WASHINGTON - July 6, 2016 - PRLog -- The sharing economy is changing the travel and tourism industry. People of all ages are bypassing downtown hotels, opting instead to use popular companies like Airbnb or HomeAway to find alternative lodging. The reasoning: when you visit a new place you don't want to be a tourist. You want the authentic, local experience. While those sites offer local housing, City Walker, a new app that launches its beta version today, is giving users a backstage pass to local life.
Built by Schoemaker Design, which is run by husband and wife entrepreneurs Hubert M. and Jeni Schoemaker, City Walker offers tourists a new way to experience America's most loved cities with an alternative and hyper-local tourism app. By launching the app, users will find themselves within 15 minutes walking distance - the app encourages users to walk because that is both healthy and the best way to take in a new location - from places that offer caffeine, food, libations, entertainment or shopping. Yet unlike other travel apps, City Walker sorts its listings based on the recommendations of locals.
"When you stay at a hotel you have the concierge desk in the front lobby to ask for recommendations," said Hubert M. Schoemaker, City Walker CEO. "But the trends in travel show that people are embracing alternative forms of lodgings. City Walker is not just a concierge desk in your pocket, it's basically the guy down the street who has lived in this neighborhood his whole life. Now you can spend less time finding where to go and more time actually being there."
The app, which is available for both Android and iOS phones, works in the United States, however, it is currently being beta tested in Philadelphia and Washington, D.C., with plans for further US and European expansion later in the year.
To download the app, visit here for Android or here for iOS.
City Walker isn't just a tool for tourists. It is also an opportunity for individuals or small businesses to showcase pride in their own neighborhoods and local establishments.
"I list my home on Airbnb because I love meeting new people and sharing my little world here in D.C.," said Washington, D.C. resident Steve Brogan. "Now I am going to use City Walker to create an itinerary for all of my guests so that they can have a truly authentic experience. I know when I travel I am always afraid that I'm missing out. This is my chance to help others avoid that. Hopefully they start using City Walker in their city too."
Media Contact
Hubert Schoemaker
Founder and CEO
***@citywalkerapp.com
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