Tag: tours

Hillwalk Tours Partner With HiiKER

Hillwalk Tours, a leading provider of self-guided walking holidays across Ireland, the UK, Spain, and Portugal, are thrilled to announce an innovative new partnership with Hiiker, a fellow Irish-based company, and experts in hiking and navigation technology. This collaboration brings the best of both worlds together: world-class hiking tours and state-of-the-art navigation support.

The partnership will allow Hillwalk Tours’ customers to seamlessly navigate their self-guided walking tour using Hiiker’s advanced GPS navigation app. Built with the customer experience in mind, Hillwalk Tours has meticulously curated and integrated their own GPS tracks for each hiking trail onto the Hiiker platform, which customers can access directly via the Hiiker app.

This strategic collaboration enhances the hiking experience by providing Hillwalk Tours’ customers with comprehensive offline GPS navigation, as well as a host of powerful features such as the ability to change to different, more detailed mapping layers and receive real-time “off-trail” alerts. The offline capability ensures that even in remote areas with limited connectivity, hikers will have access to reliable trail guidance.

“Our mission at Hillwalk Tours has always been to create experiences that make people happy” said Anthony Barrett, Managing Director of Hillwalk Tours. “By partnering with Hiiker, an Irish company that shares our passion for the great outdoors, along with providing exceptional navigational technology, we’re elevating our offering to customers. This partnership represents a major leap forward in ensuring our customers can safely and confidently explore the trails, while also enhancing the experience of our walking holidays.”

Hiiker, renowned for its expertise in creating intuitive navigation solutions for outdoor enthusiasts, is equally enthusiastic about the partnership. “We are excited to join forces with Hillwalk Tours, who have been creating first-rate self-guided hiking trips for over 15 years now,” said Paul Finlay, Founder of Hiiker. “Our technology will provide Hillwalk Tours’ customers with peace of mind, even in the most remote and beautiful landscapes, thanks to our app’s ability to provide detailed maps, offline navigation and trail safety alerts.”

Both companies, deeply rooted in Ireland, are passionate about promoting outdoor exploration in a safe, accessible, and enjoyable way. The collaboration is a testament to the shared values of innovation and quality, and it highlights the strength of Irish entrepreneurship in the global hiking and tourism industry.

Key Features of the Partnership:

  • GPS Navigation Made Easy: Customers of Hillwalk Tours will have access to Hillwalk’s own meticulously crafted and custom-built tracks on the Hiiker app, ensuring they can easily follow their hiking route.
  • Offline Capability: Hiiker’s offline navigation feature will keep hikers on track even in areas with no phone or cell coverage.
  • Detailed Mapping Layers: Customers will have access to switch between a wide array of comprehensive maps for navigation. This includes OSI, EastWest Mapping, and historical maps in Ireland; OS Mapping, Harvey Maps, and historical maps in the UK; as well as IGN and other national and independent maps across continental Europe.
  • Off-Trail Alerts: Automatic alerts notify walkers if they wander off the designated path, adding an extra layer of safety to their adventure.

This partnership marks a significant enhancement for hiking enthusiasts who value the freedom of self-guided tours without compromising on safety or convenience.

For more information on Hillwalk Tours, visit www.hillwalktours.com. To learn more about Hiiker, visit www.hiiker.app.

Embracing Innovation: How Tech is Revolutionising Monitoring in Ireland’s Booming Real Estate Market

Tech innovations are making their mark on all industries and real estate is no exception. New technology developments are not only allowing prospective buyers to view properties without stepping foot in them but also making the management and monitoring of properties easier for real estate professionals. In this article, we’ll explore just a few of the ways technology is transforming the real estate industry, for buyers, agents and homeowners. 

Just one example is the rise in online rental platforms such as renthero.ie, which enable renters to view properties all over Ireland. Rather than having to show up to multiple inspections, they can search for apartments or houses that meet their criteria and connect with prospective landlords remotely. In addition, property owners can easily showcase their listings and gain access to valuable performance data. This shift towards digital rental platforms has not only streamlined the rental process for both tenants and landlords but has also brought greater transparency and convenience to the market. With the integration of advanced features such as virtual property tours, online payment systems, and tenant background checks, these platforms have become an integral part of the real estate industry in Ireland, transforming the way properties are rented and managed. 

Monitoring KPIs and metrics

Real estate management software has significantly enhanced the way company representatives view and handle data, with everything from properties for sale to average days on the market visible at the click of a button. A management dashboard gathers all of the key information in one convenient location, enabling reps to quickly view crucial data that can be used to make important decisions. 

By tracking recent sales information, real estate agents can make informed decisions about listing prices and how to best go about marketing similar properties. Agencies can also monitor their sales/rental income, the number of visits to their listings, and track previous enquiries and referrals. Prior to the creation of real estate management software, gathering this amount of data would have been a time-consuming affair and, in some cases, impossible. 

