EXCLUSIVE: CEO talks mobile app expansion to Australia
accomnews spoke exclusively with Lindsey Parry, Poket Nomad CEO to talk about whether tech startups could mark the next frontier for Australian providers.
Our original article on new startups around the world that promote local business to tourists struck a chord online as the trend has begun to gather momentum.
How does your app work?
Our app provides them an easy way to answer the two main questions people have when they arrive at a destination: ‘What are we going to do?’ and ‘Where are we going to eat?’ Pocket Nomad provides listings of local activities, attractions and restaurants. It has a whole section called Free Stuff where visitors can find cost free activities.
Plus, many tour companies have listed exclusive discounts on their tours that you can’t find anywhere else. It offers information, pictures and even directions from where the person may be standing on how to find any place in the above categories.
The app also targets where they are when they open it and brings up everything within that area, making it easy to see what is closest. It also allows people who are searching ahead to search an area or choose from a list so they can bring up that area’s listings.
Do you work specifically with hotels/accommodation providers?
As far as hotels, we offer our stands to hotels for free as well as flyers they can pass out to guests when they check in. We can even offer in-room table tents. These displays simply let the guests know that Pocket Nomad is available for them to download and will help them to find all the excitement around them. But of course, we have to have the tour operators signed on before we can begin telling people in that area about the app so there is good content for them to view.
Are you currently available in Australia and if not, are you considering an expansion this way?
There are a lot of adventure seekers in Australia and New Zealand we would love to access and the great adventure areas there. We are excited about the opportunity to begin moving into those areas but are aware of the hurtles. It is difficult to connect with the tour operators from such distance to get them signed onto the system. We are now looking for people, including hotel owners, to help with email introductions to some of the tour operators there locally. This will help get our foot in the door.
Currently Pocket Nomad is launched in the US in about 7 areas. In the state of Utah we are in Moab, Zion National Park area, Kanab, Hurricane, Springdale, Salt Lake City and St. George. In Arizona we are in Page and Flagstaff. We would love to begin moving into other areas including internationally to places like Australia.
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