I run a small travel and tour business that offers customizable tour packages, transportation, and guided experiences. Most bookings currently happen via Facebook, WhatsApp, and direct messaging.
I’m planning to build a mobile app (Android first, possibly cross-platform later) and would like ideas that are technically feasible and aligned with a service-based tourism business.
Current setup:
Custom tour packages
Manual booking confirmation
Payments via bank transfer / e-wallet
Drivers and guides assigned manually
Customer communication via chat apps
Goals for the app:
Improve booking efficiency
Automate confirmations and reminders
Reduce manual coordination
Improve customer experience
Possibly support resellers or agents in the future
Constraints:
Small team (no in-house developer yet)
Limited budget
Need something scalable
Prefer starting with MVP features
Questions:
What core features should be included in an MVP for a travel tour booking app?
Should I build native (Kotlin/Swift) or use cross-platform (Flutter/React Native)?
What backend architecture would you recommend for booking + scheduling (Firebase? Node.js + PostgreSQL?).
Any recommended APIs for payments and maps integration?
How would you design the database structure for tours, schedules, vehicles, and guides?
I’m looking for practical, implementation-focused suggestions rather than general business ideas.