platform, our goal is to offer unique tour experiences to all our customers, while providing remote working chances to the guides. We intend to build great relationships with all our customers by providing efficient customer service and constantly analysing their feedback. Furthermore, our income will be generated through commission per tour and advertising partnerships. In conclusion, by fostering strong customer relationships, leveraging various channels, and diversifying revenue streams, we drive the growth and success of our startup in the industry.

What about our MVP (Minimum Viable Product) ?

Our 3-month MVP would target (solo) travellers who will be looking for guided tours all around Athens. We decided that the combination of social media and outdoor marketing should be the key to promoting our project.

We plan to build both an app and a web version of the project, in order to serve our customers’ needs. The interface will be simple and the users will have to sign up before they book a guide. The users’ reviews and ratings will provide extra room for improvement.

Numbers don’t lie and that’s why we collected interesting statistics that could justify our project idea. These stats had to do not only with the tourism industry, but for the tour guide industry as well.

Mobile applications changed the way we explore, with 30% of travellers now using them to book tours. We also found out that online reviews became the trusted compass for 95% of adventurers, guiding them towards remarkable guided tours. In 2019, 85% of travellers acknowledged the strong impact of tour guides on the quality of their journeys. Not to mention that the global tour guide industry is valued at $783.5 million. The business keeps on expanding and innovating.

And that’s a wrap!

Special thanks to our mentor Betty Tsakarestou for her valuable help and encouragement.

You can always find us on: Instagram, Facebook, TikTok and our Website.