Available both as a free app and website, Appi Holidays is a brand new travel search engine which aggregates content from a wide range of specialist tour operators.  The app will let customers search through and cross-reference product from a wide range of tour operators and, unlike other travel search engines currently on the market, Appi Holidays allows customers to search by holiday theme, inputting their personal travel preferences in order to narrow down the search and find their perfect getaway.

How does it work?
If you’re looking for a ‘villa’ holiday with ‘beaches’, ‘air conditioning’ and ‘private pool’ that’s no more than ‘three hours’ away from ‘Heathrow’ by plane, Appi Holidays will filter its content accordingly, bringing out only the destinations which match your search.  Similarly, if you have more specific criteria such as a ‘disabled accessible’ cruise or a new place to practice a seasonal activity – such as ‘skiing’, ‘scuba’ or ‘snow-shoeing’ – Appi Holidays will help sift through the content from dozens of tour operators to find you the perfect result.

Once Appi Holidays has narrowed the search listings, users are given the option of either ‘saving it to your wishlist’, ‘emailing to a friend’ or ‘requesting a call-back.’  When a call-back is requested, the current search is sent to the appropriate tour operator who will then reply with further information and the option to book and pay for the holiday.

Don’t travel search engines already cover this?
What makes Appi Holidays unique is that it filters content for suitability and appropriateness, while letting the customer search for holidays according to the themes that matter most to them.  Alan Kersley, Appi Holidays’ Managing Director, says:

“All competitors at the moment tend to have very narrowing search protocols; often your first step is to select a destination and then the app/website starts narrowing by cost.  Appi Holidays doesn’t limit your search using any default criteria – the entire search engine is bespoke to the customer’s needs at the moment of searching. Not only does it save users time and hassle, it produces results based on quality and appropriateness, rather than price.”

Where does the content come from?
The content for the app is provided by a range of specialist tour operators, each of which pays to be featured.  This allows users to search for a holiday using just one app, as opposed to trawling through the websites of individual travel companies.  The content is regularly refreshed to give the most up-to-date information from each participating company.  By placing multiple tour operators on a neutral platform in this way, the app also helps consumers seek out niche tours and destinations that might otherwise might be buried in a Google search result.

The Tour Operator Advantage
Being featured on Appi Holidays gives tour operators a real advantage putting content, quite literally, in the palm of the customer’s hand.  By aggregating all tour operator content according to suitability and appropriateness, and placing each travel company on a brand-neutral platform, Appi Holidays acts as a levelling tool, providing a competitive advantage to the independent tour operator which offers the highest quality.

What’s in it for Agents?
Alan Kersley, Appi Holidays’ Managing Director, says:
“The app should also prove useful to travel agents and help plug any gaps in their knowledge. They will be able to use the facility like any other customer and get information on a holiday where they may not be a specialist. They would then approach the tour operator through normal travel agency channels.”

What happens next?
The app launches to the public in August, although tour operators and travel agents can get involved straight away.  For more information about Appi Holidays and/or placing content on the app, please contact Appi Holidays’ Managing Director, Alan Kersley, on 01733 687 274 (www.appiholidays.com)

City.mobi
Find out all the latest news and information about your favourite city.

Dubai.city.mobi is the latest in this illustrious line up, offering click to call functionality – which means no scribbling down telephone numbers.

City.Mobi offers the most comprehensive mobile travel guides available, with over 800 cities in 200 countries listed. Each is developed by the City.Mobi team to combine into a single global travel directory.

However, each city retains its own mobile identity via a dedicated domain. Already on offer are Brussels.Mobi, Paris.Mobi, Sanfrancisco.Mobi and Sydney.Mobi.

Most entries are also linked to websites where users can quickly access more detailed information if needed.

Other key features include information on accommodation, restaurants, attractions, entertainment, nightlife, shopping, and transport.

City.Mobi guides include user reviews and traveller utilities such as a translation guide, currency converter, news and local weather guide.