Virtual tours

Even before Covid-19 lockdowns, there was a rise in the use of virtual tours to showcase properties online. They enable prospective buyers and renters to view properties from the comfort of their office desk or couch and figure out if they want to make the effort to attend an in-person inspection. For those viewing properties from abroad who may not be able to attend an inspection, virtual tours provide a great alternative. 

Virtual tours are beneficial for agents too, as they can help to satisfy the curiosity of those who aren’t serious about buying a property and might otherwise turn up to inspections for a sticky beak. When a listing includes a virtual tour, the people who do turn up to inspections are more likely to be prospective buyers and worthy of the agent’s time. Virtual tours also give buyers an opportunity to get a “first look” at a property before putting together a list of questions to ask the agent during the in-person inspection. 

Mobile apps

On the surface, real estate mobile apps are all about convenience for buyers and renters, giving them easy access to the latest listings and sales information on their smartphones. Real estate apps showcase all available properties under one search result, with the option to filter results based on individual preferences. Rather than having to individually check the properties being listed by various agencies, customers can view them all via an easy-to-use interface. 

But aside from customer convenience, real estate mobile apps are also an effective means for real estate companies to understand their customers, based on previous activity. It gives them a rough idea of what the customer is looking for and enables the company to more effectively market similar properties. For example, mobile apps can send personalised notifications to users when properties are listed on their platform that they think the customer may be interested in.

Smart home technology

Another way that technological innovations are transforming the real estate industry is in the realm of smart home devices, which can do everything from increase energy efficiency to play your favourite music with a simple voice command. Smart home technology is basically the remote control of appliances and devices via an internet connection and using a smartphone or tablet. Through an app, users can control temperature, lighting and even home theatre systems, without having to go anywhere near them.

Smart home technology is all about making life more convenient, whether that means your phone “pinging” when the washing machine has finished its cycle or the internet-connected touchscreen on your fridge checking if there is milk at home. But it is also an effective means of monitoring your home security, most obviously via smart cameras. Smart locks can also be implemented to allow select people to access your home when you’re not there (such as house-sitters or cleaners), without the risk of leaving keys under the mat. 

An exciting future of innovation

Real estate technology is a broad term that encompasses many different types of innovations, from property management software to virtual reality experiences and apps that make life easier. What they all share in common is the purpose of making the managing and monitoring of properties easier and more effective. In a world where many people are increasingly looking to apps and online platforms to solve the challenges of day-to-day life, the future of real estate technology looks bright. 

 

Revolut launches marketplace with over 300,000 tours, activities, and attractions as it supercharges trips around the world

Revolut, the global financial super app with more than 30 million customers worldwide, has launched ‘Experiences’ – an in-app marketplace for tours, activities, and attractions, giving users the opportunity to book their travel experiences directly in the Revolut app and receive up to 10% cashback (T&Cs apply), great rates and no booking fees charged by us. So you’ve got more money for when you’re away.

Available to Revolut customers in the UK and Europe, Experiences is the latest addition to the super app’s suite of travel products. Whether you want to view the Parisian skyline from the Eiffel Tower, traverse the rocky Agafay Desert on camelback, or take a relaxing dip in Budapest’s Széchenyi Thermal Baths, there are over 300,000 Experiences to choose from.

To start booking, existing customers can go to ‘Hub’ and click on ‘Experiences’ in the Revolut app. New customers can first download the Revolut app on their smartphones on Google Play or Apple Store and sign up to immediately access Revolut Experiences.

Customers can search locations, attractions, and experiences using filters to find their perfect day out, and book a range of available times and dates. Customers pay for the Experiences using their Revolut account, and cashback is paid instantly post successful booking completion. Customers can earn 3% cashback on Standard and Plus plans, 5% cashback on Premium, 10% on Metal and Ultra plans.

Revolut’s suite of features is the ultimate travel companion, as customers can book accommodation through Stays, split bills for group trips, exchange foreign currency in 30+ currencies, and travel insurance is included depending on the Revolut plan.

This time last year, the majority of countries in Europe had recently removed Covid travel restrictions, leading to a rise in travel. However, this year, Revolut data reveals that the interest in holidays is still rising, as the number of people in Ireland spending on tourist attractions is up by 20% year on year (June 2023 compared to June 2022).

Christopher Guttridge, General Manager of Lifestyle Products at Revolut, said: “We know that new experiences are the best part of holidays. Therefore, we’re excited to now offer our UK and EEA customers access to the world’s largest marketplace for tours, activities, and attractions with the launch of Revolut Experiences.

“Experiences joins our suite of travel products, as we continue to deliver ongoing innovations aimed at meeting our customers’ travel needs to supercharge their trips –  including holiday home rentals, hotels, travel insurance, and currency exchange. As the global financial super app, we continue to revolutionise travel, helping our customers experience the world seamlessly.”

The expansion of Revolut’s suite of travel products comes as it recently launched its new ultimate membership plan, Ultra, which offers ‘Cancellation for Any Reason’ insurance. Ultra members will be refunded up to £5,000/€5,000 per year for flights, trains, accommodation or events (Insurance T&Cs apply).