What is a “living experience” and why a traveller would like to take part in it?
With the term ‘living experience’ we call a current global trend in Tourism through which travellers and tourists can view all the aspects of each place via a unique and distinct point of view, that only local people can offer. We are talking about things that a typical tourist package of a travel agency cannot offer. Such things are lessons of any kind or craft, activities related to the traditions of a place or people, special tours and events, local fests etc., but also mainstream happenings like yoga, hiking & bicycle tours, cooking & dancing lessons, etc.
Note: Since the outbreak of the corona virus, our platform offers virtual experiences as well. Whereas the main philosophy remains the same, we are trying to expand the network in other forms of experiences, seeking the best ways to remain active through the tough days of the lockdown and the quarantine. So, a virtual experience could be a yoga or a cooking lesson that resembles the physical one, but also it could be an orthophony seminar, a creative writing course or life lessons in general from a famous singer, a prolificate writer or a guru in his/her field.
Why a Host would like to take part in?
There are so many reasons to participate in our platform. For example, you can teach a specific talent you have or even your profession, you can share your knowledge and skills and at the same time to earn a significant income. If you have a huge success, you could also do this as a living! Don’t forget that through this way you empower not only your local community but also your country, by promoting all the beauties and the diversity that make them so special.
What kind(s) of a “living experience” can I offer?
By clicking “create an experience” you can go through those steps that will allow you to create any kind of experience you wish and you think that you can offer. You may cook and teach local recipes, guide them through the landscapes and the landmarks of your city or village, take them for fishing, teach them how to dance or how to paint, you can also teach specific crafts even like pottery or sewing. You can put as many experiences as you think that you are able to offer to travellers and visitors.
How can I become a Host and how much time it requires?
The whole process is quite simple. At the main page there is the option “create an experience”. Put the required data and go forward step by step to the conclusion of your request. When everything is ready, Localture will examine your input and come back if necessary, with proposals, alterations and advices with the purpose to make your listing as much as comprehensible and appealing. From the moment you input an experience it will go live within 72 hours.
How do I cancel or change a booking?
It would be perfect if you don’t cancel scheduled and booked experiences since such a thing could affect your reviews and your overall profile. If that is inevitable there is the tool inside the platform “cancel your experience”. You have also the option to change the date and/or the time of an event but in any case, all the above must take place as soon as possible without disrupting the holidays of our guests.
What happens if a guest cancels or changes a booking? What if they don’t show up at all?
Each guest has the option to cancel or change his/her booking. If you can respond to his request it would be another way to collect positive reviews and other guests use your services. If the cancellation takes place 5 days before the scheduled date, we refurbish the whole amount to the guest. If this happens in a shorter time frame (4 days or less) you will still get paid with the whole amount.
How do I get paid for my services? Can I get paid during the event?
Our purpose is to create a friendly and hospitable atmosphere between hosts and guests. Usually when we are among friends there aren’t any money transactions involved. Eager to support this kind of feeling, Locature doesn’t support payments during or after the course of an experience. Following the completion of each experience if you are a professional you should issue the relevant invoice, send it through email at info@localture.com and we will pay you via bank transfer or PayPal within the upcoming days. If you are an individual, we will issue the relevant receipt to your name and will pay you with the same method.
How do I set the price for my services?
The price that you offer your experience or event is being set by you and only. We strongly advise our hosts to set competitive prices in order to attract more guests. Secondly, we recommend before setting a price to take into consideration all the related facts like the type and the difficulty of the service, the needed time, the costs, and of course your profit. For instance, someone would pay differently for a dance lesson or a scuba diving experience related to a bicycle tour or a cooking class.
The price that you set each time is depicted per person and includes a 15% of commission for our service. For example, if you set a price of 100€ per person, Localture will get 15€ and the final amount that you will eventually receive will be 85€ (100-15=85). All prices uploaded in our site must be final, including ALL applicable taxes.
What commission do I pay to Localture?
Our platform doesn’t charge with any commission our hosts. Our fee comes from the price that the guests pay. Please refer to the previous question.
What are my tax obligations?
We advise you to consult with your accountant or tax authority regarding all the tax obligations that may derive (or not) from your cooperation with our platform.
What kind of info do I have to include in my experience?
You should describe your experience as much thoroughly as you can with all the necessary details (place, time, required gear, languages spoken, target group, etc.). Our platform is quite helpful and easy guided and you shall not have any trouble using it. In any case we are constantly available to help or guide you through whatever you may need.
Do I have to be a professional?
No, this isn’t prerequisite. The only necessary thing is to love what you are doing and of course be good at it!
What kind of photos must I upload? Can I use photos from the internet?
Try to set up the scene of the place that you will provide your service as more realistic as it would be during the experience. Put as many pictures as possible but be careful to use your own photos or photos that belong to the public domain free for commercial use. Photos tips
How can I describe better of my services?
A precise and pleasant portrayal of your experience along with good quality photos is the first step to impress a potential guest and make them understand perfectly what you offer and why is worth buying it. You must first of all think like you are a traveller yourself!
Our platform includes specific and very helpful steps that will guide you from A to Z, nevertheless if you need any further assistance or advice you may call us immediately and we shall help you to make your service perfect.
Why do I file my personal data? How do they get secured?
The data that you input in the platform are being separated in public and private. The first include your hobbies, your interests, your specialties and any kind of knowledge for the potential guest. The second, contain strictly personal and private data, like name, address, bank account that are kept cyphered and securely filed in our server and are being protected by the local and EU Law. The only data that we’ll send to guests after the booking, will be your contact info.
How do I accept or decline a request?
When a guest selects your experience or your event and sends you a request, you will receive a notification through email. Then you will have the option to see who he/she is, the dates he is interested in, the total number of persons that will participate and of course the final amount of money that you will earn. Next, you will have the option to approve or reject this request based on your preferences or availability, but this has to be done within 24hrs in order to keep a high pace in your responses and manage appropriately your requests. Only at the end of this process, the guest will receive your contact info.
How do I get in contact with the guest?
When a guest sends you a message you will receive a notification “reply to guest”, through the “message service” of the Platform. Then you can ask for every kind of info you need. After confirmation of the booking, the guest will receive your contact info in order to get in touch with you.
How do I get secured from a potential damage from a guest?
Our platform only intermediates between hosts and guests and therefore holds no other kind of responsibility whatsoever regarding the interaction of these two parts. In any case, it’s very important to double check and take all necessary cautions before or during the course of an event or experience. Any kind of difference between hosts and guests is a matter of case strictly between the two parts and Localture may assist in a voluntary basis if its viable or feasible.
Can I make a review of the guest?
After the end of each experience you will receive an email in order to complete and file a review about your guest. The community of Localture but also the rest of the hosts will deeply appreciate it.
Is it safe?
Each guest like every host creates a profile in our platform by filling in his personal info, interests, hobbies, etc. Through this way you can have a first acquaintance with your potential guest but you may also use the message service of our platform in order to satisfy any additional questions or queries you may have. Of course, a very useful tool is the reviews each guest has into his/her profile. Regarding the Virtual Experiences, all conferences links have to be used only once whereas recording of the sessions is strictly prohibited.
How I manage my reservations?
Up and in the right of the page you can click on your name and you can view all your experiences as a host, your pending reservations and your whole presence in Localture.