Outbound helps travelers connect, share and explore
Brisbane based duo Ryan Hanly and Mark Cantoni are the founders of the newest player in the travel tech scene with their new venture Outbound. They noticed there was no efficient way for travelers to connect with other travelers when they arrived at a destination. And also no way to communicate with travelers in the location they were heading to. Facebook just wasn’t cutting it!
After much procrastination, it was a chance meeting with a group of backpackers on the Gold Coast that provided the final motivation to actually create this concept. They loved the idea and insisted that we actually do something about it. And from that, Outbound was born.
After creating a user profile and defining what type of traveler you are, you will then see all travelers within the vicinity. Outbound then allows you to filter what type of traveler you wish to connect with – whether that is fellow backpackers, solo travelers, adventure travelers, corporate travelers, RV/caravaners, families and more! The user has the ability to filter their search even further by parameters including age, gender, nationality, current country or different destinations. So the app can be tailored to exactly what you want, providing the ultimate user experience.
From there you can connect with travelers individually or via a group message to ask for advice, tips, or recommendations. You could organise to share a ride, join in a festival, a rafting adventure, or simply meet up for a meal and drinks. The options are endless.
If you’ve ever wondered who will be travelling to a destination at the same time as you, you can wonder no more! Outbound’s “Explore Trips” feature allows you to do just that. You can put in your entire travel itinerary and Outbound will show you who else will be there at the same time.
One of the best features of the app is the “Events” function. Here you will see events, adventures or meet ups that are user-driven and user-created by fellow travelers in the area. This could range from museum visits, to footy games, concerts, trekking tours or even pub crawls. You can register your interest in the Event, see how many other travelers are also interested, view the user profiles of those attending and also directly message the Event organiser if you want to know more details. This is a great way to meet new friends and enjoy shared adventures in new destinations.
In the “Noticeboard” section, you will find the Outbound version of the ‘Hostel Noticeboard’ where you can post general queries to the Outbound community. “Anyone travelling to Sydney in February?”, “Know any good hostels in Budapest?”, “Where’s the best pizza in Rome?”, “Car for sale!”. You can post just about anything and view the responses from all other users in the forum. The noticeboard will use your GPS location to provide local noticeboards relevant to where you are now, but you can also view Noticeboards in other countries or cities if you choose – a truly global forum to interact with like-minded travelers!
Finally, the apps user driven Wi Fi finder will mean you are never too far from being connected. Check new Wi Fi locations in and view Wi Fi hotspots around you. Save the list and view off-line! Never be stuck without Wi Fi again!
The app is free and is now available worldwide on both iPhone and Android. Outbound has no advertising or in-app purchases, so it really is a hassle free, user focused app. Uptake so far has exceeded expectations and we are already being used in over 40 countries. Feedback has been excellent and the app is receiving 5 star reviews.