Short answer: a digital city guide turns check-in into a premium touchpoint: as part of their stay, the guest gets a 24/7 digital concierge with curated local recommendations, itinerary, budget and challenges — in their language and working offline. It raises satisfaction, takes load off the front desk and sets your hotel apart with no staffing cost.
The problem: reception can't be everyone's guide
"Where can I eat something typical?", "what do I do tomorrow if it rains?", "how do I get to…?". Your front desk answers the same thing a hundred times a day, and the guest still ends up on TripAdvisor looking at the same ten places. You don't control the experience, and they don't discover the good side of your city.
The solution: a branded digital concierge
Giving the guest access to a digital city guide as part of their stay solves both:
- For the guest: genuine local recommendations (not the top-10), an itinerary they can build at their own pace, budget control and even gamified challenges to explore — all in their language and without relying on wifi.
- For the hotel: a new premium touchpoint, less load on reception, and the ability to add your brand and highlight the spots you want.
How it's implemented (easy and physical)
Access can be delivered in a phygital way: an NFC chip in the welcome card, the keyring or the room key itself. The guest taps their phone and unlocks premium access. Zero friction, zero app-store downloads.
What it delivers, concretely
- Raises satisfaction and reviews (a differentiated experience).
- Offloads reception from repetitive questions.
- Creates a brand channel with the guest throughout their stay.
- Multilingual: serves international guests effortlessly.
How Wayfare does it
Wayfare is also built for tourism businesses. For hotels, it turns check-in into a premium experience and acts as a digital city concierge; for tour operators, it adds an interactive layer to the itinerary (preloaded guides, branded challenges, group journals); for tourist offices, it surfaces the destination's hidden gems, in several languages. And it all works offline and with the guest's privacy by design.
→ See Wayfare for business · Looking for the traveler version? Start with How to plan a trip step by step.
Frequently asked questions
Does the guest have to download an app?
No app-store trip required: access can be delivered with an NFC (card, keyring or key) that unlocks the experience.
Can it be personalized with the hotel's brand?
Yes: branded challenge sets, featured content and the experience as an extension of your hotel.
Does it work for international guests?
Yes, it's multilingual (Spanish, English and French) and works offline.
Does it also work for tour operators and tourist offices?
Yes; it adds an interactive digital layer to itineraries and promotes the destination beyond the top-10.
Written by Érico Dias, creator of Wayfare.