TripSketch Launches 9 Green Travel Guides for Asian Users

By Tech Wire Asia | 29 April, 2012

Green-consciousness does not necessarily have to stay at home. Eco-aware travelers would be glad to hear about TripSketch, which has recently released Regional Green Travel Guides. While there are a handful of travel apps out there, TripSketch offers more information like carbon offsets or other eco-friendly detaips pertinent to countries or even continents.

A suite of nine new apps brings eco-friendly activities and experiences in more than 85 cities across Canada, Europe, US, Asia and Oceania to enhance one’s travel experience while reducing carbon footprint.

Each of the travel guides features detailed coverage of around six to twelve major cities. It features all popular destinations for the city, ensuring that travelers are notified not only of the green activities available in these locations, but also eco-friendly hotels, popular sights, attractions, dining options, transportation and tours. The app also provides essential details such as addresses, descriptions, opening hours, prices, and the like.

“TripSketch is committed to providing travelers with a high-value, convenient, eco-friendly travel experience,” says TripSketch Founder and CEO, Lalitha Swart who founded the company in 2007. The former high-tech banking executive in Palo Alto, California further highlights the benefits of the app. “With our new suite of in-depth Regional Green Travel Guides, we have added robust features that make trip planning, mapping and calendaring even more convenient and useful for travelers who want to plan and enjoy enriching travel experiences.”

Published as both free and paid offerings, the apps are available for iOS, Android and Nokia‘s Symbian platform. The paid app is available in iTunes (Green Book) and Google Play. It costs US$ 4.99 for iDevices and US$ 1.99 for Android-powered devices. Twenty percent of revenue gained from the paid version is allocated to select non-profit organizations and projects profiled by Tripsketch.

When a user finds interesting sights in a chosen city, one can schedule the event in the digital calendar provided. A broad coverage of venues in four continents is offered (only Africa is left out), with the ability to access Green Book information offline. The app also offers advocacies for responsible travel without being preachy and inflexible. Location-based features can detect nearby venues once GPS activated. The app can be used to search for nearby events or notable places, and inputted in one’s device calendar. Google Maps can even provide directions. TripSketch also offers updates on new cities and travel ideas without additional charge.

One disadvantage, though: users still cannot book the hotel through the app. Travelers will therefore need to book the conventional way — through phone or through the hotels’ website. Likewise, there are no pictures accompanying venue descriptions, nor there are hotel ratings or user reviews

Bangkok, Bangalore, Chennai, Kolkata, Mumbai, New Delhi, Kuala Lumpur, and Singapore are cities covered on the Asia Green Travel Guide.