The small Version: when you are visiting in a unique location with someone special, escorted trips and sightseeing buses is almost certainly not your favorite solution to explore a unique urban area. Jim Zhu founded the GPSmyCity software in 2010 to greatly help more independent vacationers discover more about locations at their particular pace. The app discusses a lot more than 1,000 urban centers and will be offering nearly 7,000 hiking trips structured by topic, such as lifestyle, meals, or purchasing. Each concert tour supplies an electronic map and information about every appeal you will check out. On top of that, the app doesn’t require mobile or internet service, to help you put it to use offshore without racking up costly intercontinental charges from your cordless service provider. The software is present on both iPhone and Android os possesses had a lot more than 12 million downloads since its release.

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Jim Zhu brandi love instas to travel and check out brand-new locations around the world, but he is never been follower of concert tour busses. He doesn’t like becoming stuck in a seat and put through somebody else’s routine. Jim is healthy and active and favors the independence of walking from place to spot at his personal speed. But standard maps could be difficult, and before smart phones emerged on the world, mobile phones don’t provide a lot help whenever navigating another city.

But that changed in 2007 whenever Apple established the iphone 3gs.

“As soon as the new iphone 4 was launched and was included with a GPS purpose, I thought why-not mix these things? Utilize the new iphone 4’s gps device purpose and put every piece of information from inside the application so you’re able to tour all on your own,” the guy said. He previously worked in Silicon Valley for 15 years before starting his personal company, so he knew the particulars of technology companies.

As an all-natural problem-solver, Jim decided to run together with concept. The guy created GPSmyCity in 2008 together with the goal of generating an iPhone software that offered engaging hiking tours without demanding mobile or websites. The software officially launched for iOS in 2010. “It switched your own iphone 3gs into a personal trip manual,” mentioned Jim, which in addition functions as the company’s Chief Executive Officer. Upcoming, the app was made available on Android os possesses had above 12 million packages since its launch.

GPSmyCity, makes it possible for you to definitely discover more about local tourist attractions from professionals, is ideal for lovers who desire assistance navigating a area while on a romantic getaway. Abandon the expensive trip groups and packed tour vehicles and make use of the software to go on a relaxed, self-paced walking concert tour tailored your unique interests — as well as on your routine.

“we developed the application to resolve my very own issue, but you can find a whole lot of individuals available who have similar problem,” Jim mentioned. “since the application features 12 million downloads, that provides me most pleasure.”

Jim and his group at GPSmyCity like to take a trip and check out, and they’ve transformed that really love into a passion for helping others find out about brand new spots themselves terms and conditions.

Nearly 7,000 Tours in stores throughout the World

GPSmyCity offers nearly 7,000 hiking trips in over 1,000 metropolitan areas all around the world. Jim told us that, with regards to the area, the application features any where from a handful to 30 various hiking trips readily available.

A number of the trips have specific themes or subject areas, including romance, shopping, nightlife, or meals, so you’re able to select the types that best suit you and your spouse. Possible get a dessert-themed trip in Paris or go to all of Amsterdam’s earliest pubs on another tour.

You can use the application for a staycation and invest a weekend afternoon exploring the areas of your very own area you have never seen. While the app does not just take that locations, what’s more, it tells you more about them.

“each walking concert tour, there clearly was a summary of destinations and a chart,” Jim stated. “You use the navigation device on your own smart phone — an iPhone, Android os, or iPad — to obtain from 1 spot to another. At each stop, it comes with a photo and description that tell you information on the spot.”

The software was created to operate traditional and enables you to download maps. Whenever you travel abroad, you simply won’t require cellular service or a connection to the internet to make use of GPSmyCity. Definitely a substantial benefit since with your smart device worldwide without appropriate information program can lead to an obscenely big bill.

Local Writers & Bloggers Provide Professional Advice

GPSmyCity can cover a lot more destinations than nearly any various other walking trips app because the organization works together many vacation specialists to produce first-class content material and maps. The group creates many of the hiking trips internal, even so they additionally make use of lots of travel authors, writers, and natives to produce many of the more in-depth trips.

Your local specialists write for GPSmyCity and contribute walking trips giving users a traditional, compelling experience with each town. The GPSmyCity group adds walking trips in brand new towns every week through the commitment with local material creators.

“this article continuously improves by using these relationships, and in addition we can protect a lot more locations,” Jim mentioned. “We explore app and efficiency, nevertheless content material should end up being developing and expanding.”

Collaborating with people who live, work, and play in a city produces a lot more personal, special trips than you’ll be able to desire to get in a travel manual. And the ones minutes from the crowds of people are the ones couples bear in mind once they come back home.

The Future of GPSmyCity: Upgrade the App & increase the amount of Tours

Many globetrotting couples echo Jim’s disdain for tour buses and choose to share a lot more close minutes employing spouse while checking out a spot. And taking walks through a city merely enhances the sense of wonder they think during vacation.

That is the reason GPSmyCity is really preferred, but the business isn’t really sleeping on the laurels. Jim, the company’s developers, as well as the content team tend to be continuously improving the app, and GPSmyCity is in the process of including better functionality to its Android os application, getting it good apple’s ios equivalent. The new Android os variation is actually arranged for release in summer 2018.

And additional features —for both Android and new iphone 4 — is going to be added considering tips from customers.

“we’ve a feedback purpose that can help all of us get feedback from users on a regular basis,” Jim said. “folks send suggestions, and in addition we consider those and keep increasing and boosting — so it is a continuing procedure.”

Because Jim understands everything about how an idea that resolves problematic for just one person can resonate with millions of people.