labs@atheron:~/industries/tours-attractions$ depart --capacity --waivers --resellers

Tour operator apps

Every seat sold once, every guest answered.

Your departures are sold by you and a dozen resellers, your guests arrive from many countries with the same questions, and your guides and boats are scheduled on a whiteboard. We build the booking engines, staff apps and reseller connections that fill each departure without selling a seat twice.

Start a project See the example projects

// what you are up against

The problems we hear most.

Seats sold twice

Resellers and your own site sell the same departure from separate counts, so a full boat is oversold or a seat sits empty that someone wanted.

Commissions argued over

Each reseller reports sales its own way, and month end becomes a reconciliation of who sold what and what each is owed.

A whiteboard for guides

Guides, drivers, boats and buses are scheduled on a whiteboard and group texts, and a sick call on a busy morning undoes the day.

Guests in many languages

Guests ask the same questions about meeting points, weather and what to bring, in many languages, mostly before they book.

// example projects

Systems we could build for you.

Each one is hypothetical, labelled as such, and priced live from our rate card. Open any of them in the estimator and make it yours.

Example projectWeb app

Booking engine with capacity and waivers

Hypothetical. Not a client, not a result.

// The problem

A whale watching company sells departures on its own site and through resellers, its booking page is slow on a phone, and every guest signs a paper waiver at the dock.

// What we would build

A booking engine on the operator's site that is quick on a phone, holds one live count of seats for every channel, takes deposits and group bookings, and has each guest sign a waiver online before they arrive.

// What is in it

Departures, seats and prices in one live count across every channel
Booking in a few steps on a phone, in the guest's language
Group bookings, private charters and deposits
Waivers signed online by every guest, kept with the booking
Weather cancellations with rebooking or refunds by your rules
A manifest for each departure, printed or on a tablet

// Stack

Next.js
PostgreSQL
Stripe
Reseller interfaces
DigitalOcean

// estimate

Build: ≈ US$101,000 to US$155,000, delivered within 22 weeksCAD 144,400 to 220,800
Hosting: ≈ US$344 a monthCAD 490 a month
Support: ≈ US$2,500 a monthCAD 3,565 a month

Prices in your currency are estimates from today's Bank of Canada rate. All invoicing is in CAD or USD.

Timeline by milestone

Discovery: 2.9 to 3.4 weeks
Design approved: 6.4 to 10.4 weeks
Core features: 2.9 to 4.9 weeks
Full build: 1.9 to 2.9 weeks
Testing and fixes: 0.9 to 1.4 weeks
Launch: 0.9 to 1.4 weeks

Outside our hands, and added to the calendar

Interface access from your resellers and agencies: 1 to 4 weeks

How it is paid

Deposit 20%: CAD 28,880 to 44,160
Discovery 7.7%: CAD 11,118.80 to 17,001.60
Design approved 7.7%: CAD 11,118.80 to 17,001.60
Core features 23.3%: CAD 33,645.20 to 51,446.40
Full build 15.5%: CAD 22,382 to 34,224
Testing and fixes 7.7%: CAD 11,118.80 to 17,001.60
Launch 8.1%: CAD 11,696.40 to 17,884.80
Holdback, 30 days after launch (10%): CAD 14,440 to 22,080

Start from this example

Example projectWeb appMobile app

Guide and fleet scheduling app

Hypothetical. Not a client, not a result.

// The problem

A tour company schedules guides, drivers and vehicles on a whiteboard, and a sick call or a broken-down bus on a busy morning means an hour of phone calls.

// What we would build

A web app for the office and a mobile app for guides and drivers: departures assigned by skills and hours, manifests on the phone, check-in at the meeting point, and a gap filled from the people who are free.

// What is in it

Guides, drivers and vehicles assigned by skills, languages and hours
Manifests and guest notes on the guide's phone
Guest check-in at the meeting point, live in the office
Gaps offered to free staff with one tap
Vehicle checks and incidents photographed and logged

// Stack

Next.js
React Native
PostgreSQL
DigitalOcean

// estimate

Build: ≈ US$89,700 to US$137,000, delivered within 26 weeksCAD 127,700 to 195,200
Hosting: ≈ US$176 a monthCAD 250 a month
Support: ≈ US$2,500 a monthCAD 3,565 a month

Prices in your currency are estimates from today's Bank of Canada rate. All invoicing is in CAD or USD.

