This is a regular roundup of some of the latest mobile app startup launches in travel covering everything from trip inspiration and planning to virtual assistants.
Discover
What is it?
Discover is described as a Tinder-like iPhone app for travellers to mark destinations with Been There, Add to Bucket List or Not Interested.
For any that make the bucket list, travellers can view average flight prices and weather for the upcoming year to find the best dates and then book via Skyscanner.
Additional information on attractions, restaurants and hotels in the destinations is also available in the app.
Is there a problem you’re trying to solve?
"We want to help travelers discover and ultimately reach their dream destinations.
"As we learn more about their likes and dislikes, we’ll continue to refine our inspiration/recommendation engine. And capturing previous trips and allowing travelers to rate them only enhances our “smarts.
"In addition to browsing popular destinations, travelers can also take advantage of our Advanced Search. It’s basically like asking friends a common question we see in social networks like Facebook and Twitter… “I have two kids and live in London. Can anybody recommend a fairly close, cheap and warm place to fly to this December?”
"We encourage everybody to give this one a try!"
Who’s behind it?
Discover is currently a side project for eight founding team members (some ex-Expedia employees) who live in California and the UK.
Anything else?
Discover was just chosen as the 2016 Build with Skyscanner winner for most innovative and visually inspiring travel app using Skyscanner’s flight APIs. The company is looking for pre-seed capital to fuel further growth and development.
As You Stay
What is it?
As You Stay is a mobile app enabling travellers to check-in when they want and have their stay priced accordingly.
Is there a problem you're trying to solve?
Co-founder and CTO Chen Atlas says:
"As You Stay is revolutionizing the current "hotel stay" paradigm, which has changed very little over the last century.
"Check-in and check-out times are set in stone, reservation processes are cumbersome, and the overall experience is rarely flexible enough to meet the rapidly-changing needs and schedules of many of today's travelers.
This is where As You Stay comes to the rescue, offering an evolved 'Pay As You Stay' model where guests can specify an exact desired reservation time and be accommodate accordingly."
Who's behind it?
Ofer Helfman - Co-founder and CEO, with more than 10 years experience in hotel and real estate asset management. He previously held roles at Woogo Furnished Apartments and Hotels and the Plaza Lan Kwai Fong Hotel, Hong Kong.
Roy Arad - Co-founder and COO, with more than 15 years experience in business development and investor relations. Previous roles included procurement manager and treasury auditor for the US Office of the Government of Israel.
Chen Atlas - Co-founder and CTO, prevously co-founded laundry service Cleanly where he was also CTO. He has more than 18 years experience in software development.
Anything else?
As You Stay is currently operating in New York and Miami with plans to expand to Boston, Chicago, Los Angeles, San Fransico, Washington D.C.
Funding to date has been via friends and family but the startup is looking for seed investment.
Journi
What is it?
Journi is a mobile app to help travellers keep a journal and share their trips
It works by enabling travellers and invited friends to take photos and makes notes while it creates a travel story in the background.
It also enables anyone not on the trip to share along the way and acts as inspiration for future trips.
Is there a problem it is trying to solve?
CEO Andreas Roettl says:
"More than ever we want to create, share and relive our travel adventures.
"At the same time we want to enjoy the moment to the fullest without wasting any time creating our journal, blog, photo book, etc. Journi offers the perfect solution here."
Who's behind it?
Three founders from Vienna Austria:
Andreas Roettl is CEO
Bianca Busetti is CPO.
Christian Papauschek is CTO.
Anything else?
The company is about to close a seed round of funding in "the upper six-digit range" from an angel investor.