Touristlink

Touristlink is an online platform that connects travellers with locals and fellow travellers in over 200 countries worldwide. Founded in 2011, they now boast a community of over 100,000 members looking to meet with new people, embark on tours, discover new destinations, share their travels and ask questions.

Searching for people and activities near you is easy enough to do, with a simple search bar where you can type in the names of cities. After searching, you will then be taken to a profile of the place, with information on the region, locals and travellers to connect with, as well available travel deals and tour guides. I like the ability to save locations so that they can be quickly viewed later on without the need to search for them.

One feature that I think is particularly good is that after booking a group tour via Touristlink you are able to see who else will be going on the tour and connect with them. You can also connect with the trip leader to quickly resolve any queries you might have or to simply build a rapport before the due date. For me, this helped when I was travelling alone as it meant that I felt as though I was more connected with the group beforehand rather than embarking on a tour with a load of strangers.

If you do not find a tour that suits your preferences, you can post a request via the website that will then be sent out to the travel agents on the platform, who will make you offers. This caters especially to those with extra needs, such as those with a disability or in need of a transfer from the airport.

An issue I found with Touristlink was that although you could give a thumbs up or thumbs down for different locations, there was no option to leave reviews. This would dramatically help users gain a truer understanding of each place.

David Jones

I am a professional travel writer and travel enthusiast who traveled the world twice, so I am sharing my firsthand knowledge about everything related to travel and spending time abroad.