# Custom Trip-Booking Sites South Africa's Sideways Tours Offers a Bespoke Tour-Booking Platform By Emma King | Published 2015-06-08 | World Source: Trend Hunter, https://www.trendhunter.com/trends/bespoke-tour-booking-platform References: [exploresideways.co.za](http://exploresideways.co.za) & [womenstuff.co.za](http://womenstuff.co.za/sideways/) Tour operators are looking for new ways to offer unique experiences using a combination of technology and content -- as such, South Africa's Sideways Tours was developed as a bespoke tour-booking platform. With a focus on the Cape Winelands, this platform allows a user to plan and book custom experiences. Previously, people wanting to book tours faced a number of obstacles, including the lack of a central booking and review platform that collated information. On top of this, most tours booked by phone, email or fax result in a clumsy, complicated and frustrating experience. The bespoke booking platform is inspired by similar booking platforms like [Tripadvisor](https://www.trendhunter.com/trends/tripadvisors-trips) and Sleepout, as well as user-friendly apps such as [Uber](https://www.trendhunter.com/trends/intercity-rides) and [Airbnb](https://www.trendhunter.com/trends/airbnb-services). The development of booking platforms such as these also tap into shifts in the travel industry where visitors are looking for authentic travel experiences, rather than generic cut-and-paste tours. ## Trend Insights (Trend Hunter) - Score: 0.7/10 - Popularity: 8% | Activity: 6% | Freshness: 8% - Audience gender: 50% men, 50% women - Primary generations: Gen Z, Millennial, Gen X - Top markets: Africa ## Categories [Trend Hunter](https://www.trendhunter.com/trends) > [World](https://www.trendhunter.com/world) > [Travel](https://www.trendhunter.com/travel) ## Key Themes ### Key Themes Behind This Trend - **Bespoke Tour-booking Platforms:** Opportunity to create customized tour-booking platforms that offer unique and tailored travel experiences. - **Shift Towards Authentic Travel Experiences:** Potential to tap into the market demand for more personalized and authentic travel experiences. - **User-friendly Booking Apps:** Disruptive innovation opportunity to develop user-friendly booking apps for seamless and convenient travel bookings. ### Where This Applies - **Tour Operators:** Tour operators can leverage custom tour-booking platforms to provide unique and tailored travel experiences for their customers. - **Travel Technology:** Opportunity for the travel technology industry to develop user-friendly booking apps and platforms that enhance the booking and planning process for travelers. - **Hospitality:** The hospitality industry can adapt and partner with bespoke tour-booking platforms to offer customized experiences to their guests. ## Related on Trend Hunter - [AI African Tourism Guides](https://www.trendhunter.com/trends/siyanda.md) - [Travel Package Marketplaces](https://www.trendhunter.com/trends/holicay.md) - [Interest-Specific AI travel](https://www.trendhunter.com/trends/itinerarytoday.md) - [B2B Travel Booking Platforms](https://www.trendhunter.com/trends/b2b-travel-booking-platform.md) - [Insightful AI Travel Planners](https://www.trendhunter.com/trends/tripadvisors-trips.md) - [Saas Trip Planners](https://www.trendhunter.com/trends/makeatrip.md) - [Instant Accommodation Bookings](https://www.trendhunter.com/trends/online-travel-agent.md) - [Personalized AI Trip Planning](https://www.trendhunter.com/trends/mindtrip.md) - [Social Media-Based AI Travels](https://www.trendhunter.com/trends/lets-trip-ai.md)