Visiting new cities can often be overwhelming. Sightseer was designed to bridge the gap between locals and tourists. Amid economic disparities and gentrification in tourist destinations, this platform empowers local communities by enabling them to earn passive income while providing tourists with distinctive experiences. Now, travelers can discover the world from a local's perspective.
UI/UX Design, User Research, Prototyping, Full Redesign
48 Hours
Maciej Czapnik,
Elie Kon
Figma, Slack,
Photoshop
Catalyst 2023 @ BU Forge Design Studio - 2nd place
Many developing countries depend on tourism for their economy, but most of the revenue flows to large corporations, leading to further gentrification instead of supporting the local community. As a result, tourists often encounter high prices and inauthentic experiences.
Create a platform that bridges the gap between locals and tourists: locals can curate self-guided tours to earn passive income, while tourists can benfefit from unique experiences, insider knowledge, and personalized adventures at their own pace, distinct from what large corporations can offer.
According to Statista, tourism contributed roughly $5.8 trillion USD to the global economy in 2021. But how much of this contribution cycles through local communities? The United Nations Environmental Programme has found that for every $100 spent by a tourist, only $5 stays within the local economy. Majority of this money flows into the pockets of large corporations, who use these funds to continue gentrifying and changing the native landscape to appeal to tourists. As popular destinations continue to cater to short-term visitors, the locals are pushed aside as their history is erased away.
Sightseer offers tours of all filters and niche. Locals will be able to curate their own tours, guiding visitors to their favorite spots.
Tourists will be able to browse unique, self guided tours. They can also see the tour guide's profile and send personal messages to ask questions.
Tourists can explore with ease with built in map, tour overview, contact with locals, pictures, reviews.
We successfuly worked together to make our visions come to life in a short period of time. We competed in Boston's Annual Designathon and were so happy to be awarded 2nd place!
We have the potential to expand the app into a comprehensive travel platform, integrating features for rewards, flight bookings, and hotel reservations.
