The easiest way for content authors and tour operators to start selling self-guided tours

Self-guided tours are becoming popular with travelers who want more freedom and flexibility. Platforms like SmartGuide make it easy for content creators and tour operators to turn their tours into digital experiences, reaching more people and creating new income opportunities.

SmartGuide offers digital audio guides, just like YouTube, which hosts videos. With SmartGuide, content creators and tour operators can turn their best guides into digital form, ensuring a consistent, high-quality experience for every visitor without worrying about the differences in human guides.

The SmartGuide app is versatile and works seamlessly with various types of tours, whether by foot, bike, boat, bus, train, tram, or even tuk-tuk. No matter the mode of transport, SmartGuide provides an engaging and interactive experience.

Discover how SmartGuide's digital audio guide platform can benefit tour operators and tourism entities by providing the easiest way to start selling multilingual self-guided tours to visitors.

For more information, watch the video

Easy publication of interactive digital audio guides

SmartGuide digital audio guide platform simplifies the publication of digital audio guides with an easy-to-use web-based editor, the SmartGuide Content Management System (CMS). It enables smart route generation and auto-translations and automatically generates TTS audio out-of-text descriptions, facilitating rapid content updates. This efficiency ensures that tours can reach a more expansive and multilingual audience, transcending the physical limitations associated with traditional guided tours.

Creation of digital guides at SmartGuide's content management system

Multilingual support across 30 languages

Catering to a diverse audience is essential in the global tourism market, and SmartGuide excels by providing multilingual support across 30 languages with a DeepL translator integrated into the CMS. This capability makes the guides accessible to visitors from various linguistic backgrounds.

                            Translation of a guide in multiple languages in SmartGuide travel guide app

Of course, human translations and voiceovers in prominent languages are also possible, while AI-generated translations and audio are offered for the rest. This guarantees that visitors who speak Polish, Korean, or any other language can enjoy a fascinating guided experience. Additionally, SmartGuide provides analytics on demographics, language usage, and behavior in a destination, enabling smart decision-making about where to invest in content improvements.

While a single guide might not speak 30 languages fluently, SmartGuide does, bridging the gap and expanding tour operators' reach to effectively serve an international audience.              

Comprehensive operation, maintenance, content updates, and support

SmartGuide team manages the complete IT operation, maintenance, updates, and application support. This allows tour operators to concentrate on creating engaging content without the burden of technical aspects related to app management.

How to get started with SmartGuide?

Creating a guide with SmartGuide is incredibly easy and user-friendly. Just follow the simple steps below, and your guide will be ready to launch in a few hours. To ensure your guide is truly engaging and enjoyable to listen to, we highly recommend watching some of our best practice videos and tips. Investing just a bit of extra time will really pay off, ensuring your guide stands out and captivates your audience.

Step 1: Preparing the digital guide

Begin by signing up for the SmartGuide Content Management System (CMS).

Then, focus on creating high-quality content that includes identifying points of interest and mapping out routes. Write descriptive texts, add photographs and/or videos for each location and tour, and add translations to provide content in 30 languages.

SmartGuide automatically generates TTS audio out of text descriptions. You can also record audio for each place with human actors and upload it to the CMS.

As a cost-saving option instead of human audio in various languages, SmartGuide can generate audio using the most advanced AI-driven TTS (text to speech) technology and optimized phonemes (teaching the AI to pronounce correctly local names, acronyms, etc.) for a nominal fee.

Test the content on your phone before publishing (ideally on location) and fine-tune it so that all works as expected, including narration, trigger zones etc.).

Alternatively, the SmartGuide team can handle the entire guide creation process for you as a turn-key service.

                                                                              Creating a guide on SmartGuide's content management system

Step 2: Launching the guide

Once the guide is ready, SmartGuide will provide:

• QR code that unlocks the content (one QR code covers all the existing and future localizations, works for both Android and iOS). This can be included in confirmation emails to visitors after they purchase the virtual tour product or on physical tickets.
• For SmartGuide Prime customers, we also provide promotional material designs that can be used on websites, Facebook, Instagram, and other social media or to produce prints such as posters or stickers, including dedicated QR code for each of the collaterals. This helps in marketing the new digital guide to a wider audience effectively.

By following these steps, tour operators and content creators, in general, can efficiently craft and distribute digital guides, offering a modern and accessible way for travelers to explore and enjoy their destinations.

Step 3: Start offering or selling

For free content authors without SmartGuide Prime, the tours will be set by default as private on SmartGuide and not visible to the general SmartGuide app users publicly (only accessible via the QR code we provide). 

Tour operators can sell the tours via QR codes and matching activation links through their existing channels: on-premises, via their websites, or via platforms such as Viator. Once a visitor purchases the tour, an activation link or QR code will be shared with the buyer. This model suits tours that are part of another product, like boat or bus tours.

These digital audio tours can be marketed as standalone options or bundled with transportation and entrance tickets, presenting a versatile solution that accommodates varying visitors' preferences.

                                Content creators can sell content directly with tickets or in-app

Pricing structure

1) Self-service guide creation (free)

Tour operators gain complimentary access to a Content Management System (CMS), enabling them to upload their content and specify geolocations for their tours effortlessly. This feature is free, encouraging operators to digitize their offerings without significant initial investment.

2) Guide creation support

For those requiring assistance in crafting compelling digital guides, additional support is available. Services, including content preparation, copywriting, and translations, are offered to ensure top-notch, engaging guides. The pricing for these services varies based on the project's scope, providing flexibility to accommodate different needs and budgets.

3) SmartGuide Prime plans

SmartGuide makes it simple and cost-effective to deliver a premium audio experience to your passengers for just a few cents per rider, while you retain full control of your content. Each plan includes a CMS for easy editing, a branded screen accessible via Smart QR codes, an ad-free version with offline access, and complete app operations, upgrades, and maintenance handled by the SmartGuide team for you.

The following plans include monthly fees based on your annual passenger volume:

• <10,000 passengers per year: €195/month
• <30,000 passengers per year: €390/month
• <100,000 passengers per year: €780/month
• <300,000 passengers per year: €1,170/month

This EXTRA maintenance package also includes priority support, AI tour planner, priority customer support, free content publishing, embedding web functionalities in the guide app.

AI guide chat, visitor Data analytics dashboards, Augmented Reality, User messaging and Content creation support are sold separately.

For more information, watch the video:

SmartGuide provides tour operators with a straightforward and scalable way to digitize their tours and reach a broader audience. With clear pricing, powerful AI features, and comprehensive technical support, it streamlines the complexities of app development while opening up new income opportunities. By combining multilingual digital guides, detailed analytics, and flexible monetization options, SmartGuide helps operators meet the rising demand for self-guided travel and deliver a modern experience that today’s travelers expect.

Sign up for SmartGuide today and augment your tours to meet the demands of the modern traveler.