S.T.E.L.L.A
Smart Travel Experiences Leading Local Adventures
The Backstory
When travelers visit iconic destinations like Rome and tour historic landmarks such as the Colosseum, many opt for guided tours that include audio headsets and a live guide. While these tours offer structure and commentary, they also present notable limitations. According to tour‑comparison guides, tours managed by the official provider often consist of large groups that "can be 25 or even 50 people with a single guide" which can feel impersonal and restrict interaction. One key drawback is the rigidity of the pace—tourists must follow the guide's schedule and typically cannot skip portions that hold less interest for them. Additionally, because groups are large, the environment does not always encourage questions about the tour, the city, or local recommendations, which reduces opportunities for deeper engagement and personalization.
The Opportunity
Walking tours are the most popular way to explore culture, history, and connect with locals—but traditional formats often fall short. Large group sizes, fixed schedules, and limited interaction make it difficult for travelers to engage meaningfully or explore at their own pace. There's a clear opportunity for an app that delivers self-guided, on-demand walking tours with rich audio storytelling, real-time navigation, and local recommendations. This solution would combine the flexibility of solo exploration with the depth of guided experiences—allowing travelers to connect more personally with the places they visit.
70%
of travelers want guided tours
80%
Generation Z
81%
Millenials
89%
Want local guide experience
How it works
There are two primary entry points to begin a walking tour experience:
1. Location-Based Trigger: When a traveler arrives in Rome and nears the Colosseum, they receive a timely push notification inviting them to launch the app and begin an interactive walking tour of the site. This creates a seamless, in-the-moment discovery experience.
2. Trips Page Integration: Leveraging the user's itinerary, the app proactively surfaces available tours based on their upcoming travel destination and dates. For example, if a user has a trip planned to Rome, the app will suggest relevant walking tours ahead of time, allowing them to plan or preview their experience.
Features
Push notifications when entering areas with available tours
Tap points of interest to instantly start audio tours
Real-time text-to-speech with dynamic content generation
Ask questions, request repeats, or get recommendations
Prototype
Entry point to the tour experience
Location based Alert
Trips Page
Interactive map to visualize available tour
Audio tours with transcription
Multimodal interaction
Conclusion
S.T.E.L.L.A solves the limitations of traditional tours by delivering a self-guided, AI-powered experience that adapts to every traveler's pace and curiosity. The product meets a proven demand for flexible cultural exploration while creating a scalable new engagement channel for the business. By integrating itinerary data, real-time location, and multimodal AI, S.T.E.L.L.A elevates both user experience and commercial opportunity — transforming guided tours into something personal, interactive and timeless.