Timeline by milestone

Discovery: 4 to 4.5 weeks
Design approved: 5 to 8 weeks
Core features: 2 to 3 weeks
Full build: 1.5 to 2 weeks
First build on devices: 4 to 5.5 weeks
Testing and fixes: 0.5 to 1.5 weeks
Store submission: 1.5 to 2 weeks
Launch: 1.5 to 2 weeks

Outside our hands, and added to the calendar

App store review: 1 week

How it is paid

Deposit 20%: CAD 25,540 to 39,040
Discovery 9.2%: CAD 11,748.40 to 17,958.40
Design approved 9.2%: CAD 11,748.40 to 17,958.40
Core features 7.6%: CAD 9,705.20 to 14,835.20
Full build 5%: CAD 6,385 to 9,760
First build on devices 20.1%: CAD 25,667.70 to 39,235.20
Testing and fixes 2.5%: CAD 3,192.50 to 4,880.00
Store submission 6.7%: CAD 8,555.90 to 13,078.40
Launch 9.7%: CAD 12,386.90 to 18,934.40
Holdback, 30 days after launch (10%): CAD 12,770 to 19,520

Start from this example

Example projectAPI

Channel and reseller hub

Hypothetical. Not a client, not a result.

// The problem

An attraction sells through online travel agencies, hotel desks and local resellers, each with its own login and spreadsheet, and staff move bookings between them by hand.

// What we would build

An integration hub that gives resellers live availability and booking through a documented interface, receives bookings from the online agencies, and keeps the operator's booking system and accounting in step.

// What is in it

Live availability and booking for resellers through one interface
Bookings from online agencies written to your booking system
Commissions recorded with each sale
Sales posted to your accounting system
Every message logged, with alerts when one fails

// Stack

Node.js
PostgreSQL
OpenAPI
Online agency interfaces
DigitalOcean

// estimate

Build: ≈ US$56,700 to US$86,700, delivered within 14 weeksCAD 80,700 to 123,400
Hosting: ≈ US$176 a monthCAD 250 a month
Support: ≈ US$2,500 a monthCAD 3,565 a month

Prices in your currency are estimates from today's Bank of Canada rate. All invoicing is in CAD or USD.

Timeline by milestone

API contract agreed: 2.9 to 3.9 weeks
Core resources built: 2.9 to 4.4 weeks
Security, gateway and connections: 1.9 to 2.9 weeks
Docs, SDKs and load tests: 1.4 to 1.9 weeks
Launch and first callers: 0.9 to 1.4 weeks

Outside our hands, and added to the calendar

Interface access from your resellers and agencies: 1 to 4 weeks

How it is paid

Deposit 20%: CAD 16,140 to 24,680
API contract agreed 8.7%: CAD 7,020.90 to 10,735.80
Core resources built 26.2%: CAD 21,143.40 to 32,330.80
Security, gateway and connections 17.5%: CAD 14,122.50 to 21,595.00
Docs, SDKs and load tests 8.7%: CAD 7,020.90 to 10,735.80
Launch and first callers 8.9%: CAD 7,182.30 to 10,982.60
Holdback, 30 days after launch (10%): CAD 8,070 to 12,340

Start from this example

Example projectWeb app

Bookings and demand dashboard

Hypothetical. Not a client, not a result.

// The problem

A museum and a family of attractions see ticket sales in one system and reseller sales in emails, so pricing and staffing are set on last year's guesses.

// What we would build

A dashboard that reads the booking system, resellers and the till into one model, so managers see demand by day, product and channel, how far ahead guests book, and which channels pay for themselves.

// What is in it

Bookings by day, product and channel
How far ahead guests book, by season
Channel costs set against what each brings in
Capacity used against capacity offered
Exports for finance and the board

// Stack

Next.js
PostgreSQL
dbt
Booking and till interfaces
DigitalOcean

// estimate

Build: ≈ US$36,200 to US$55,300, delivered within 14 weeksCAD 51,600 to 78,800
Hosting: ≈ US$176 a monthCAD 250 a month
Support: ≈ US$1,000 a monthCAD 1,425 a month

Prices in your currency are estimates from today's Bank of Canada rate. All invoicing is in CAD or USD.

