LocalGuiding

LocalGuiding is a marketplace connecting travelers with local tour guides and small tour companies in destinations worldwide, online or from a mobile phone. Travelers can contact the local tour providers directly to customize A Tour based on their needs. It was founded by Robert Blessing and participated in Start-Up Chile's 3rd round.

History

Beginnings

LocalGuiding began when co-founder Robert Blessing worked as a tour guide for a destination management company. There, he realized how impersonal the tour arrangement process was “when picking up a client it always felt like a blind date” remembers Robert. LocalGuiding’s founders are Robert Blessing, Alvaro Olivencia and Toni Stork.

Location

LocalGuiding has their headquarters in Munich, Germany. The website officially launched in 2012, when they participated in Start-Up Chile – an accelerator program giving early stage, high-potential entrepreneurs USD 40,000 and a one year visa to come to Chile, using it as a platform to go global.

Metrics

LocalGuiding is one of the world’s largest local tours marketplaces with 2000+ guides offering 5,000+ unique things to do in 600+ destinations across more than 100 countries. 94% of LocalGuiding’s guides are situated outside of the United States, as of January 2013, encompassing a complete global network offering tours also in countries unrecognized by mainstream tourism companies.

Media coverage

Outside Magazine awarded LocalGuiding the ‘Best Travel Site for 2012’. The company got coverage by CNN, USA Today, Wired (magazine) and The Guardian.

Mobile

In July 2013, LocalGuiding launched an iPhone app – it is the world's first mobile app for finding tour guides It lets you instantly book and experience unique tours and things to do organized by locals at any time as well as reserve activities in advance or even do last minute bookings. Each guide behind the tour can be contacted directly to customize an itinerary.