What the Tech? App of the Day: Welcome
Got a trip or vacation coming up soon? You’ll want to take a look at a new travel app called “Welcome”.
Rather than just recommendations, reviews and photos, this app acts as your tour guide and concierge.
Here’s how it works:
You pick a destination or just let the app find out where you are using your phone’s GPS. It has a huge selection of U.S and international cities, even small cities and places you might never have thought about visiting.
Open the app on the first day of your vacation and it plans out an entire day of shopping, sightseeing and eating. If you’re in Austin, Texas for example, you’ll wake up to a recommendation of breakfast at 24 Diner which is close to where I’m staying.
The app suggests breakfast at 9 am, it then gives me directions to a parking garage so that I can shop or just browse Waterloo Records. A tap on the screen shows me reviews of the store where I read, you haven’t been to Austin unless you go in.
Every stop and recommendation includes a map of how to get there. The Welcome app seems to plot out every hour of the day with just the right amount of time to eat, shop or just walk.
The day ends with a stop at a cocktail bar at 10 o’clock. If you don’t particularly care for one of the suggested activities or restaurants, just swipe it away and Welcome will recommend something else to fill that time.
The company’s founder says restaurants and retailers don’t pay to have their establishments mentioned or recommended.
Reviews and suggestions are curated from a number of sources such as Google, Facebook and Foresquare reviews.
If you’re always looking for suggestions for things to do and places to eat when you’re out of town, this app is definitely worth the download.
Welcome is a free app for iPhones and Android devices
