Helping Travelers Discover the World through a Local Lens.
Gaido is a travel discovery platform designed to help users move past tourist traps and explore authentic local experiences. By focusing on cultural depth and personal discovery, Gaido set out to become the companion app for curious travelers.
The Challenge
Most travel platforms funnel users into the same destinations and experiences, creating a cycle of overtourism and superficial itineraries. Gaido’s founders believed there was an opportunity to disrupt this model by building an app that highlighted hidden gems and authentic cultural activities. The goal was to empower travelers to feel like locals rather than tourists.
The challenge was twofold: first, to design a product that could deliver personalized travel recommendations without overwhelming users, and second, to ensure the app was intuitive for people on the move. Unlike traditional guides, Gaido needed to feel dynamic, trustworthy, and ready to use in real time while abroad.
Our Approach
We partnered with Gaido to shape their vision into a product that balanced exploration with usability. Our discovery process included research with frequent travelers and locals to identify what authenticity meant in practice. From there, we mapped user journeys that emphasized ease of discovery, clarity of presentation, and reliability.
Recognizing an opportunity to address this need, we explored the concept of offering personalized planning services through the app. By allowing travelers to virtually connect with local guides for customized advice and recommendations, we aimed to provide added value while also monetizing the platform. Usability Testing confirmed the potential of this feature, with participants expressing enthusiasm for the opportunity to receive personalized guidance on maximizing their city experience.
Our development team then built the platform as a mobile-first solution, ensuring that recommendations could be surfaced quickly and offline-ready when needed. We also integrated social sharing and bookmarking features so users could not only explore but also inspire others. The product design placed storytelling at the center, connecting travelers to local culture in meaningful ways.
- Conducted traveler interviews and local guide research
- Designed personalized recommendation flows
- Developed mobile-first architecture with offline-ready features
- Integrated bookmarking and sharing for social engagement
The Impact
Gaido’s launch introduced a fresh approach to travel discovery, immediately resonating with audiences seeking deeper experiences. The app differentiated itself in a crowded market by focusing on authenticity over volume.
We transitioned to a simpler planning tool that allows users to outline their travel as loosely or as detailed as they prefer, without overwhelming them with unnecessary features. Our solution of letting users create Pinterest-like sets of folders to group their favorite hidden gems gives travelers the flexibility to organize them however they see fit, aligning with their varying planning styles while maintaining ease of use.
The impact was evident: users reported higher satisfaction with their travel planning and shared that Gaido helped them uncover activities they would not have found otherwise. The platform gained traction with early adopters and positioned itself as a disruptor to mass-market tourism apps.
- Boosted traveler engagement by promoting unique, lesser-known activities
- Positive feedback highlighting ease of use while traveling abroad
- Created opportunities for local businesses to connect with tourists
- Established Gaido as a promising entrant in the travel-tech ecosystem
Project Review
Jack Lozyniak
Gaido Founder
“Goji Labs built a strong mobile app product that’s scheduled for release next month. The team was highly communicative about timelines and even delivered several features ahead of schedule.”
