As travel companies around the world use artificial intelligence to help create itineraries for their customers, a Vancouver-based company is focused on providing the "human touch."
WayLocal has officially launched its travel planning platform in the city, which connects travellers to knowledgeable locals in key destinations across North America including San Francisco, San Diego, Miami, Chicago, Los Angeles, New York, Toronto, Washington D.C., Mexico City, Vancouver, and Maui.
Founder Rebecca Friedland started the company after she moved to Vancouver from San Francisco in December 2022. Having visited over 40 countries around the world, travel has been a lifelong passion for her -- but she felt something was missing from her experiences.
"Something that's really bothered me for a while is not feeling like I was really connecting to the places that I was visiting," she told V.I.A. "I wished that I knew someone who lived there who could really understand what it's like to be there."
The drive to create richer travel experiences fuelled the creation of WayLocal and its network of passionate destination experts. Not only do the locals provide insider tips, but they also provide a detailed itinerary based on the specific needs and desires of the individual.
Travellers can browse pre-existing itineraries or request a new location. After that, they complete a travel questionnaire, designed to capture their "preferences and priorities."
One of WayLocal's community experts will use the results of the questionnaire to curate a personalized itinerary for each traveller. It will be mailed to them approximately three to five days after they fill out the form as a "beautiful, interactive document" with a map.
How does WayLocal build custom travel itineraries?
Each customized journey picks up from the hotel, whether it's booked independently or with the help of a planner, and then includes the following:
- An interactive Google Map with markers indicating itinerary items for effortless navigation
- A comprehensive document with
- Essential information: safety tips, weather conditions, transportation details, and insightful local knowledge.
- Day-by-day breakdown:
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Organized by location areas (i.e. each day will be themed around the activities that are within a certain location)
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Daily morning/afternoon/evening breakdowns including recommended time to be spent on each activity and lists of restaurants, bars, and sites within the recommended area.
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Important links for each site/restaurant like menus, reservation information (with recommended booking time frames), and operating hours.
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The company vets out its local travel experts through a series of interviews and tests, selecting people who have a passion for the cities they live in and helping people have an ideal experience in the city.
Friedland says the itineraries help travellers avoid "tourist traps" and get a taste of a city's hidden gems and have a genuine experience.
"It's time to imagine a world where we travel better."
Find out more about how to get a personalized itinerary with WayLocal online.