Timeline by milestone

Discovery: 2.9 to 3.4 weeks
Design approved: 2.4 to 3.4 weeks
Core features: 1.4 to 2.4 weeks
Full build: 0.9 to 1.9 weeks
Testing and fixes: 0.9 to 1.4 weeks
Launch: 0.9 to 1.4 weeks

Outside our hands, and added to the calendar

Interface access from your resellers and agencies: 1 to 4 weeks

How it is paid

Deposit 30%: CAD 15,480 to 23,640
Discovery 6.6%: CAD 3,405.60 to 5,200.80
Design approved 6.6%: CAD 3,405.60 to 5,200.80
Core features 20%: CAD 10,320 to 15,760
Full build 13.3%: CAD 6,862.80 to 10,480.40
Testing and fixes 6.6%: CAD 3,405.60 to 5,200.80
Launch 6.9%: CAD 3,560.40 to 5,437.20
Holdback, 30 days after launch (10%): CAD 5,160 to 7,880

Start from this example

Example projectWeb appBlockchain

Shared commission ledger

Hypothetical. Not a client, not a result.

// The problem

A regional pass sold by a tourism association covers a dozen independent operators, and every month the operators, the association and the resellers argue over who sold what and who is owed.

// What we would build

Each sale and each redemption recorded on a private permissioned ledger the operators, the association and the main resellers run nodes of, so commissions and payouts are worked out from one record nobody can rewrite. If the association runs the pass and everyone trusts its books, a database is simpler, and we will say so.

// What is in it

Each sale and redemption recorded once, by the party that made it
Commissions and payouts worked out from the shared record
No party can add or change a sale alone
Statements each member can check against its own sales
Rules for joining and settling agreed by the members

// Stack

Next.js
PostgreSQL
Hyperledger Besu (private, permissioned)
Booking system interfaces
DigitalOcean

// estimate

Build: ≈ US$119,000 to US$182,000, delivered within 25 weeksCAD 169,800 to 259,700
Hosting: ≈ US$344 a monthCAD 490 a month
Support: ≈ US$2,500 a monthCAD 3,565 a month

Prices in your currency are estimates from today's Bank of Canada rate. All invoicing is in CAD or USD.

Timeline by milestone

Discovery: 2.9 to 3.4 weeks
Architecture: 0.4 weeks
Design approved: 3.9 to 6.4 weeks
Core features: 1.4 to 2.4 weeks
Full build: 0.9 to 1.9 weeks
Devnet: 2.9 to 4.9 weeks
Testing and fixes: 0.4 weeks
Testnet: 2.9 to 3.4 weeks
Launch: 0.9 to 1.4 weeks
Mainnet: 0.9 to 1.4 weeks

Outside our hands, and added to the calendar

Interface access from your resellers and agencies: 1 to 4 weeks

How it is paid

Deposit 20%: CAD 33,960 to 51,940
Discovery 2.5%: CAD 4,245.00 to 6,492.50
Architecture 6.7%: CAD 11,376.60 to 17,399.90
Design approved 2.5%: CAD 4,245.00 to 6,492.50
Core features 7.5%: CAD 12,735.00 to 19,477.50
Full build 5%: CAD 8,490 to 12,985
Devnet 20.2%: CAD 34,299.60 to 52,459.40
Testing and fixes 2.5%: CAD 4,245.00 to 6,492.50
Testnet 13.4%: CAD 22,753.20 to 34,799.80
Launch 2.5%: CAD 4,245.00 to 6,492.50
Mainnet 7.2%: CAD 12,225.60 to 18,698.40
Holdback, 30 days after launch (10%): CAD 16,980 to 25,970

Start from this example

Example projectWeb appAIFrontier model

Multilingual help centre and assistant

Hypothetical. Not a client, not a result.

// The problem

A tour company answers the same questions about meeting points, weather, accessibility and what to bring, by email, in many languages, mostly from guests who have not booked yet.

// What we would build

A help centre written from the operator's own information in the languages its guests speak, and an assistant on the site that answers from it and passes anything else to staff. It uses a frontier model through its API: the information is public and guests write in many languages.

