Humanity has for many years continued to evolve and adapt to rapidly changing social and economic dynamics driven by the power of the internet. The internet age has impacted every sphere of life with individuals, families, businesses and institutions all steadily adopting digital tools and facilities to socialise and do business. The travel industry has also recorded a rapid rise in digital tools designed to improve or create convenience when it comes to travelling and enjoying experiences.
Apps in this regard have become reliable platforms that assist the general populace with finding locations, finding and double-checking ticket costs and booking, restaurant information, finding accommodation establishments and making reservations, finding transport services and generally exploring local and international experiences.
Which travel apps are worth knowing in South Africa?
Skyscanner
You can minimise the stress involved in finding the best hotels, flights and car hire deals by using Skyscanner. This app not only provides you with the best deals but it allows you to earn frequent flyer points.
TripCase
Keeping tabs on travel details such as flight times, hotel locations, scheduled meetings, available transport, etc, can be difficult for many people when travelling. TripCase sends notifications with regards to any sudden changes to flights and possibly directions. You can also share your trip plans and updates with friends and family through this app.
FLIO
There are few apps around which can boast of having key insights and info for about 3000 airports. Some of the key info FLIO app provides includes Wi-Fi networks, number and types of lounges available. FLIO also provides info about transportation options which are complemented by real-time flight tracking, relevant info for cafes and shops as well as interactive airport maps.
TripAdvisor
Fellow travellers and users of travel-related services are good sources of critical information. This app allows travellers to share experiences and photos of their travel experiences which allows others to make informed decisions. You can use TripAdvisor to save and organise travel ideas, check airfares, make hotel and airline bookings and most importantly enjoy in-depth reviews.
VoiceMap
Travelling to new destinations within and outside the country can be challenging especially with regards to knowing the intricacies of the area. By using this app, you can experience and hear well-narrated stories about artistic creations, news events, significant historical events and plain odd fictional murder mystery and post-apocalyptic nightmare. These stories are told by industry experts like podcasters, experienced journalists and movie makers, tour guides, etc. VoiceMap tours cover over 59 countries and 233 cities worldwide. VoiceMap is designed to operate like a podcast in the sense that as you follow the suggested route, you get to hear the location-aware stories and perspectives in your ears. This is a definite handy guide.
Trail Guide South Africa
South Africa is home to some breath-taking sights preserved for hiking, cycling, trail running, etc. Trail Guide South Africa has been designed to provide relevant guidelines to help you enjoy the outdoors. You can use it to discover outdoor routes, nearby eateries, know where to get supplies and equipment, check the weather and find lodging places.
Aweza
South Africa is a culturally diverse country with different languages spoken in different parts of the country. Aweza is the ideal phrase translation app. This multilingual app which will assist you to learn and know some commonly used local language phrases. This app has audio and text phrases in 10 languages which are Ndebele, Pedi, Sotho, Swati, Tsonga, Tswana, Venda, Xhosa, Afrikaans with English being updated every day.
The apps provided above if well utilised will assist you to have a stress free and enjoyable travelling experience.
