About TravelType

Why TravelType exists

TravelType answers a question that bothered me for years: why do I get the same top-10 recommendations as everyone else on every travel platform? I plan trips differently from my friends, my taste isn't the average — and yet I keep seeing the same lists everywhere.

The concrete idea came to me at the Dingli Cliffs on Malta. I'd ended up there after a small detour through private gardens — past signs that technically forbade it — and stood in front of one of the most beautiful views I've ever seen. A place no travel guide had on its list. If I'd stuck to the standard recommendations, I'd never have made it there.

Out of that came a first project in 2017: a community platform for viewpoints, curated by locals. "Best Viewpoints". It never got past the prototypes — my designer at the time bailed, and the project sat unfinished for eight years.

Now the idea is back, scaled bigger. TravelType isn't just about viewpoints — it covers all kinds of places. Hills above Rome, forest lookout towers, old temples, little cafés. You tell the app through your ratings what fits you. It suggests places that match your taste, instead of following the mainstream one.

Why not just Google Maps?

Google Maps suggests restaurants "that fit you". In my experience that was almost always off. Tripadvisor shows everyone the same top-10. Booking helps you book a hotel — not find a good trip.

TravelType works differently. You swipe through places, rate them with ❤️, 👍 or 👎, and the app gradually learns your taste — what atmospheres, themes and styles belong to you. From that come recommendations that are actually tailored to you.

Where it's going

First the foundation needs to stand solid — German-speaking Europe, with all the important places and a working map. Next comes a friends mode: discover which of your friends actually travel like you.

Got an idea, or a city you're missing? Drop me a line. What's coming next lives openly in the changelog.