// What is in it

A help centre on meeting points, weather, accessibility and what to bring
Pages and answers in your guests' languages, reviewed where it matters
Questions it cannot answer passed to staff by email
No card details in the conversation
Your team edits the help centre without a developer

// Stack

Frontier model API
Next.js
PostgreSQL with pgvector
DigitalOcean

// estimate

Build: ≈ US$82,100 to US$125,000, delivered within 21 weeksCAD 116,900 to 178,700
Hosting: ≈ US$218 a monthCAD 310 a month
Support: ≈ US$1,000 a monthCAD 1,425 a month

Prices in your currency are estimates from today's Bank of Canada rate. All invoicing is in CAD or USD.

AI route: Frontier model
Model running cost: ≈ US$42 a monthCAD 60 a month

Timeline by milestone

Discovery: 2.9 to 3.4 weeks
Specification and evaluation plan: 0.4 weeks
Design approved: 2.4 to 3.4 weeks
Core features: 1.4 to 1.9 weeks
Full build: 0.9 to 1.4 weeks
Working pilot: 3.9 to 6.4 weeks
Testing and fixes: 0.9 to 1.9 weeks
Launch: 0.9 to 1.4 weeks
Production: 0.9 to 1.4 weeks

How it is paid

Deposit 20%: CAD 23,380 to 35,740
Discovery 2%: CAD 2,338 to 3,574
Specification and evaluation plan 10.2%: CAD 11,923.80 to 18,227.40
Design approved 2%: CAD 2,338 to 3,574
Core features 6.2%: CAD 7,247.80 to 11,079.40
Full build 4.1%: CAD 4,792.90 to 7,326.70
Working pilot 30.7%: CAD 35,888.30 to 54,860.90
Testing and fixes 2%: CAD 2,338 to 3,574
Launch 2%: CAD 2,338 to 3,574
Production 10.8%: CAD 12,625.20 to 19,299.60
Holdback, 30 days after launch (10%): CAD 11,690 to 17,870

Start from this example

// by service

Go deeper on one kind of work.

Pages for the services we have the most to say about in this industry.

~/apps

Tour booking apps

Booking engines and staff apps for tour operators and attractions: one live seat count across every channel, online waivers, group bookings, and a guide and fleet app with manifests on the phone.

~/chains

Shared commissions

A private permissioned ledger for regional passes and shared sales: each sale and redemption recorded once by the party that made it, so operators, associations and resellers settle from one record.

~/data

Tour demand dashboards

A dashboard for tour operators, museums and attractions that reads the booking system, resellers and tills into one model, showing demand by day and channel, booking lead times and what each channel costs.

~/automate

Reseller integrations

An integration hub for tour operators and attractions that gives resellers live availability through a documented interface, receives online agency bookings and keeps booking and accounting systems in step.

~/i18n

Guest help in any language

A help centre written from a tour operator's own information on meeting points, weather, accessibility and what to bring, in the guests' languages, with an assistant that answers from it and hands the rest to staff.

// questions

What buyers in this industry ask us.

Do you work with small, single-boat or single-site operators?

Yes. A booking engine or a help centre suits a single operator, and the estimator shows the range for your scope.

Can you work with our booking system vendor?

Yes. We work through their interface and agree the boundary with them early.

How do payments work?

A deposit to start, then payments at agreed milestones, with 10% held until 30 days after launch. The deposit is a smaller share on larger projects.

Who owns the code?

You do, once the work is paid for.

// other industries

Nearby industries.

~/hospitality

Hospitality and travel

Direct booking engines and guest apps, guest messaging agents, housekeeping apps and shared loyalty for independent hotels.

See the examples

~/aviation

Aviation and aerospace

Digital task cards for your technicians, a custom model for tech log entries, back-to-birth parts records on a private ledger and apps for flight schools.

See the examples

~/media

Media and entertainment

Subscriber apps, assistants that search your archive, rights and royalty ledgers, and community bots for Discord and Telegram.

See the examples

All industries

// where we work

Find your market.

We work from Kelowna with clients across Canada, the United States and further afield. Each market page covers working hours, hosting, the privacy law that applies, and prices in your currency.

Every market

// next

Not quite your project?

Tell us what you have in mind. We will come back to you with a range and the questions that would narrow it. Or book a call and talk it through.

Start a project Book a call