You’re visiting Miami for the first time. Your friend, who has lived there for years, compiles a list of things to see and do. She knows you well so this list is curated for your interests, and the restaurants all have food that fit your dietary needs. Wouldn’t it be great to have a friend in every destination who can help with your travel itinerary? That’s the idea behind a growing number of peer to peer travel advice companies.
When I interviewed the founders of Your Local Cousin three years ago they were just getting started in the travel advice business. They’ve since branched into peer to peer tours and activities. But they still have locals in more than 100 countries ready to create customized itineraries. I used Your Local Cousin for my trip to Santiago, Chile and was impressed with the level of customization and the responsiveness.
YLC isn’t the only company in the business of connecting travelers with locals for trip advice and planning. There are a handful of others building a presence in this arena. Some focus on just one or a few countries. But the concept is generally the same. You can talk with a local about your specific travel interests in their city and they’ll help you find whatever you’re looking for. I reviewed a few of the other travel advice companies last year.
You can find a list of all the peer to peer travel advice services in my spreadsheet. Filter on the sub-category “travel info”.