In a recent in
terview Raymond Siems, CEO of Ventoura, talked with me about his company’s take on connecting travelers with each other and also with local guides. Ventoura’s peer to peer activities complement traveler to traveler connections on a unique Tinder-style mobile app. They just launched in March and are quickly adding both travelers and locals.
If you haven’t used Tinder the Ventoura system can take a bit of practice, but it’s pretty intuitive. You’re deciding if you have a match with other travelers and with guides based on a photo, first name, and age. Also, you may want to get familiar with flags because that’s the initial indicator of a person’s country.
There is a bit of a dating feel to this app, as is inevitable with any tool that starts with judgement of people based on a single picture. I found myself making some assumptions based on these photos. Glamour shots are a turn off if I’m looking to meet interesting people. A picture of someone doing something fun outdoors is far more likely to get my attention. I prefer not to judge people initially based on looks, but it’s certainly easy and efficient, and you can click on any of the photos to get details and see a narrative about the person and their trip or activity offering.
For my upcoming trip to Scandinavia I tested out the Ventoura app, mostly looking for activity guides. I selected all of the guides (the app only shows you people who match your destination), and also a few travelers who will be in the same city on the same dates. Then I spent more time reviewing details about the guides and what they were offering before selecting a few to email (Ventoura has a slick in-app messaging system). As of the publishing of this interview I’m still in the process of finding activities and connecting with other travelers and I’ll report back on my experience after my trip.
ShareTraveler: The Ventoura app not only connects travelers with local guides but also with other travelers. Can you tell me about your vision for this platform?
Raymond Siems: The goal is for Ventoura to be a one-stop social hub for travelling. If you want to meet a local and unlock the secrets of your destination, or, if you want to meet likeminded travellers and go exploring together, Ventoura is the place to go.
ST: The swipe functionality for Ventoura is unique among travel apps. Why did you decide to build it this way?
Raymond: This interface style has become increasingly popular, I think because it’s a fast and thorough way to browse all kinds of information. In the digital world we’re thrown information from all directions at once, so it’s gratifying to experience something simpler at your own pace.
ST: How do you think Ventoura stands out compared to other companies that offer peer to peer activities like Vayable and Trip4Real, or those that connect travelers like Outbound?
Raymond: These services share many of the same passions and goals as Ventoura; the execution and functionality are what separate any similar apps in a given market. We are focused on mobile, and combining traveller-to-traveller and local-to-traveller interactions into one social hub, something that’s unique to the current market. We’ve got a rapidly growing set of locals offering exciting activities that you can’t find anywhere else.
ST: I see Ventoura currently serves these cities: London, Berlin, Frankfurt, Paris, Rome, Barcelona, Edinburgh, Copenhagen, Helsinki, Amsterdam, Vienna, and Finnish Lapland. Where are you targeting for expansion?
Raymond: The Ventoura team has a lot of Australians, so we’ll be in Oceania in the not too distant future.
ST: How many experiences are offered on Ventoura today?
Raymond: There are a few hundred Ventoura Locals, 6 weeks since our launch. Most of these offer multiple experiences, so it all depends on how you count!
ST: Many of your activities don’t yet have reviews, which help people to be confident that they are booking something good. Do you moderate people offering activities in any other way to make sure they are providing good services?
Raymond: The best way to be confident about booking an experience is to chat to the Local one-on-one, which every user can do through our chat system. If you get along, chances are you’re going to have a great time. We ensure Locals abide by our terms and conditions which they agree to when they sign up. It’s very important to us that we maintain a safe and happy community, so everyone can focus on the awesome activities.
ST: Where do you hope to see Ventoura in 5 years?
Raymond: If Ventoura is providing a platform for millions of travellers to have unforgettable experiences, we’d be delighted.
ST: I’m visiting Copenhagen and Helsinki in August and I am excited to use Ventoura to explore these cities. Do you have any advice for me as a new user of the app?
Raymond: A great time to visit Scandinavia! I would recommend getting on the app before you travel, seeing who else is heading to the same places at the same time, and finding a Local to match your interests; from exploring abandoned houses to experiencing Finnish cuisine I’m sure you’ll find something unique and memorable. If you want to know more about how to use the app, or how it works, check out ventoura.com. We’ve got an introductory video and extensive FAQ’s to answer your questions.